Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse ad, 1962

Here's a 1962 LA Times ad for Disneyland's Swiss Family Robinson, now (tragically) rebranded as "Tarzan's Treehouse" (though a version with the original livery lives on at Walt Disney World, Florida). I've always felt like the treehouse was one of the world's great pieces of home-decor-porn (better, even, than the Monsanto House of the Future or the Dymaxion House) -- wouldn't it be swell to live in a place like this?

62-11-22 LA Times

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http://homebiss.blogspot.com/ Saidul A Shaari

I think I’ve seen this at Orlando (Magic Kingdom). It’s the one and the same, isn’t it?
http://shoutstreet.com/ Tom Wood

Our family visited Disneyland at about the time this ad ran. There was a spiral slide inside the tree trunk that was the exit. The walls of the slide path were rough concrete, and if you didn’t stay perfectly centered in the slide you came out with a nice patch of road rash. This is before the US went all litigious, but I bet that didn’t last long.
JonCarter

The Swiss Family Robinson Tree in Orlando is closed for refurbishment. I wonder if it will come out the other side as a Tarzan Tree. Boooo!
Nash Rambler

Oh man! When I was a lil’ kid, I remember seeing the 1960 movie on TV, and loving the idea of a giant treehouse. When my Dad told me we could go to it in Disneyland (and we did that summer, huh), I thought it would be some junky tiny version of it. But no. It delivered on every possible level of what your seven-year-old self believed a giant treehouse should be. I really hope they don’t Tarzan-o-fy the Florida version.
ShadowDancer

Back in the 1990s I went through the Disneyland treehouse. It was really incredible to me and made me wish I had such a treehouse when I was a kid.

In the room indicated to be the master bedroom was a photograph on the dresser. When I reached the base of the tree there was an employee there to guide guests and I assume to make sure no one tripped coming down. I mentioned that photos or daguerreotypes wouldn’t exist in the time period of the story as it takes place in 1812 and images from cameras didn’t occur until the 1820s and weren’t perfected until later.

The next time I visited, the photograph was no longer on display. I like that if something is pointed out that they take the time to investigate and adjust if need be.

I was sad when the tree was changed to the Tarzan tree. Ah well.
Leonard Testa

I think the Orlando Treehouse should re-open today or tomorrow.

One of the other great things about the Treehouse is how the designers manipulated the view from its upper floors. From that height you’d be able to see well into Tomorrowland and across into the parking lot. By careful placement of faux tree limbs, leaves and other foliage, however, the illusion remains that you’re on a tropical island. And the designers had to do that well before the advent of CAD software.
http://twitter.com/STELLAZOMBIE42 STELLAZOMBIE42

I am happy to report that Tokyo Disneyland’s Treehouse is beautiful and well-maintained (unlike CA Disneyland’s for many years before its unfortunate rebranding).
voiceinthedistance

About thirty five years passed from the time I visited Disneyland as a six year old and my next visit. Many things held up quite well to my memory of my only childhood visit, but the Castle, Matterhorn and Tree House were the three features that shrunk appreciably in the ensuing years. Roughly speaking, I’d say that the castle was only about a third of the size it was for me in the 60s, and the treehouse was only about half of its original size.

Someone really should look into what happened.
The._.Joker

“wouldn’t it be swell to live in a place like this? ”

Aye, aye. That it would.
Eskimo

I sure loved this attraction when the Swiss Family lived there! It was as if they had just stepped out for a bit.

Tom Wood, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a slide inside the trunk of the treehouse at Disneyland… are you sure about that? If so, amazing!
DENNIS EATON

POINT TO ALL…… I MYSELF AGREE THAT I VERY MUCH MISS THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE TREE ( SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON ) BUT LETS ALL LOOK AT WHAT DISNEY DONE ON A BRERAT NOTE. FIRST, WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL IN FLORIDA ! AND WE HAVE A MUCH DISNEY THEME FROM THE MOVIE ( TARZAN ) ! BOTH GREAT WHEN WE HAVE A CHOICE TO SEE. AFTER ALL, WHAT GOOD IS THERE TO GO TO THE EAST COAST TO WALT DISNEY WORLD, AND NEVER SEE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THEN WHAT IS IN CALIFORNIA’S DISNEYLAND. LETS HAVE THOSE FEW SUTTLE CHANGES, AS LONG AS THEY ARE KEPT AT JUST THAT. WHERE WE ALL CAN STILL SEE THE FAVORITES AT EITHER PARK.
NOW IF ONLY WE CAN HAVE THE SKYWAY BACK IN EITHER PARK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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dorkhero

My father was particularly fascinated with the piece of music played by the automated pump organ at the Orlando treehouse. On our second visit in 1982, he snuck a tape recorder along to record the song. Many years later he came across the soundtrack LP for the Swiss Family movie, and was disappointed that it was not there.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WKPOMPA6NU3FF5SPBVCUFZK4WU Jandra

I vaguely remember the treehouse when it had the Swiss Family Robinson theme. It’s a great place to let your kids explore while you take a break.
http://twitter.com/Skyhawk1 skyhawk1

Anyone have pics?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IH3CQ7VQW6OVWD2OW367WYETXU William

Makes me think of the tree world from MYST. Not familiar with the tv show or movie “Swiss Family Robinson” to enjoy this treehouse, but imagine if Disney built the worlds from video games? That would be incredible.