Johann David Wyss ( 1743-1818) is a historic Swiss author who wrote the 1812 story Der schweizerische Robinson (German: The Swiss Family Robinson). This book inspired a 1960 film adaptation by Disney and Adventureland attraction the Swiss Family Treehouse.
History[]
Jungle Cruise appearances[]
Skipper Canteen[]
There is a copy of a rare edition 1880s translated to English by George Routledge in the library of the Skipper Canteen. Another reference comes via book in the library titled Treehouse Construction by Mills which tributes William Robinson's actor John Mills and the Swiss Family Treehouse.
Other connections[]
Adventureland Treehouse[]
There is a hardcover of the Swiss Family Robinson in mother's music parlour.
Adventure Trading Company[]
The Treehouse Jujus in this game were modelled after the Swiss Family Treehouse. The Daily Gnus spoke on these jujus in an interview by Tallahassee Glover who interviewed José and Shrunken Ned on their subject.
Jungle Cruise[]
The treehouse had a view of the Cambodian ruins scene of the attraction.[1] Original posters for the Swiss Family Treehouse showed Jungle Cruise boats passing underneath of the treehouse. In the boathouse of Walt Disney World's Jungle Cruise is a crate addressed to one Kenneth Annakin, the director of imports at the Swiss Supply Company in the colony of New Guinea. This references Kenneth Anakin who directed the 1960 Swiss Family Robinson and the Swiss Family Robinson's New Guinea/East Indies setting. On his application form visible in the Amazon River Base, Felix Pechman XIII mentions having lived in the Swiss Family Treehouse around 1937/1938.[2]
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar[]
Trader Sam is identified as having been friends with the titular Swiss Family Robinson. It is likely that they are referenced via a bottled message in the Enchanted Tiki Bar which reads, "Sam, A recent occurance inspired an idea for a new concoction you could serve at you(r) bar. We call it 'Rowboat on the rocks.' A smashing idea, don't you think?".[3]
Other appearances[]
Liberty Belle Riverboat[]
A copy of the Swiss Family Robinson is in a cabin on this boat belonging to Captain Horace Bixby.
Trivia[]
- Both the Robinson family and Wyss' work canonically exist in the Jungle Cruise mythos. This might suggest that the fictionalized version of Wyss based his book on the in-universe Robinson family. The timeline would support this as the historic book was published in 1812 while Clan Robinson was marooned in 1805.
- Historically, Jules Verne loved the Swiss Family Robinson and wrote an unofficial sequel titled, "The Castaways of the Flag".