833 · The Boy Who Became Tom Sawyer – Disney Legend Tom Nabbe - From the Archives
WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station
Lou Mongello - Disney Expert
4.8 • 3.2K Ratings
🗓️ 19 June 2025
⏱️ 83 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
833 · The Boy Who Became Tom Sawyer – Disney Legend Tom Nabbe - From the Archives
He was just 12 years old when he pitched himself to Walt Disney to become Tom Sawyer… and Walt said, “I’ll think about it.”
In this From the Archives episode of WDW Radio, I sit down with Disney Legend Tom Nabbe, the boy who went from selling newspapers outside Disneyland on opening day to becoming the real-life Tom Sawyer… and eventually helping open Walt Disney World, EPCOT, and even Disneyland Paris.
With Tom Sawyer Island set to close forever on July 7, 2025, this conversation is more meaningful than ever.
You’ll hear:
- What Walt Disney was really like in the parks
- How Tom helped shape the original Tom Sawyer Island
- His journey from Cast Member to Disney Legend – with his own Main Street, USA window
- Stories from the opening of Disneyland, Disney World, and EPCOT
- And what it’s like seeing the parks now through the eyes of his granddaughter
This is a story about curiosity, courage, legacy… and the people who helped build the magic.
👉 What’s YOUR favorite memory from Tom Sawyer Island – and how do you feel about this piece of Disney history being replaced? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What we're going to do right here is go back. Way back. Back into time. |
| 0:06.0 | How did a 12-year-old kid talk Walt Disney into creating a job just for him and end up becoming a Disney legend with his own window on Main Street USA? |
| 0:34.1 | Welcome to another episode from the WDW Radio Archives. I am Lou Mangelo and this is show |
| 0:39.4 | number 833 and each week I'm going to select an evergreen episode to share that maybe you |
| 0:44.5 | haven't heard before or one that you haven't heard in a long time from interviews to top |
| 0:49.0 | tens, relevant reviews, guides, wade back machines and more., is a great way to visit or revisit some of our favorite episodes, |
| 0:56.9 | including ones that you have suggested I share from the Archives. |
| 1:01.0 | And this week, I'm going into the WW Radio Virtual Vault |
| 1:04.4 | for a special edition from the Archives. |
| 1:07.0 | Originally recorded back in 2018 on show number 511, |
| 1:11.1 | and I think that the timing of this episode couldn't be more appropriate |
| 1:14.5 | and maybe even a little meaningful. |
| 1:17.3 | Because as you know, Tom Sawyer Island and Magic Kingdom is going to close forever on July 7th |
| 1:22.4 | to make way for a new cars-themed land called Piston Peak National Park, |
| 1:27.2 | which is part of a larger transformation of Frontierland |
| 1:30.0 | and really the Magic Kingdom as a whole. |
| 1:32.1 | And so I wanted to go back and revisit really a heartfelt conversation |
| 1:35.8 | with Disney legend and all around nice guy, Tom Nabby, |
| 1:39.9 | the real life, Tom Sawyer, who not only worked with Walt himself, |
| 1:44.0 | but helped bring Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tom Sawyer, who not only worked with Walt himself, but helped bring Disneyland, |
| 1:46.0 | Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris to life. |
| 1:49.6 | From telling newspapers outside Disneyland on its opening day, to influencing Walt to give |
... |
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