Original19 said:
Please, PLEASE, P-L-E-A-S-E tell me that the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse isn't going to be converted into the Tarzan treehouse. Ever.
What's the deal with the Tarzan treehouse in
Disneyland? Wasn't that a Robinson treehouse once? If so, that stinks! What's the deal with Disney thinking they have to replace all of their cool older attractions with ones that today's kids will easily recognize? (Mr. Toad comes to mind).
Disneyland's Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse was converted to Tarzan's treehouse to promote the then new movie in 1999. But since the movie wasn't exactly Lion King level material, and since Tarzan Rocks is already in Animal Kingdom, I don't see any pressing need to evict the Robinson's.
But the new Hong Kong Disneyland will be getting its own Tarzan's Treehouse, in a supersized Adventureland. There is no Frontierland planned, but Adventureland looks huge. See a
closeup from
MiceAge. So while it may not be pressing, Tarzan doesn't exactly seem a rejected concept.
As for "Disney thinking they have to replace all of their cool older attractions with ones that today's kids will easily recognize?", I don't think it's that exactly. In Florida Pooh killed Mr. Toad, while at Disneyland he chased out the lovable Country Bears. If it was purely to replace older attractions, I don't think they would keep the respective attractions open in their sister parks. (Disney World still has Bears, Disneyland still has Mr. Toad.) I think it's more to do with creating a new attraction as cheaply as possible. (For better or worse...) And to increase souvenir sales. Mr. Toad and The Country Bears, though both tied to Disney movies, didn't exactly sell much product. Pooh on the other hand, outsells Mickey in character merchandise.
The SFR Treehouse doesn't move merchandise, but would a Tarzan theme really sell a lot? Enough to justify an expensive retheming? I'd be surprised. And I know that before my first visit to the SFR Treehouse, I didn't know or care about the Disney movie. But after seeing the beautiful attraction, I soon begged my parents to rent the movie, and it's since become one of my favorites. The potentially good news is that Disney is planning a remake of SFR according to
FilmForce (as well as a movie adaptation of the Jungle Cruise.)
My hope would be to see some additions to SFR and the JC to coincide with their respective movies. Disneyland's JC is already getting a much needed refurbishment, and several new surprises according to
MousePlanet. But if they should ever try to kick the Robinsons out of Florida, we're in luck. Most people who camp out in trees to prevent their destruction have to bring their own qquipment. We've already got a stronghold!
