... So what do people miss about Swiss Family Treehouse so much?

[MarkTwain]

I hear a lot of people reminiscing about the days before Tarzan's Treehouse. I don't understand the fuss, personally, because it isn't like the previous attraction wasn't a film tie-in, and you can still get the great view and hear the Swisspolka from TT. So I'm curious, what details or memories make people miss SFRT like they do?

[Hank Hill]

The water wheel for one.

[Datameister]

I never experienced the original treehouse, but I'm sure I would have appreciated the lack of large, immobile, plastic cartoon characters, for one.

Oh well. The only reason I ever go up there is for views of the park from above.

[Hank Hill]

Yep Disney didn't even try to make the animals in Tarzan's Treehouse interesting or anything. They remind me of big figs you can buy down on Main Street.

[Mr Wiggins]

What I liked about the Swiss Family Treehouse was the overarching concept that this was the home of a family -- mom, dad and three kids -- a great escapist fantasy. The rooms and furnishings gave you a feeling of "I wish my family could live here" -- you could hear parents & kids say it all the time as they descended the stairs. The art direction and execution were top notch. The waterwheel and kitchen were intriguing and fun. The whole show felt like a little world unto itself. The "historical fantasy" feel of it was a great fit for the border of Adventureland and NOS. It worked on its own, apart from the film -- I was a fan of the Treehouse long before I saw the movie. To me it was the king of the B Ticket diversions (Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Motorboat Cruise, Art of Animation exhibit), inheriting the throne after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea closed.

For me, turning it into "Tarzan's Treehouse" was like a bad joke. From the in-your-face marketing concept to the ridiculously over-thought bridge to the art direction and execution of sets and character figures, the only thing I could think of the one time I went through it was, "you can't be serious."

Sad.

[Ortizmo2000]

The water wheel for one.

Thats what I was gonna say.

[Grandicorney]

Not only did the Swiss Family Robinson get kicked out when it was converted to Tarzan, but all of US were given the boot at the same time in a manner of speaking. In the old treehouse anyone could imagine what it would be like to live there, imagine being that resourceful to put something so elaborate together and to survive based on ones skills. In Tarzan you walk through as a guest with all the details spoon fed to you. It's not like they set it up so YOU could be Tarzan or Jane because those cheezy plastic figures are in there.

I dont have any beef with the added tree for the entrance, that would work for the Robinsons as well but I do miss the water wheel and water lift. I always liked watching that as a kid.

[Mr Wiggins]

In the old treehouse anyone could imagine what it would be like to live there, imagine being that resourceful to put something so elaborate together and to survive based on ones skills. In Tarzan you walk through as a guest with all the details spoon fed to you. It's not like they set it up so YOU could be Tarzan or Jane because those cheezy plastic figures are in there.

Bingo.

[Coheteboy]

What I liked about the Swiss Family Treehouse was the overarching concept that this was the home of a family -- mom, dad and three kids -- a great escapist fantasy. The rooms and furnishings gave you a feeling of "I wish my family could live here" -- you could hear parents & kids say it all the time as they descended the stairs. The art direction and execution were top notch. The waterwheel and kitchen were intriguing and fun. The whole show felt like a little world unto itself. The "historical fantasy" feel of it was a great fit for the border of Adventureland and NOS. It worked on its own, apart from the film -- I was a fan of the Treehouse long before I saw the movie. To me it was the king of the B Ticket diversions (Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Motorboat Cruise, Art of Animation exhibit), inheriting the throne after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea closed.

For me, turning it into "Tarzan's Treehouse" was like a bad joke. From the in-your-face marketing concept to the ridiculously over-thought bridge to the art direction and execution of sets and character figures, the only thing I could think of the one time I went through it was, "you can't be serious."

Sad.

Totally was gonna say just that. In those exact words. (how'd you do that?).

Movie tie-ins for me is very different than cartoon movie tie-in. A toon movie tie-in belongs in Fantasyland (and also now Toon Town and Critter Country). But I was never a fan of toon movie tie-ins ANYWHERE else.

But even if you were to disagree with my above statement, there is something innocent within all of us that was taken away once Swiss Family was taken away.

I don't know about you guys but I enjoy looking at model homes, checking out how the furniture is arranged, or what kind was used. I always thought "could I live here?"

The swiss treehouse did that for me when I was a kid. And the waterwheel was an awesome visual that you could enjoy even if you didn't walk up the darn thing.


The Tarzan's Treehouse is a decent thing, but it's no longer a story I care about. If the figure characters weren't there, then perhaps it could have that same feeling for people. But now it's just a fantasyland type thing in the middle of adventureland.

It just doesn't belong.

[Datameister]

But...but...lines for Tarzan's Treehouse™ are long year-round! They're pulling in much higher numbers with the new theme; it's kept it relevant for a new generation!



- Datameister, who really likes the animated Tarzan film and never went into the old treehouse, but still kinda wishes it were there nonetheless.

[Coheteboy]

Here's a link to the yesterland article with a few photos:

Swiss Family Treehouse at Yesterland


If you guys have photos of the old swiss treehouse, I'd love to see them!

[tomrules1955]

Bingo.

bingo bingo

[Dopey's Girl]

Well I loved it because I am getting to that point where I am older than dirt and I remember seeing the movie at the old Fox Anaheim when I was a kid. Also the movie had Moochie! (Raise your hand if you remember Moochie.) So climbing the tree house, when we were kids, made the movie terribly real for us. And as we got older it reminded us of how magical it was to be a kid and have thoughts of living in such a faulous place. And it reminded us of Moochie.

[flynnibus]

I hear a lot of people reminiscing about the days before Tarzan's Treehouse. I don't understand the fuss, personally, because it isn't like the previous attraction wasn't a film tie-in, and you can still get the great view and hear the Swisspolka from TT. So I'm curious, what details or memories make people miss SFRT like they do?

Huh, both the original and the re-theming were both film tie-ins.

The biggest thing is the original was a much better overall attraction. It had purpose, it fit, it was executed well, and people related to it. It also had a geeky science/mcgyver/tinkertoy feel to it.

The attraction was the idea of taking something so unrelated (jungle stuff) and how it could be put to work to resemble and work as your 'home' stuff did. The attraction as built was kenetic, and gave the impression that it was actually doing what it appeared to be. Things were 'real'. For those that enjoyed the movie... it was bringing the movies to life.. that you too could experience what you saw on screen.

The tarzan overlay was just that.. a character overlay with no fit except for 'its a tree in the jungle right???'

It's so missed because this is a prime example of just how really bad some 'replacements' have been.

If Disney actually put some life into their old properties by running them on cable like they used to... they wouldn't be fighting such 'relevancy' arguments in the parks.

[aashee]

I do miss being able to hear the polka music around Adventureland.