Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Treehouse

There are three treehouses at Disneyland (don't forget the one in Toontown), but none are as spectacular as the Swiss Family Treehouse used to be. Even kids who weren't familiar with the Robinson family's adventures could take one look at this fanciful home and dream of what it would be like to have one of their own. I know I used to marvel at the intricate water system and think that it was the coolest thing ever.

This attraction opened in November, 1962 (a couple of years after the movie's release), and the treehouse was a wonderful addition to Adventureland. The clever use of pieces salvaged from a shipwreck was fantastic. And many people still remember the "Swisskapolka" that played constantly! In 1999, Tarzan moved into the refurbished treehouse. While it is still a fun diversion, it doesn't capture my imagination the way the original did...is it not as good, or is it just because I saw the other one when I was a kid, and nostalgia is in the mix?


Here's an image from the same lot as yesterday's pictures (even though the date is different - maybe they waited a month before developing one of their rolls of film). I love this fantastic bird's-eye view of the Rivers of America.

at

5 comments:

  1. Stub Winged Bilge Rat11:17 PM

    Some of my earliest memories of visiting Disneyland as a child are all about the SFR Treehouse. When you are very young and have older siblings, somehow your ticket book tends to mysteriously lose all the D and E tickets. I can remember more than one evening when the older kids had gone off to ride the Matterhorn or something else with those tickets, and my Mom and I would walk up the path through Adventureland with the torches burning, for another trip up the hundreds of stairs of the treehouse with our B tickets. It was the coolest place in the whole world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:31 AM

    Disneyland Paris has an incredible Swiss Family Treehouse. It's much like you remember, but the tropical island setting is quite remarkable - with a LONG swinging suspension bridge that sends you absolutely reeling from side to side! You'll be dropped to your knees by its movement. It's a real crowd pleaser.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous1:06 PM

    The SFR treehouse was an idyllic place to live (and to imagine living); the Tarzan Tree is an emporium-style display promoting a a so-so movie.

    I don't think it's that this version is 'not as good'; more accurately, it's just wrong.

    IMO.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:59 PM

    dreemfinder is right, the Tarzan recycling of the Treehouse is misguided. I feel it should be put back as it was as Swiss Family themed if not upgraded and they can try doing something new for Tarzan if they're still interested in promoting that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10:59 PM

    oh and these pics are awesome hehe looooove that River view.

    ReplyDelete