[Idea] I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

[JediPrincess]

Does anyone else miss the old Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse? Even though I'm only 25, I remember as a little girl the treehouse was my favorite attraction. My parents showed me the film and I loved the magic of the treehouse, the idea that people could build a home in the trees that had real running water! I miss it! Tarzan's treehouse, while nice, just doesn't do it for me. Your thoughts?

[Retrocool]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

I sure do. The Tarzan thing was a cute overlay for a few years while the animated movie was out, but I say they should re-theme it back to Swiss Family Robinson.

Actually, though, that reminds me of something Disney used to do back when I was a kid, that they don't do anymore, and they should. Theatrical re-releases of their classic films, both animated and live-action. I was born 6 years after Swiss Family Robinson came out in theaters originally, but I saw the film (and fell in love with it) in the 70s, when it was re-released theatrically a couple of times. I used to re-enact scenes of the movie in my backyard, especially the pirates' attack on the island fortress. Just LOVED that stuff.

But since the advent of the home video & cable era (which, of course, coincided with the advent of the Eisner era), Disney essentially abandoned its time-honored tradition of re-releasing its classic films theatrically (with a few exceptions, primarily of its animated classics). They used to do it every 7 years or so. Now, maybe reformatting and re-releasing of the home video or DVD, or an occasional cable TV appearance. I don't think it's quite the same, though, mostly because most of these films are meant to be seen theatrically (Swiss Family Robinson certainly is, since it was shot in 2.35:1 scope widescreen aspect ratio), and they're also often better enjoyed theatrically as well.

Especially now, with digital prints, Disney could make a really handsome profit on a lot of these films, with extremely little cash outlay for a re-release (re-releases are easy profit-makers because there's zero production cost involved; only marketing & distribution).

Anyway, I think if they re-released the film theatrically (rather than remake it, which is a more expensive proposition), modern audiences would be able to have a greater appreciation of it, and then the Treehouse could be restored to its original glory, and it would be more popular than ever. Just my $.02 cents.

[lctom1]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

I sure do. The Tarzan thing was a cute overlay for a few years while the animated movie was out, but I say they should re-theme it back to Swiss Family Robinson.
...

Anyway, I think if they re-released the film theatrically (rather than remake it, which is a more expensive proposition), modern audiences would be able to have a greater appreciation of it, and then the Treehouse could be restored to its original glory, and it would be more popular than ever. Just my $.02 cents.

I agree that SFR had more appeal, at least for me. However, I fear that the concept of the Swiss Family Robinson would be lost on most modern-day guests. How many of them (without the rerelease that Retrocool proposes) have seen the movie or even know the story. Very few would be my guess.

While I would wish for a return to SFR I know that it will never happen.

[sbk1234]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

As has been stated here numerous times before, the Tarzan version has manequins to look at, which represent the story, and the guest can passively look at. The original Swiss Family Robinson version did a much better job of putting the guest into the scene, and making them the star of the story. When I climbed up the Swiss Family Robinson's tree house, I wasn't just watching. It made it a much more exciting attraction, IMHO.

[FreshBakedDisney]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

How much really has changed though? I don't remember the Swiss Family version of the tree that well, it's been a while for me, but the tree seems essentially the same to me. Only there are apes in it now. Are they that much different?

[Poisonedapples]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

i don't miss it, i think that TTH has a little more pizazz to it! Besides, sometimes, somethings need to be changed.. i think that SFRTH was one of those things, kinda glad they did.I also think that it ties in well ( TTH) with Indy.

[SwankbelliedPirate]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

It goes back to the "Disney Way" of creating an atmosphere of imagination and immersion that is slowly eroding away. I understand change and marketing and keeping with the times, current films etc but TTH falls short of SFRTH. Many people who have experienced the old SFRTH enjoyed how they worked within a Classic story without actually having to tell it to you again and you could see how they used wreckage to build a house and how they created modern conveniences from nature etc. (just like you would have imagined it when reading a book)
For that matter, I think many wished they could live there or build there own.
Or am I the only dreamer left?

For me, the only part of TTH they got right was the camp at the base of the Tree.

As much as I would LOVE to see it retuned to it's original configuration, it would be too much work and money to justify. They really did change it a lot.

Getting off my soapbox now.

Have a great Thanksgiving everybody!

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

The trend has been to spoon-feed the guest a particular story, rather than the old way of immersing you in an atmosphere. I liked the atmosphere. Not so much the retelling of a story I already know.

[Disneymike]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

i don't miss it, i think that TTH has a little more pizazz to it! Besides, sometimes, somethings need to be changed.. i think that SFRTH was one of those things, kinda glad they did.I also think that it ties in well ( TTH) with Indy.

How do cartoon looking mannequins in a realistic looking treehouse equal pizzaz? As well as a human Indiana Jones tying in with said cartoon mannequins???

[Druggas]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Tarzan is a cheap way of taking a great attraction, cheapening it, and renaming it without spending any real money.

Kids would play on it without knowing who the Swiss Family Robinson was.

[OliviaVonDrake]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Yes, I miss it as well. Particularly the kinetic motion of the water system and the lived in feel and look, as though it could actually be someone's home. As a child it made me feel sort of like I was getting away with something, sneaking through someone's treehouse while they were away.

I also think that it ties in well ( TTH) with Indy.

How do you figure that?

[PLAZAINN1]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse brings back a lot of memories for me when I was cast member at the Riverbelle Terrace Restaurant. I worked a lot of opening shifts during the summer months and I always heard the organ playing the Swiss Polka, which I loved. I always loved the movie when I growing up and saw it countless times at the theater, but that organ music always stuck with me.

[bigcatrik]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Well, why not a remake? They've remade Freaky Friday *twice." Or do a SFR TV series for ABC. It would be good and relatively cheap publicity to switch the Treehouse back.

[sbk1234]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

The trend has been to spoon-feed the guest a particular story, rather than the old way of immersing you in an atmosphere. I liked the atmosphere. Not so much the retelling of a story I already know.

Very well put.

[Jetlife]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Well, why not a remake? They've remade Freaky Friday *twice." Or do a SFR TV series for ABC. It would be good and relatively cheap publicity to switch the Treehouse back.

A remake is a great idea.
Tom Hanks can play the Dad.

[OliviaVonDrake]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

The trend has been to spoon-feed the guest a particular story, rather than the old way of immersing you in an atmosphere. I liked the atmosphere. Not so much the retelling of a story I already know.

I think with more and more frequency Disney is greatly underestimating the value of atmosphere in their theme parks. They won't understand what made Disneyland so special until it's all gone.

[dynamite goat]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Swiss Family Robinson is completely irrelevant to modern audiences. There was no reason to keep it the same. Tarzan was a better film, and I don't see the value (other than nostalgia) in keeping the tree stuck in 1960.

Disney didn't rerelease it as often as most of its animated films simply because it really wasn't that good... in my opinion.

[OliviaVonDrake]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Swiss Family Robinson is completely irrelevant to modern audiences. There was no reason to keep it the same. Tarzan was a better film, and I don't see the value (other than nostalgia) in keeping the tree stuck in 1960.

Disney didn't rerelease it as often as most of its animated films simply because it really wasn't that good... in my opinion.

Whether the film was any good or not really has little to do with the quality of the attraction. As a child I enjoyed the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse without ever having seen the film or knowing anything about it. The relevance argument is used frequently, but doesn't hold any water. Mark my words: Disneyland will not be able to survive on "relevance" alone.

[Druggas]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Whether the film was any good or not really has little to do with the quality of the attraction. As a child I enjoyed the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse without ever having seen the film or knowing anything about it. The relevance argument is used frequently, but doesn't hold any water. Mark my words: Disneyland will not be able to survive on "relevance" alone.

Great post!

[Disneymike]

Re: I miss the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse!

Swiss Family Robinson is completely irrelevant to modern audiences. There was no reason to keep it the same. Tarzan was a better film, and I don't see the value (other than nostalgia) in keeping the tree stuck in 1960.

Disney didn't rerelease it as often as most of its animated films simply because it really wasn't that good... in my opinion.

I must have missed it where Tarzan was the better film than TSFR.
In 1960, TSFR grossed $40,000,000 which in 1999 dollars (the year Tarzan was released) is $222,993,197.28.
Tarzan grossed $171,091,819 - hardly the better film according to receipts.
TSFR was also the highest grossing film of 1960, beating such films as Psycho, Spartacus, and Exodus.