At a glance
La Cabane des Robinson is inspired by the Disney film Swiss Family Robinson, released in 1960 and itself adapted from Johann David Wyss’s novel The Swiss Family Robinson (1812). It tells the story of a Swiss family shipwrecked on a tropical island after a storm, who turn a giant tree into an ingenious home using materials salvaged from their ship, the Swallow.
The artificial tree holding up the treehouse has a Latin name invented by the Imagineers: Disneyodendron semperflorens grandis, meaning the great ever-flowering Disney tree. It rises 27 metres above the ground and goes 6.5 metres below ground thanks to the Belly of the Earth caves, which serve as the Robinsons’ larder. The trunk and branches are made of metal covered in concrete, and the hundreds of thousands of plastic leaves and flowers were attached one by one by hand.
You explore on foot, climbing a maze of stairs and walkways that lead through the different rooms: the living room with its barrel organ playing the Swisskapolka composed by Buddy Baker for the film, the parents’ bedroom, the children’s bedroom, the library and finally the crow’s nest at the top, with a striking view over Adventureland. On each floor, hand-painted wooden plaques quote extracts from Wyss’s novel to describe the room.
The immersion goes further: at the entrance, the waterwheel powers a system that pumps water up to the upper floors, and the wreck of the Swallow carries the story well beyond the treehouse. The Imagineers set the date of the shipwreck at 17 July 1805, exactly 150 years to the day before the original Disneyland opened.
The tallest treehouse in the park. A giant tree to climb freely, recreating the Swiss Family Robinson’s home with its furnished rooms, walkways and panoramic view over Adventureland. A physical climb rewarded with an open view, often quiet and with no queue.
History
Opened on 12 April 1992 with the park, La Cabane des Robinson is the Disneyland Paris version of the Swiss Family Treehouse, found at Disneyland Anaheim (1962), then at Orlando’s Magic Kingdom (1971) and Tokyo Disneyland (1993). This walk through an artificial tree is inspired by the film Swiss Family Robinson (1960). The Anaheim version has since been turned into Tarzan’s Treehouse.
Technical data
- Opened
- 1992
- Type Walk-through
- Opening date 12 April 1992
- Tree height 27 m
- Inspiration Swiss Family Treehouse (Magic Kingdom 1971)
- Average duration 10-20 min depending on how much you explore
Theme & story
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level none
- Thrill level low
- Emotional impact low
- Perceived wait low
- Minimum height None (open to all)
- Recommended age all ages
- Wheelchair accessible
- Pregnant visitors suitable
Premier Access, Single Rider, PhotoPass
Not offered on this ride.
No Single Rider here. To save time, count on Premier Access or park opening.
No PhotoPass on this ride.
Not open during Extra Magic Time: it opens at the same time as the park.
Who it’s for
Pros and cons
Strong points
- Usually a short queue
- Panoramic view over Adventureland
- Exceptional level of detail
Weak points
- Lots of stairs to climb up and down
- Not much going on for impatient children
- Not wheelchair accessible
My verdict
La Cabane des Robinson is a 27-metre fake banyan tree that you climb freely, between walkways and furnished rooms. Inspired by the film Swiss Family Robinson, it’s a calm walkthrough attraction, with no queue and no boarding, that you enjoy at your own pace. The level of detail in the furnished rooms (kitchen, bedrooms) is exceptional if you take the time to look.
I always take first-time visitors there, if only for the panoramic view from the top: on a clear day, you can see the Eiffel Tower. I find it’s the perfect breather in the middle of Adventureland. Avoid it, though, if stairs are a problem for you (and there are a lot of them) or if you’re travelling with a pushchair: you’ll have to leave it at the bottom.
Map & getting there
La Cabane des Robinson is in Adventureland, in the middle of Adventure Isle and close to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Your questions about this ride
01 How can you avoid long queues for the most popular rides?
To avoid long queues at Disneyland Paris, I combine several tactics. First, Single Rider is free and really speeds things up on the rides that offer it, including Crush’s Coaster, Flight Force, Ratatouille and Spider-Man, as long as you’re happy not to ride with your group. Next, Disney Premier Access is a paid service that gives you priority access to the headline rides. If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, Extra Magic Time lets you into the park before official opening, and it’s the best time to ride the popular attractions back to back without queuing. Finally, heading to the most popular rides during a parade or a big show empties the queues considerably.
02 Are the queue times shown in the park reliable?
Yes, the queue times shown in the app or on the screens around the park are generally reliable. They’re often the same as, or slightly longer than, the real wait, which helps you plan your day better.
03 How can I find out if a ride will be closed for refurbishment during my trip?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of rides closed for refurbishment on its official website, several weeks in advance. Because the parks are open all year round, the maintenance teams sometimes work on days when the parks are open, which leads to temporary closures. My advice: check this calendar (or the one on my blog) before booking, especially if there’s one particular ride you really care about.
04 Which rides might scare young children?
Several rides at Disneyland Paris can frighten young children even without a height restriction. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, in Fantasyland, has dark scenes with the witch that can catch them off guard. Les Voyages de Pinocchio also has some unsettling scenes. La Tanière du Dragon, under Sleeping Beauty Castle, is home to a very impressive animatronic dragon. Phantom Manor, in Frontierland, plays on a ghostly atmosphere and is really intense for toddlers. Pirates of the Caribbean switches between cheerful moments and darker scenes. I’d suggest watching how your child reacts before you get on.
05 How far in advance does Disneyland Paris announce ride closures?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of ride closures around 2 to 3 months in advance. For major rides, the park tells visitors about planned construction work at least two months before it starts. I recommend checking the official calendar (or my dedicated page) a few weeks before your visit, as dates can change. That way you avoid the nasty surprise of finding out on the day that your favourite ride is being refurbished.
