Well when you get a reference from OC Weekly, Yahoo! Buzz, Perez Hilton and the Orange County Register, taking a cue from The Other McCain, you milk it for all it’s worth.  This blogging business is a rough and tumble world, and the only thing you can really do to generate traffic is to.. well, blog. 

So this is in response to Disney-O-Rama’s post: Should Tom Sawyer Island Be Turned Into LOST Island

Apparently a group of hardcore fans of the ABC show “Lost” have started a petition to persuade Disney to create a “Lost” island at Disneyland. The “Lost” attraction would replace “Tom Sawyer Island”, which is seen as being outdated, even with its newly created tie-in to “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series.

While I consider myself to be a hardcore fan of “Lost” as well, this is a bad idea in so many ways.

First, thanks for your support and linking to the petition, next time, try reading it, I’ll help you out, the short preamble says:

LOST is one of the best television series to ever be broadcast on television. Disney should give this awesome show it’s[sic] due and create a LOST Island attraction at one of it’s Disney theme parks. Just think of the locations that can be immortalized in a Disney location.

While it does say Island, it is not specific to Tom Sawyer Island.  It’s more a reference to the location that LOST is centered on “LOST Island”.  The petition isn’t trying to define where in the Magic Kingdom it should be placed, but that the idea be considered by the powers that be to include some LOST themed something.  Heck, most LOST fans would probably be thrilled at a Dharma snack bar, selling Dharma branded concessions.  Executive Producer Carlton Cuse thinks an E-Ticket ride is a better idea.

You may think turning Tom Sawyer Island into LOST island is a bad idea, and many agree with you, but that doesn’t discount the concept of a LOST attraction. I admit that my first impression was centered around using Tom Sawyer Island, and Damon Lindelof tweeted about putting a Polar Bear on the island, so I don’t think it’s a terrible idea.

I haven’t been to Disneyland in 15 years (give or take 9 months), so I’m not up to date on the layout of the park or changes that have been made.  My memories of going to Disneyland in my youth (30+ years ago) have very fond memories of exploring Tom Sawyer Island, hiking along the trails, going into caves, checking out the neat forts, pretending we had guns, and the sailing ship circling the island.  As a “hard core” LOST fan, all of those elements that I remember of the attraction of Tom Sawyer Island, are repeated concepts in the mystery of LOST island, and recurring themes in the plots of the show. 

Do kids need to know all the deep mysteries of LOST to have fun on an LOST themed island.  Just as kids don’t have to wade through or even be familiar with Mark Twain’s character to enjoy the current rendition of the Island.  My two boys (7 and 10) would LOVE it, maybe their friends down the street might be clueless about the theme, but they’d probably love the imaginary games they could play exploring the island.

Adults would come to the attraction, but that’s one of the things that Disney does extremely well, is create experiences where generations can share their enjoyment.  Examples: Every Pixar film made.  When Disney gets off it’s game and starts shooting solely at a younger generation, well I have two words for you: Miley Cyrus. (that’s a joke, Hoss).

I’m glad you do agree with the concept of the petition (I’ve shown it’s not TSI specific) and agree with the points you make here:

Don’t get me wrong – I think the idea of a “Lost” style attraction where fans can physically experience what they have watched for 5 plus seasons now is a great idea. I just don’t believe that Tom Sawyer Island should be sacrificed in the process.

If the Disney powers-that-be take this petition seriously, maybe more suitable locations would be “Disney’s Animal Kingdom” in Orlando or possibly the new Disney resort that is being developed in Kapolei, Hawaii.

The Hawaiian location would be a supreme location for such an attraction, so I do hope you’ve signed the petition.

Thanks for taking the time to form a well thought out response to a self-admittedly kinda silly idea.  Your post is proof that the silly ideas (like a theme park in Anaheim of all places) can generate some real ideas, and some awesome fun.

So a couple of days ago I had a really nice conversation with Sarah Tully, who writes for the Register’s Around Disney blog, which has news and information about all things Magic Kingdom (aka Resort Area of Anaheim where Walt Disney’s Disneyland is located, perhaps you’ve heard of it?)

The interview resulted in this article (click on through to give some linkage):

Tom Sawyer’s Island cabin could become Jacob’s cabin. A smoke monster could waft around Disneyland guests. Dharmaville barracks could go up in Frontierland.

If fans of the “Lost” T.V. show have their way, all would be part of a show-themed attraction at a Disney park. Preferably, Tom Sawyer’s Island would become “Lost” Island at Disneyland.

Fans are circulating an online petition to ask Disney to put an attraction based on the science-fiction show in one of its parks. See the petition HERE.

The organizer, former Orange County resident Jon Stueve, aims to collect 5,000 signatures by today so that a fellow “Lost” fan can deliver it to officials at the “Lost” premiere in Oahu, Hawaii. As of mid-Thursday, more than 3,000 people had joined the petition.

While I’m disappointed that Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokesman commented that Walt Disney Imagineering officials aren’t, “contemplating the concept.”  I’m not really surprised.  Imagineers are men of science, after all, and they’ll need some convincing from some of us men (and women) of faith.  So I’m taking a ‘whatever, dude!’ attitude, and just gonna enjoy the idea as it dances through the my ever decreasing grey matter.

Thanks again, Sarah for the article and taking the time to contact me, and listen to this hair brained idea.  It is the highest praise of a ‘hard core’ LOST fan to say to you – You All Everybody!

EDIT: Giving credit where credit is certainly due:

LOST_WFTB: I’m forever grateful to @EWDocJensen for being the FIRST to endorse it on twitter!!! (but we need’s an EW linkage baby!)

Yesterday this whole LOST Themed Disney Attraction petition thing went wild.  Surreal even.

As I wrote in the first post:

I made a off hand comment on Twitter to a friend:

@mfeige 1) never be sorry for Disneylan 2) I want pictures of when Tom Sawyer’s Island becomes LOST

Since then I’ve had two blogs at Examiner.com analyze the story.

• Proposed LOST-themed Disney attraction (pro)
• ABC ‘Lost’ TV show fans start petition to change Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland (con)

Which has pretty much been the theme everywhere I’ve seen the petition mentioned, either a “Oh Hell YES!” or a “Oh Hell NO!”.

Then Monday, the OC Weekly Blog (Orange County also known as the home of Disneyland) Navelgazing picked up the story and posted this:

• Dishney: Fans Petition Tom Sawyer Island Change to LOST Theme

Their ‘Dishney’ isn’t a typo like the petition’s ‘Disnet’, its a portmanteau of the words “dish” and “disney”, as in the dish on disney. If only I had such an acceptable reason for all the typos and mistakes on the petition.

Reading through the comments, there is a link to this blog from June:

• Lost Island Coming to Walt Disney World

Which very well may have been the initiating mind worm that triggered my off-hand tweet.  Read that post, its a wonderful work of satire, even has some nifty cool acronyms to decode.  Apparently it even kicked off a thread at DarkUFO’s forums getting some fans hopes up for such a thing to happen.

Then yesterday, this tweet:

Damon Lindelof: @LOST_WFTB Consider the petition SIGNED!

(he’s #539 on the petition, btw)

Which made my day, week, month, year, decade, century.  Only to be followed in the evening by this tweet:

CarltonCuse: @LOST_WFTB. While I like the idea of Tom Sawyer’s island getting a LOST do-over, I’d rather see Disney make a big LOST E-ticket ride.

Whoa. Horse. Couldn’t wipe the goofy grin off my face for a long moment.  My son started following along and signed the petition, then later my wife did.  Just before I went to bed, I saw this article that was re-tweeted by a follower:

• Found: ‘Lost’ Petition for Disney Attraction (source: Yahoo! TV Blog)

And the little petition that could has been clicking along ever since, over 935 signatures yesterday alone, and stands at 1825 as I write this (it’ll change before I post).

Still hasn’t gotten the much sought after hype from Jeff “Doc” Jensen that he promised in this tweet almost a month ago:

EWDocJensen LOST_WFTB: Seriously, dude. Start a petition. I’ll help promote it. We’ll get this done. I have no doubt Mighty Disney will bow to our will.

C’mon Doc, I’m sure EW.com will give you some online space to continue to help promote it. time before it seems like you’re hitchin’ your wagon to a internet phenom. (my bad, Jeff’s been consistently promoting this on twitter from the start. – JS)

I do need to state that the limitations of PetitionOnline.com don’t allow me to edit the petition after it’s been posted. So were stuck with my shoddy work, sorry.  Another pal (Eddie Lloyd) sent me an email with a much better worded petition, if I could swap his work with mine I would.  But I’ll include it after the fold:

To:  Disney Corporation and its subsidiaries, ABC Television, et. al, Re; LOST Attraction

LOST is, to over Twelve Million faithful viewers weekly, the best television series to ever be broadcast. We, the undersigned, believe Disney should give this amazing show its due and create a “LOST Island Attraction” at one of its Disney theme parks.

Considering the great success of the series, we believe that this would not only be a great extension of what has turned out to be the first “cross-over” media television show, but it would also give a much-needed update to a flailing and out-of-date Tom Sawyer’s Island. There is also great potential to sell LOST-themed merchandise at one of the “DHARMA” barracks.

Some of the themes that could be implemented in such an attraction:

• Various DHARMA stations.
• Oceanic Flight 815 Wreckage.
• Time Travel “Flashes” through time.
• An introductory “training film” in the style of the DHARMA films in the series The Swan station.
• A re-creation of the Pala Ferry and Dock (or Submarine) to bring “Dharma Initiates” to the Island.
• Dharma-ville Barracks, complete with DHARMA Initiate “registration” and job assignment.
• Various Ruins.
• Jacob’s Cabin.
• The Egyptian Statue and Jacob’s home.
• A van-like conveyance to carry visitors through certain parts of the Attraction.
• A few appearances in the background of the famous “Smoke Monster”, including a final, exciting appearance in which it attacks the Initiates.

For the record, I’m just shaking my head and grinning, and laughing.  But if anyone at Walt Disney Imagineering wants to give me a call, my email’s at the bottom of the petition!

UPDATE: A couple more links to the news/petition

• Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland changes name to Lost Island

• LOST Attraction At The Disney Parks

@mfeige 1) never be sorry for Disneylan 2) I want pictures of when Tom Sawyer’s Island becomes LOST

(yeah, I tweet like a blog with typos)
Then I made an all out tweet:

Disneyland’s Tom Sawyer Island transformed to Pirates Cove… would be better as Dharmaville LOST Island. who’s with me?

Then suddenly:

EWDocJensen

I TOTALLY SECOND LOST_WFTB’s CALL FOR TURNING TOM SAWYER ISLAND AT DISNEYLAND INTO #LOST ISLAND! GET ON THAT, DISNEY!

Are you KIDDING ME. Jeff “Doc” Jensen agrees with me!!! (there aren’t enough exclamation points)

Then to totally rock my world he added:

EWDocJensen LOST_WFTB: Seriously, dude. Start a petition. I’ll help promote it. We’ll get this done. I have no doubt Mighty Disney will bow to our will.

So Uh, One problem, I don’t know how to make a petition… But
I HAVE A BLOG! and Instapundit says that’s better.

So sign this post and do whatever you wanna do to get this done.

DISNEY MUST MAKE A LOST ISLAND ATTRACTION!

sign the petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/lostdisn/petition.html

(okay, also add any imagineering ideas to the comments… we can DO IT! /ty voice)

Holy Cannoli… Damon Lindelof just tweeted:

DamonLindelof

@EWDocJensen — Carlton and I have been pushing to get a damn polar bear on Tom Sawyer Island for YEARS!!!!