Chip ’n Dale’s Treehouse (1993–2020)

Chip ’n Dale’s Treehouse (1993–2020) was a walk-through play attraction in Disneyland’s Mickey’s Toontown, opening on January 24, 1993, and closing on March 14, 2020, for Toontown’s 2022–2023 reimagining. Located near Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, it featured a cartoonish tree structure with climbing areas, slides, and the Acorn Crawl ball pit (1993–1998), themed to Chip and Dale’s home from their animated shorts.

Mattes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Below are 10 fun facts about Chip ’n Dale’s Treehouse during its 1993–2020:

1. Toontown Opening Attraction: The Treehouse debuted with Mickey’s Toontown on January 24, 1993, designed as a multi-level play structure mimicking the chipmunks’ tree home, inspired by Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989–1990) and classic shorts.
2. Acorn Crawl Ball Pit: From 1993 to 1998, the base of the tree housed the Acorn Crawl, a pit with over 8,000 acorn-shaped plastic balls, accessible via a slide or direct entry, tailored for kids under 5 until hygiene concerns led to its removal.
3. Cartoonish Tree Design: The 30-foot-tall structure featured a lopsided, hollowed-out tree with a red spiral slide, rope ladders, and a lookout platform, painted in vibrant colors to match Toontown’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit-inspired aesthetic.
4. Interactive Elements: The interior included push-button gags, like a nut-sorting machine that made clanking sounds, and a “burrow” tunnel with Chip and Dale’s paw prints, encouraging kids to explore the chipmunks’ home.
5. No Height Restrictions: The Treehouse was open to all ages, but its tight spaces and low ceilings were designed for young children (ages 2–8), with parents often accompanying toddlers on the slide or lookout.
6. Acorn Washing Machine: To maintain the Acorn Crawl, Disneyland used a backstage “acorn washing machine” to sanitize the 8,000 plastic balls, a custom solution that proved insufficient, leading to the pit’s 1998 closure.
7. Outdoor Patio Play: The adjacent patio featured spinning acorn tops and a climbing net, extending the play area with soft SafeDek flooring, allowing kids to burn energy after exiting the tree’s slide.
8. Chip and Dale Meet-and-Greets: Chip and Dale occasionally appeared near the Treehouse for character greetings, typically scheduled a few times daily, enhancing the attraction’s connection to the chipmunk duo.
9. Post-Crawl Modifications: After the Acorn Crawl’s removal in 1998, the tree’s base was repurposed as an open play area with padded flooring and additional gags, maintaining the attraction’s appeal for young kids.
10. Closure for Reimagining: The Treehouse closed on March 14, 2020, with Toontown’s temporary shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remaining closed during the 2022–2023 reimagining, which introduced new play areas like CenTOONial Park.