An absolutely classic Disney theme park attraction may never reopen.
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Over the years, Disney theme parks have developed, created, and constructed some of the world’s most popular theme park experiences ever. Classic dark rides like Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Alice in Wonderland have inspired guests for decades, providing them with that classic Disney magic.
On the flip side, Disney is also home to some of the world’s most high-tech, state-of-the-art attractions, with rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind being considered some of Walt Disney Imagineering’s best work. While most fans would tend to agree, it’s hard to dismiss Disney’s array of classic attractions, especially ones that are original to the theme parks.
The Swiss Family Treehouse is a great example, opening alongside Magic Kingdom in 1971. The original version of this walkthrough experience opened at Disneyland in 1962 and was eventually replaced by Tarzan’s Treehouse, which was replaced in 2023 by the Adventureland Treehouse.
A version of this treehouse can also be found at Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney. However, the version of the Swiss Family Treehouse at Tokyo Disney is in a dire state and has essentially been abandoned.
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Tokyo Disneyland’s version of Disney’s iconic Swiss Family Treehouse closed on April 1, 2022, meaning the attraction has sat empty for over two years. Now, parts of the actual treehouse are being taken down, revealing the steel frame underneath.
The treehouse has been taken down and the steel frame is exposed, but there are still no stairs. Well, there was some movement, but it’s probably over now.
ツリーハウスは幕外されて鉄骨が剥き出しにされちゃったし相変わらず階段はないまま
まあ動きがあったといえばあったけど、もうダメかもね pic.twitter.com/qIHpzr5UCI
— cody もうすぐクリスマス (@christmas_pocha) April 10, 2024
According to the attraction’s official website, the Swiss Family Treehouse is closed indefinitely. These new developments indicate it may never reopen, and Disney is looking at completely replacing the experience.
“It’s an old building that’s exposed to the weather,” stated one fan in response to these new photos. “If you ask me if there’s anything else, if it’s just a place to climb up and it doesn’t fit with the times, I think the current Oriental would probably look at the shareholders’ reactions and decide to demolish it if it would cost money to maintain it.”
“I want them to create a walk-through attraction based on the world of Tarzan, like at some other parks,” stated another guest, talking about the new version of the attraction that recently opened in California.
Disney has not made its intentions with this version of Swiss Family Treehouse clear, but all signs indicate the attraction will not be around much longer, at least in its current form.
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The Tokyo Disney Resort is often considered to be one of the best Disney theme park resorts on Earth, featuring an incredible amount of detail and immersion for guests lucky enough to visit. The resort is made up of two distinct theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, each offering its own unique theming, rides, and attractions.
There’s quite a lot to look forward to at Tokyo Disney, with the resort’s version of Space Mountain shutting down permanently this year. The classic space-themed roller coaster will shut down in July and will later be demolished entirely. This is part of Tokyo Disney’s effort to revitalize its Tomorrowland section of Tokyo Disneyland, which will receive several major upgrades over the course of the next several years.
Space Mountain, as fans know it, will cease to exist, leaving a big hole in the park’s list of rides and attractions. Space Mountain is perhaps one of Disney’s most iconic and popular attractions and is present at nearly every Disney resort around the world, from Magic Kingdom to Disneyland Paris.
Official concept art released by Tokyo Disney (shown above) makes it clear this new version of Space Mountain will be unlike anything guests and fans have ever seen. A large portion of Tomorrowland will be rebuilt around the new Space Mountain, with the project taking several years and costing hundreds of millions of dollars to complete.
Have you ever been to Tokyo Disney? What’s your favorite classic Disney ride or attraction?
