Country Bear Jamboree: A Beloved Disney Classic Reborn
Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom welcomed back one of its most cherished attractions: the Country Bear Jamboree. This reopening will mark a significant moment for Disney fans, as the show had been closed for an extensive renovation. Disney Nerd Lisa was at the D23 Gold Members “Gatherin’ at The Country Bears Musical Jamboree”. Before we dive into the exciting changes, let’s take a nostalgic journey through the history of this iconic attraction.
The Country Bear Jamboree first opened its doors on October 1, 1971, coinciding with the grand opening of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Interestingly, this attraction was originally conceived by Walt Disney himself for a planned ski resort in Mineral King, California. Although that project never materialized, the concept found its home in Florida instead. Created by Imagineer Marc Davis, the show featured a cast of audio-animatronic bears performing country and Western music. The original lineup included memorable characters like Henry, the master of ceremonies, Liver Lips McGrowl, Big Al, and the Sun Bonnet Trio. Their catchy tunes and corny jokes quickly made the attraction a fan favorite.
Over the years, the Country Bear Jamboree underwent several changes. In 1986, it received a holiday overlay called “Country Bear Christmas Special,” which ran annually during the winter seasons until 2005. In 2012, the show saw a significant update, shortening its runtime from 15 to 10 minutes and making adjustments to some of the dialogue and songs. For over five decades, the Country Bear Jamboree has delighted audiences with its blend of humor, music, and Disney magic. It stands as a testament to Walt Disney’s vision of creating timeless entertainment that appeals to guests of all ages. The attraction’s enduring popularity is a tribute to the creative genius of the Disney Imagineers who brought these lovable bears to life.
Now, as Walt said, we need to keep moving forward and the Disney Imagineers thought it was time that the Country Bears got some updates. This was not to be the light updates discussed above in 2012 where it was just decor and costumes. This time around the music will be different. With that in mind, Disney Imagineers turned to a few country music stars, including Mac McAnally for “The Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book, Emily Ann Roberts for “Try Everything” from Zootopia, and Allison Russel and Chris Thile for “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. The show will feature twangin’ interpretations of Disney songs in various genres of country music, including Americana, bluegrass, pop-country, rockabilly, and more.
Disney Nerds Lisa and Angela were lucky enough to attend the D23 Gold Members Gatherin’ at The Country Bears Musical Jamboree and got an incredible preview of what is in store for the rest of us on June 17th. Here are some of the Bear’s new looks that they were wowed with.
The other big change and very exciting for Disney Nerds like us is that the Lobby of Grizzly Hall has been reworked in this update. Lisa, Angela, and their D23 Gold group had a great discussion with Disney Historian Archive Reps Kevini and Ken and the Imagineer/Producer for this update Scott. Stay tuned for show # 538 of the Disney Nerds Podcast for their great interview with cool insights on the changes. For your Nerdy needs, for now, here are some of the new updates and displays that will be in the lobby of Grizzly Hall, moving forward for our viewing pleasure.
We are looking forward to this new version. Some of the new songs used are, You’ve Got a Friend In Me, Bear Necessities, Remember Me, Supercalifragilisticespealidousious, A Whole New World, Kiss the Girl, and much more. Thanks to Lisa and Angela for sharing.
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