DIsneyland's Adventureland 08: Tarzan's Treehouse

To truly understand why the Disney parks stand apart from other theme parks, you just have to remember that the design tradition started in animation and the movies. Walt asked architect Welton Beckett to help him with the parks. Welton told Walt to train his own people because they would be the only ones who got what was in Walt’s head. So that is what he did.

Throughout the parks you find these cinematic tricks used ranging from forced perspective to the “cross-dissolve.” Tarzan’s Treehouse (formerly the Swiss Family Treehouse) is a perfect example of the “inbetweens.” The result is a richer texture and a more immersive environment.

In Disneyland: Inside Story, author Randy Bright reminds us that in Walt’s time, not every had to increase capacity or create publicity. It didn’t have to make money. Walt knew he had to create “remarkable pieces of out-of-the-way charm that doesn’t shout or call attention to itself,” wrote Bright. Instead “the visitor sort of stumble upon it, experiencing all the surprise and delight that childhood discoveries bring.” Another example of this is the petrified tree in Frontierland.

In the book Disney Animation and the Illusion of Life, the authors describe the animation process. The scene is staged by a series of key drawings that highlight major points of motion. The key drawings come to life because of the large number of “inbetweens” that complete the scene.

When the park opened in 1955, Adventureland only had one attraction – the Jungle Cruise. A major expansion came in 1962, which included the Tahitian Terrace, the Safari Shooting Gallery, the Adventureland Bazaar was rehabbed, and the Swiss Family Treehouse grew from the fertile soil of Anaheim.

The design objective was to create an evergreen backdrop. The original budget was $254,900 with $40,000 targeted toward the 300,000 vinyl leaves and blossoms. The entire structure weighs 150 tons and is anchored 42 feet into the ground. It has 450 branches.

This is a rare tree. Its Latin name is “Disneyodron Semperflorens Grandis.” The name is taxonomically and botanically accurate. As I understand it, the Greek word “dendron” equals “tree”, the Latin word “semper” equals “always”/”ever”, and the Latin word “grandis” equals “large.” You have large evergreen Disney tree. It is a one of a kind with a close relative living in Florida called the Disneyodron Eximus.”

In 1999, the tree was converted into Tarzan’s Treehouse to make it more “relevant” to a new generation. A new stair tower was built in the middle of the path. This created a view terminus and made for a smoother transition in a tough area where Adventureland, New Orleans Square, and Frontierland converge. It also gives the attraction a great presence.

A nice tribute to the former tenants is the constant sound of the "Swissapolka" playing on the Victrola. Lots of other fun things to push, pull, and bang throughout the camp.

If you are brave enough to put your hand the whole you might find a surprise. There are two experiences like this in the camp below Tarzan's Treehouse.