The Enchanted Tree’s uniqueness is multi-fold, with features that are both functional and delightful. As an ambassador to the Enchanted Realm, it greets our visitors with three principal faces: one with a beaming summer smile; another with a spooky scowl; and one face with a snowy beard and brows, heralding winter’s chill. Each face points the visitor in the direction of a different aspect of the gallery, whether it is the haunted mansions of Halloween, the frosty delight of winter holidays, or the abundance of whimsy and fairy lore. The careful observer can spot even more faces hidden among the Tree’s roots, reminding us that magic is lurking around every corner. As a display space, the Tree houses eight room box displays, each one a mouse habitat featuring the musings of our Museum Founder, Pat Arnell.
The Tree’s look was designed by Tim Kirk, a Disney Imagineer for 22 years, which is why so many people comment that the tree resembles Grandmother Willow from Disney’s Pocahontas. The Tree was one of the first things installed in the museum, even before some of the interior walls were in place – giving a strange sight to some of our neighbors, peeking in at our progress!
