|
|||
 |
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck |
||
|
Father, Mother, Fritz, Ernst, and little Francis invite you to visit their home. You may have seen this family at your local movie theater in 1960. You probably thought their treehouse was on a far-off tropical island. But it’s actually right here in Yesterland. |
|||
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck Why a treehouse is here |
|||
|
After their shipwreck, the family managed to save furniture, supplies, and ship parts—so their treehouse is an intriguing combination of European goods and primitive jungle products. |
|||
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck Have your ticket ready |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Or not… (if you visit after the demise of tickets) |
|||
|
If you need to present an attraction ticket at Yesterland, it’s usually for a ride or a sit-down show. But, in this case, it’s for a walk-through. There’s another example of this not far away; it’s the Sleeping Beauty Walk-Through. |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1995 Not your average treehouse |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Posing for photos in front of the treehouse |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Mighty banyan tree vines, grown into additional tree trunks |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1995 Ready? |
|||
|
This is Adventureland, so get ready to climb to adventure. As treehouses go, this one is a palace. |
|||
Photo by Leslie N. Herschler, 1998 Water system |
|||
|
This Treehouse has a clever and functional plumbing system. A water wheel drives a continuous supply of scoops, lifting 200 gallons of water per hour high into the tree. The water dumps into a system of bamboo gutters that use gravity to provide clean, running water to every room. |
|||
Photos by Allen Huffman, circa 1997 Treehouse rooms |
|||
|
Start by touring the kitchen and library on the ground floor. You don’t mind climbing stairs, do you? As you ascend and descend, there might be an extra bounce to your step as you hear the catchy theme tune, the “Swisskapolka.” |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 “God Bless Our Home” |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Kitchen |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Library |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 Gazing into the living room |
|||
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck The Crow’s Nest—the boys’ bedroom at the top |
|||
Photo by Chris Bales, 1999 The Crow’s Nest |
|||
|
Take a look into the rooms of the shipwrecked family. Pick your favorite—the one where you could imagine yourself living. No matter which room you pick, you get elegant furnishings salvaged from the ship, along with some terrific views. |
|||
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck View toward the Haunted Mansion and the Rivers of America |
|||
Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1964, courtesy of Robin Runck View into the Jungle Cruise |
|||
|
Count the steps. There are 68 going up, but 69 coming down. This isn’t just an attraction; it’s an exercise apparatus too. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Swiss Family Treehouse opened in Disneyland on November 18, 1962, almost two years after the December 1960 release of Walt Disney’s hit adventure movie, Swiss Family Robinson, based on the 1812 novel of the same name by Johann David Wyss. The wonderful Disneyland history book, Disneyland, The Nickel Tour (Camphor Tree Publishers, Santa Clarita, Calif., 1995) by Bruce Gordon and David Mumford, explains who wanted the Treehouse: All little kids—and a lot of big kids too—want a tree house of their own, but not everyone can have one, especially one that’s seventy feet tall. There was, however, one who could. In fact, if he wanted to, he could build the biggest treehouse in the history of the world. And that’s exactly what Walt did. After providing details about the construction of the faux fig tree, the book explains the reaction at WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering or WDI): Apparently there hadn’t been a lot of tree climbers at WED, since most of the designers thought the treehouse would be a waste of time and money. No one would climb all the way to the top, they moaned, only to have to negotiate their way back down. But, as usual, Walt was right, and after the opening of the Treehouse, the adult climbers outnumbered the kids three to one. Yes indeed, everybody wants a treehouse. Although the walkthrough required a “C” ticket when it opened in 1962, it was demoted to a “B” ticket in 1966. Guests enjoyed Disneyland’s Swiss Family Treehouse for more than 36 years. |
|||
Photo by Allen Huffman, 2004 Tarzan’s Treehouse |
|||
|
In early 1999, Disneyland evicted Father, Mother, Fritz, Ernst, and little Francis from their arboreal abode to make room for Tarzan. Tarzan’s Treehouse opened June 23, 1999. |
|||
Photo by Werner Weiss, 2010 Gramophone in Tarzan’s Treehouse |
|||
|
What tune did the guests hear coming from the old gramophone in Tarzan’s Treehouse? Why, the “Swisskapolka,” of course! Tarzan’s Treehouse closed unexpectedly in September 2021. Disneyland evicted Tarzan and Jane. |
|||
Photo by Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort, 2023 © Disney New name, new sign, new family, new experiences for guests |
|||
|
On November 10, 2023, the reimagined attraction reopened as the Adventureland Treehouse, home to a new family, but inspired by the family that called it their home from 1962 to 1999. Don’t feel bad for the evicted Swiss Family. They still have nice homes in Florida, Japan, and France. For example, you can visit the Swiss Family Treehouse at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, where it was one of the park’s original attractions on opening day, October 1, 1971. Tarzan and Jane aren’t homeless either. They still have a treehouse at Hong Kong Disneyland. |
|||
|
|
Click here to post comments at MiceChat about this article.
© 2023 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated November 17, 2023 |
||
