Posted by
Mike and Chris Pettey
Updated on November 20, 2024
Category:
Disney vs. Disney
Tags:
Disney vs. Disney
Disneyland
Disneyland Paris
Hong Kong Disneyland
Magic Kingdom
Tokyo Disneyland
Treehouse
Disney Treehouse Attractions are large walk-through experiences featuring pathways and scenes from various Disney films, built around a large man-made tree. The attractions can be found at five of the six Disney Resorts across the globe. We’ve experienced every Disney Treehouse attraction in person. (Updated November 20, 2024)
Major Similarities & Differences
You can watch fantastic videos of all versions of the attraction online, so we won’t spend time re-hashing the details of each experience. Instead, we will just point out the major similarities and differences we feel are worth calling out:
- All Treehouse attractions are located in their respective parks’ Adventureland area.
- All Treehouses were opening day attractions at their respective parks, except for Tokyo
- In Florida, Tokyo, and Paris, the attraction is themed to Disney’s 1960 live-action film, Swiss Family Robinson. In Hong Kong, the attraction is themed to Disney’s 1999 animated film, Tarzan. The California version was originally themed to Swiss Family Robinson, but was rethemed to Tarzan in 1999, and then a third time in 2023 to a generic Swiss Family Robinson-inspired attraction.
- The Hong Kong version is located on an island surrounded the Jungle River Cruise attraction. The only way to experience this Treehouse attraction is to take a raft to the island.
The Rankings (from least favorite to favorite)
The Tokyo park is the only location with a Treehouse that was not an opening day attraction, and it shows. The placement of this one – butting up against the Hub, and adjacent to the Plaza Pavilion – shows how important an overarching vision for an area truly is. The Tokyo Resort is land (and water) locked on all sides, and this typically means when a new attraction is built, space is extremely limited. Their Swiss Family Treehouse was no exception. In retrospect, it’s actually quite amazing that they were able to work this large attraction into the existing park space at all. None of this is meant to suggest that Tokyo’s Treehouse is a bad attraction. Rather, you’ll find the expected top-notch level of detail and care here that permeates the rest of the Japanese resort. But that doesn’t change the fact that it simply doesn’t blend into its surroundings the way that the best Disney Treehouse attractions do. And without that quiet tranquility and sense of deep-jungle adventure, something is really lacking here, and and as a result this Treehouse attraction is the weakest in the Disney portfolio.
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It’s really very simple and straightforward: take the Tokyo version and put it in the most ideal of settings, and the result is the Swiss Family Treehouse at Magic Kingdom park. This one butts up against the
Jungle Cruise waterways, and it doesn’t take long to realize that is exactly where it needs to be. Exploring this treehouse, it’s easy to get taken away to a remote jungle setting, and the Swiss Family Robinson theme is spot on. The larger size of the Florida park works to an advantage here. Gone is the clutter of a “shoehorned” experience like that of California or Tokyo. Only the occasional passing of a boat full of explorers breaks the tranquility. Otherwise, it is easy to believe that this treehouse is authentically built right up against the wildest of jungle settings. We’ve harped on Florida repeatedly about too many empty spaces and lack of attraction density, but in the case of the Swiss Family Treehouse, “space” is exactly what is needed. It all adds up to something wonderful, making Florida’s version the fourth best Disney Treehouse attraction in the world.
It seems redundant to continuously rave about the near-perfect design of Disneyland Paris park. But here we are. The Treehouse attraction at this location – while a very close cousin to the Florida and Tokyo versions – is just one more example of how masterfully this park was designed. La Cabane des Robinson resides on a large island – accessible from many different bridges – and containing much more than just the treehouse itself. Built high on a hill, with a maze of caves and trails winding beneath it, this version takes the traditional Disney Treehouse experience to both literal and figurative new heights. The views from this attraction are fantastic in all directions – clearly pre-meditated and fully envisioned in advance. And the surrounding waterfalls, beaches, and waterways only add to the enhancement. It speaks volumes to the concept that Disneyland Paris park is as much or more about the walkable areas and attractions as it is about the traditional rides. There is something truly masterful about the design and location of this Treehouse, and it lands at third place on our list of Disney Treehouse attractions.
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The Disneyland version of the attraction is the only one that can claim to have had multiple themes during its life. Originally opened in 1960 as the Swiss Family Treehouse, it was completely rethemed and rebuilt in 1999. While the aesthetic certainly took a turn to something a bit more modern, and a few of the technological and interactive features were improved, overall the attraction ended up feeling rather lacking, compared to its former self. Additionally, the revamp placed the entrance dead smack in the middle of the already-too-narrow Adventureland main pathway – adding clutter to an area that in reality needed more space. In 2023 this problem was addressed with yet another re-theme – only now there was no specific IP to tie it to. Rather, the ride took on the name Adventureland Treehouse and was noted as being inspired by the Swiss Family Robinson. This was the first non-IP Disney attraction in years, and the Imagineers leveraged that opportunity to create a whimsical attraction with a fun an engaging environment, nods to all previous versions, a room dedicated to S.E.A., and even a unique animatronic. The result is an original attraction that leans heavily into what the Imagineers have always done best, which is create a unique and original storyline, and let guest’s fill in the blanks with their own imaginations – all worthy reasons why this Disney Treehouse is the second best in the world.
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The newest Disney Treehouse experience is found at the Hong Kong resort, and “experience” is the right word to use when describing this one. The Treehouse sits on an island, accessible only by raft, and so by extension the raft becomes part of the experience. After navigating the waters, guests are left to explore the island dwelling, adding to the sense of remote adventure. There’s no one on this island except those who come here by raft…right? Several features found at the California Tarzan-themed version are replicated here, but others are improved, added, and plussed. There are more animatronics, more pathways, more moving features, and overall, just an entirely better experience. It’s all done so well, that regardless of your feelings toward its namesake film, it doesn’t come off feeling dumbed-down or aimed at young children, like the California version. The vistas from the top of the pathways are nothing short of completely immersive. And the natural Hong Kong jungle setting makes this an attraction that blends into its mountainous surroundings in a way that is simply perfect. Like all Disney Treehouses, it may be branded by some as “just a walk-through attraction”. But if there ever was a single walk-through worth experiencing, the Hong Kong version of Tarzan’s Treehouse may be it: an incredible experience, and the best Disney Treehouse attraction on the planet.
Written by
Mike and Chris Pettey
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YOUR THOUGHTS?
Agree or disagree with our rankings? Have you experienced any of these attractions – either in person, or virtually via the internet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
8 Comments
Cool like your ratings
Cool I agree
Great ratings
Where do you think the adventureland treehouse would rank?
I don’t know if you’ve been back to Disneyland since they updated their treehouse, but the new “Adventureland Treehouse” is way better than the Tarzan one! It could probably even be up the list now since that one has some really nice moving animal figures in it. And it’s not themed to any IP, despite being inspired by the Swiss Family Treehouse. Water wheel is back and better crowd flow too.
Max, you are literally reading our minds. We’re currently in the process of updating this list this week! Stay tuned!
No way! That’s such a funny coincidence. I’ll be on the lookout for updates and looking forward to seeing it!
Hey! I don’t know how I missed this one.
I believe one of the parks (most likely Disneyland) had some of the actual props from the “Swiss Family Robinson” movie. Is that correct? Are those still around anywhere, or did they get shelved after a re-theming?
When the Touchstone TV show “Lost” was at the height of its popularity and acclaim, I was expecting one of the treehouses to be re-themed to that show. Granted, a treehouse didn’t play a part in the story, but both stories were about being stranded on a remote island. Of course, it wouldn’t make sense to theme it this way now, so long after the show left the air!