Country Bear Jamboree Closed for Reimagining
Walt Disney World has announced a new reimagined stage show will replace Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom. This post shares everything we know about changes to the iconic attraction: CBJ’s opening timeframe, and concept art. Plus comprehensive commentary and our conflicted feelings about the Bear Band doing a new act. (Updated April 22, 2024.)
This news of a reimagined Country Bear Musical Jamboree was first announced during last year’s Destination D23. Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro offered a sneak peek at concept art for the future in addition and teased what was to come in a few years.
During Destination D23, Imagineer Chris Beatty shared that he and his team love the Country Bears, which is why they’re bringing an all-new act to Grizzly Hall for the Bear Band to perform. The new show is coming in 2024, and will be called Country Bear Musical Jamboree.
When Country Bear Musical Jamboree debuts, the Bear Band will be reinterpreting favorite Disney songs in different genres of country music. Imagineers are envisioning the new experience as a homage to the classic musical revues in Nashville and they’re working with Nashville musicians to get the authentic country sound.
The Country Bear Jamboree will still have the fun and friendly tone fans enjoy with the same famous characters like the loveable Trixie, Big Al and others. Here’s a look at the concert-style poster art Imagineering created to promote the reimagined Country Bear Musical Jamboree:
April 22, 2024 Update: There’s been a bunch of activity inside and outside Grizzly Hall since Country Bear Jamboree closed this winter for transformation into Country Bear Musical Jamboree.
Work is underway on the exterior at Grizzly Hall, with the attraction marquee now behind a tarp. This is presumably to swap out the current signage with a new one that adds ‘Musical’ to the marquee. We’re hoping that not much else changes with the sign as it was pretty much perfect before, but we could see something indicating the Disney songs that are performed to entice families inside.
A listing of songs or movies featured in Country Bear Musical Jamboree could also be attached to one of the poles at eye level. One way or another, we expect Disney to highlight that as a way to differentiate the new show from its predecessor. Even though we love the original, it has a certain word-of-mouth reputation among first-timers and infrequent visitors that’s not quite as positive. Making it clear that Disney music is now performed seems like a given.
Inside Grizzly Hall, Walt Disney World has filed a new permit to “install set elements and piping.” This permit is assigned to Thermetrics Corporation, which specializes in the maintenance, repair and installation of commercial chillers and HVAC systems. I can’t find any record of their past work with Disney in the DTB Archives, but I’m guessing they’re simply doing something with the building’s HVAC. It’s unclear why “set elements” is listed in the permits unless Thermetrics has started diversifying their business with the bears.
On a note that should be much more interesting, it’s our understanding that the Audio Animatronics in Country Bear Jamboree are being updated to the newest A-1000 Audio Animatronics generation. These debuted with Hondo Ohnaka in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and continued with Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast at Tokyo Disneyland as well as Frozen Ever After at Hong Kong Disneyland. Most notably, they’re the same types of amazing Audio Animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which opens this summer at Magic Kingdom.
While we wouldn’t expect the bears to be quite as advanced as the headliner AAs in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, they should be a marked improvement. This means no more clicking sounds or abrupt movements, and more fluidity. Most importantly, at least for Country Bear Jamboree fans, is that it gives the attraction a new lease on life and pretty much guarantees it another decade (if not two) of existence. For an attraction that has been on borrowed time since the dawn of the new century, this is a welcome relief.
Speaking of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we’ve heard from many of you wondering whether Country Bear Musical Jamboree will open simultaneously with that reimagined ride just around the bend. It’s our understanding that was the original goal, as it would’ve given guests two reasons to plan a vacation to Walt Disney World and also helped soak up crowds.
What we’ve heard suggests this is no longer feasible. Between Tiana’s Bayou Adventure moving forward and now likely opening in late June 2024 and Country Bear Musical Jamboree taking longer than anticipated, it’s just not realistic for the reimagined attractions to debut together.
Note that this is rumor and was accompanied by a degree of uncertainty when we heard it, so take it with a grain of salt. It’s possible that work on Country Bear Musical Jamboree starts moving faster and manages to make a mid-summer opening…but we’re highly skeptical. Our best guess at this point is that late July 2024 is the earliest realistic opening date for Country Bear Musical Jamboree.
Purely speculative, but we think that date is more likely to be further delayed than moved forward. And at some point, Walt Disney World will want to weigh whether it’s “worth it” to open Country Bear Musical Jamboree in the late August to September off-season, or if it might make more sense to delay it to an October 1, 2024 opening. That would be a meaningful date as the anniversary of both Magic Kingdom and Country Bear Jamboree. I could definitely see Disney taking that approach, and I welcome Imagineers taking extra time to give the bears TLC (and also proper tribute with that anniversary opening).
Of course, this is all rumor and speculation and could be wrong and/or is subject to change. It’s also entirely possible that Walt Disney World has been dragging its feet on an official opening date on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure because they want Country Bear Musical Jamboree to a point where a simultaneous opening is attainable. I doubt it, but it’s possible.
Prior to this latest update, Walt Disney World shared details and an opening timeframe for the reimagined Country Bear Musical Jamboree, along with other details:
“Get ready to knee slap and toe-tap to a little country twang this summer! If you’ve been too busy trottin’ through the wild west and have missed the news, the Country Bears are getting ready to put on a new show that pays homage to the Opry-style shows of Nashville.
While the Country Bear Musical Jamboree will include easter eggs from the beginning to the end including a familiar tune fans may remember, the bears will sing new, reinterpreted Disney tunes in different genres of country music – like bluegrass, pop-country, Americana, rockabilly and other styles.”
Here’s a look at the behind-the-scenes teaser clip Walt Disney World has shared for Country Bear Musical Jamboree:
Country Bear Jamboree closed on January 27; the attraction will reopen as Country Bear Musical Jamboree later in Summer 2024.
Walt Disney World also teased this: “But hold your horses, we’re not done yet. We have a lot of growth and investment planned for our theme parks in the coming years and look forward to sharing more announcements about Frontierland … so y’all come back now, ya hear?”
That last line is either a reference to Beyond Big Thunder or Tiana’s Palace Restaurant replacing Pecos Bills or something else entirely. Who knows at this point.
Turning to commentary, this is a tough one. There’s almost certainly dramatically different reactions between the longtime and diehard Walt Disney World fans who were attending Destination D23 in-person versus more casual and newer fans.
For a lot of you, Country Bear Jamboree is nothing special, a relic of another time that has aged poorly and is long overdue for replacement. That describes a lot of people, and to them, this change will undoubtedly be embraced with enthusiasm and cautious optimism, at minimum. For others, not so much.
It’s no secret that we’re Country Bear superfans, frequently encouraging readers to make a bearline to Magic Kingdom’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Grizzly Hall. That’s where they can find Country Bear Jamboree, a show that is best appreciated by audiences with sophisticated senses of humor, good looks, and great taste in attractions and animals.
Joking (but not really) aside, we absolutely adore Country Bear Jamboree but also, we’ve expected it to be removed and replaced for years. We’ve been saying for over a decade that this is the type of attraction that would never be made today, and not just because it’s a stage show with a lot of Audio Animatronics. Country Bear Jamboree features a unique brand of irreverent humor, and some of the lyrics elicit audible reactions from the audience because they’re unexpected from a Disney attraction.
It’s going to take a while to gather my thoughts about this news, so for now, I’ll share what I wrote earlier this year in Reimaginings Inside the Park and ‘Beyond the Berm’ Expansion at Magic Kingdom:
As much as I hate to admit this, Country Bear Jamboree is on borrowed time. There are a number of reasons why Walt Disney World might want to do something with the beloved bear band. I love Country Bear Jamboree and will defend it until the end (if anything, I sincerely believe it has gained appreciation in the last few years, too!). But I’m also a realist.
Country Bear Jamboree is not going to exist in its current form forever. A decade from now, I’ll be satisfied if the Audio Animatronics bears simply still exist…but are singing different songs. That’s probably the best case and most realistic scenario, barring a catastrophe for the company, economy, or tourism tanking in a way that essentially causes the parks to freeze in time. (No damage inflicted, but also no development done–we call that the “Disneyland Paris Effect.”)
To be abundantly clear, this does not mean that I’m on board with reimagining Country Bear Jamboree. Again, this is a matter of (trying to) come to terms with reality, and the small miracle of the Country Bear Jamboree and those songs still being sung in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in the year 2024.
For me, this announcement mirrors finding out IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth was being replaced. I knew it was an inevitability for years, and more than anything else, was thankful that we got to see it so many times before it was retired. Like that, Country Bear Jamboree has had a great run. Also like that, I wish it would stick around Walt Disney World forever, but ‘get’ why that is unrealistic.
Unlike IllumiNations, this attraction will live on with the Country Bears sticking around, which is more than I honestly would’ve expected even a few years ago. Frankly, that is a colossal distinction between the two changes. If aspects of IllumiNations were modernized and reimagined to be incorporated into a more crowd-pleasing nighttime spectacular, I probably would’ve been personally sad but completely understanding. That’s the crossroads, of sorts, for me with this Country Bear news.
At some point, I’ll collect my thoughts and offer more comprehensive commentary about what makes Country Bear Jamboree so special. (Or perhaps not–I could never bring myself to do an IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth tribute post.) For now, here’s what I wrote several years back in My Top 10 Walt Disney World Attractions:
For so many people I’ve encountered, enjoyment of Country Bear Jamboree hinges upon whether they enjoy folk or country music. If they don’t, all of the bears in the world cannot save this attraction for them.
Bob Dylan’s forays into them aside, these musical genres are not my jam. The thing is, Country Bear Jamboree is not a simple country music concert performed by robotic bears. Instead, it’s simultaneously a love-letter to the genre, and a send-up of stereotypical Southern life. It borders on social satire, and in the process contains some of the best witty and irreverent humor ever showcased in a Disney theme park.
Most importantly, its irreverent humor is delivered in a playful and fun manner. Even as Country Bear Jamboree spoofs hillbilly culture, it does so in way that’s unlikely to offend. I grew up in rural Michigan and lived in Indiana for years, and rather than finding this humor offensive because it hits too close to home, I laugh at its astuteness.
Perhaps I just enjoy self-deprecating humor, but I think Country Bear Jamboree is a hoot, and one that makes me nod silently while laughing. When Big Al first appears, I think we all can relate. Who among us has not sat on our porch shirtless and shoeless, with jugs of empty moonshine scattered around our couch while watching the cars pass? (No? Just me. Okay then.)
Beyond Country Bear Jamboree’s catchy music and irreverent humor, the characters are excellent. Even though the runtime is fairly short (and shorter now than it used to be!), the character development is strong. By the end of the show, you have a good sense of each bear’s personality and their quirks.
When I think of the best theme park characters from Walt Disney World, Figment, Dreamfinder, Sonny Eclipse, and about 8 of the Country Bears come to mind. Talk about a strong ensemble! Country Bear Jamboree is like the Wet Hot American Summer of theme park attraction casts.
At the end of the day, none of this should really be necessary to persuade you that Country Bear Jamboree is among the best attractions at Walt Disney World. If you’re against singing, robotic bears, you are against America. It’s as simple as that.
Ultimately, the jury is still out on the Country Bear reimagining news for us. On some personal level, we will be sad to see the current Country Bear Jamboree go. That much is a given, as we love the irreverence and humor of the current selection of songs, and have endless nostalgia for the current show. It’ll be tough to say goodbye to Country Bear Jamboree in its present form.
However, how difficult that is really depends upon the execution of the replacement. If Imagineering is able to replace the current show while maintaining the Bear Band’s sense of humor, personality, and charm will go a long way for us. If Country Bear Jamboree’s successor manages to be the same ‘ole bears but performing different tunes, it’ll end up being pretty easy to accept this change.
That’s particularly true if the new show actually ends up being both good and popular, drawing larger crowds. Although we (selfishly) enjoy being able to easily grab a last-minute seat at Country Bear Jamboree and have plenty of space around us, there’s nothing we’d love more than the Country Bears playing to packed houses, having to wait in 15 minute long lines to see them, and have the Bear Band stick around for decades to come. If a new generation of Country Bear fans is forged in the process of this reimagining, that’s a big win in our book.
In other words, this is one of those rare things that’s potentially both a personal negative and bigger picture positive. There’s almost no world in which a replacement for Country Bear Jamboree improves upon the original for us. At the same time, we realize it’s a show of a different era, and overdue for a modernization to make it more appealing to modern audiences and new generations of Walt Disney World guests. If Imagineering is able to thread the needle and offer something that satisfies both the casual diehard and diehard demos, it’ll be a bittersweet success.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the reimagined of Country Bear Jamboree announced for Magic Kingdom? Are you a disappointed diehard, cautiously optimism, or openly enthusiastic about this news? Or, are you in wait and see mode with this? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
My eight-year-old loves the Country Bears. He saw them for the first time in January and talks about the show all the time. I imagine it was one of those things that just click with a kid and that they’ll never forget (like the original Journey into Imagination for so many of us). If a new show ensures their survival, and it’s nowhere near what they did with the Tiki Birds, then fine.
I was there with my son two weeks ago and was surprised to see a Photopass cast member across the street from Grizzly Hall. I don’t know if she was there for the Country Bears or was supposed to take pictures of Tom Sawyer Island or even back toward the Haunted Mansion, but she was more than happy to take a ton of pictures of us sitting dejected on the porch and close-ups of us with the “new show” signs. Turns out it was the day before they put the scrim on the sign, so I’ll be saving those pictures! It’s nice they have Wendell, Liver Lips (the cast member corrected me that his name is now “Romeo”), Shaker, and Big Al wandering around the area, though I have no idea why Wendell was also at Epcot.
“I have no idea why Wendell was also at Epcot.”
Training!
The bears and other rare characters are often used for Cast Member training since they’re lesser-known and thus don’t have as strict of rules regarding integrity.
At one time, in addition to being above the exit doorway facing inside Country Bear Jamboree, Melvin, Buff and Max were also above the same doorway facing inside the Mile Long Bar at Walt Disney World.
We are currently in Japan, for other reasons (a conference etc.) and were able to add on 3 days at Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea, both of which we really enjoyed. We got to see the Country Bears there and I think the show was longer, maybe more like the original show? The bears’ commentary was all in Japanese, but the songs were in English. We were glad to see the original show one more time!
Yeah, Tokyo Disneyland’s version is a few minutes longer–it has always been slightly different (aside from just the Japanese), but it remains the same version as before, whereas Magic Kingdom’s was shortened in 2012.
I swear I saw this show as a teenager and it was like a dinner show. We ate lunch while the bears sang. Does anyone else remember that or am I crazy? It would have been around 1989 / 1990 maybe?
You might be thinking of the Mile Long Bar? https://d23.com/a-to-z/mile-long-bar/
That, or it’s possible you’re merging memories–of Country Bear Jamboree and Diamond Horseshoe Revue or Cosmic Ray’s. I have similar “mash-up memories” from when I was a kid. Things I could’ve sworn that were at Walt Disney World…but weren’t.
You weren’t dreaming! Three were above a door inside Mile Long Bar, and yes, they did sing!
Country Bears has been a “must do” attraction for our family for as long as we have been regulars at WDW. It never got old. I am not a fan of country music in general, at least contemporary country, but this show played the music as old-style country from the days of AM only radio. I am quite distressed with the loss of the original show, as much as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride or the original Snow White dark ride. I am hopeful that the update will keep the spirit of the original while bringing in some Disney “hits.” I’m with you 100% on this one Tom, and I see it as loss of old Disney.What’s next, Peter Pan? Jungle Cruise? Cinderella’s Castle?
My hope for the update is to include the ability to change the musical tracks by time of year. I think a version of the bears in winter scarves or Santa hats singing Christmas carols would be pretty amazing.
I also really hope that happens. The only way I think it will is if they recorded the songs with the new ones for the show.
As you may be aware, Walt Disney World already did Country Bear Christmas in the past–so the ability exists, it’s just the desire! https://www.disneytouristblog.com/merry-country-bear-christmas/
Hi Tom! First to address my precious Bears…honestly I’m happy they aren’t canning it completely! We love it. Bummed it’ll probably be closed when we go in June though.
Secondly, I’m mostly posting now honestly to ask an unrelated question (I’m sorry!) Any idea if Blizzard Beach will be open this summer? I’ve never been but gather it’s either/or for the water parks to be open each season. I’m hoping for an easy half-ish day there with some Winter Summerland mini golf!
Hope you and the family are doing well!
We were at RunDisney Marathon Weekend last weekend and at one of the races (the 10k or the half-marathon) there was a group of fabulous runners dressed up as the Country Bears. The runner dressed as Big Al had a ukelele and the hosts had her sing “Blood on the Saddle” on the Jumbotron pre-race (complete with all the appropriate pauses.) It was hysterical and perfect and got the loudest cheers from the crowds that morning. In my strongly biased opinion, Big Al and that song need to survive whatever reimagining is happening. Disney has ample proof that they are a fan favorite.
I just saw the announcement and my first thoughts were I wonder what Tom thinks about this lol. So of course I had to come here to find out. I’ve never actually seen the show, I just know the country bears from one of the old Disney sing along videos shot at WDW, seeing them walking around the parks, and your posts here. I think that the new style of show sounds like it could get me into see it. Though some of it could be the ages I’ve been when going to WDW vs now? I think that it might get more people interested, especially if they promote it because it feels like they just let the original version be there and not promoted it.
And funny enough, I think the some they “sang” along to in the video is the Bear Necessities, though more traditional than in the clip you linked to.
sorry, I meant to type ‘the SONG they sang along to’
I happily enjoyed the Country Bears less than a month ago. I’m glad to hear they are renovating the show, but I would really like to see Disney World follow the lead of Tokyo Disney and put together 4 shows that could be seasonally changed over in a short downtime. A “regular” presentation, followed by a Salute to Summer, a Halloween show, and a Holiday Christmas show could guarantee that the Bears would be a top draw for years to come. I truly miss the Bears at Disneyland, and wish they had kept one of the two theaters.
I gained an entirely new appreciation for this ride (and quite a shock) when I attended it for the first time with my parents this last December and they started singing along. I’d always enjoyed the show for its satire and quirks, but I’d never seen it’s importance so clearly reflected in the generation it was intended for than that moment. I had no idea those songs had ever existed outside of the bears, or that they’d been so ingrained in the culture that someone who hadn’t heard them in over 20 years could just start belting them out word for word. THAT is something I’ll miss – as it gave me a connection to the material I’d never had before. However, I doubt it’s something most guests would ever encounter when watching. (Not unless Disney wants to permanently install my parents in the back row anyway).
Without fail, if I look at an attraction and say, “I’ll get to it next time. Skipping it this trip,” it closes before the next trip. Ellen. Great Movie Ride. Now OG(ish) Country Bears. What attraction should I skip and doom on my next trip?
About a decade ago, I was on a trip with friends (we were all in our 20s) and I dragged them into Country Bears. They actually laughed a lot over the “All The Guys That Turn Me On…” bit. As fun as the parks are, they could stand to have more laughs (I am very pro-Marc Davis.)
If the new version manages to keep the weird humor in it, fine. So be it. I am predicting country covers of “How Far I’ll Go” and “Go the Distance.”
The fact that I saw Mac McAnally in the studio recording for this makes me smile.
This gives me hope!
I stop by this show every few years for nostalgia’s sake and to bump up the attendance figures – I’d hate to see a 1971 attraction close. But I’m always glad when it’s over! I’ve never preferred classic Disney songs over original and/or non-Disney material in a show like this, but I’m looking forward to it in this case. Hopefully, they’ll keep a little irreverence in this new production though, so that it stands out and won’t be too twee!
I’ve been reading elsewhere that the Powers That Be want to move away from having a Frontierland altogether. Tom, do you think that’s true, and if so why? Frontierland is my favorite land and I would hate to see it become some kind of Western/New Orleans hybrid land. Or chopped up into different smaller IP lands. I’m starting to panic…
I have seen that rumor posted elsewhere, and it strikes me as plausible–but I haven’t heard anything firsthand that I’d deem credible.
A couple of things:
1) To my knowledge, they have not settled on final plans for Beyond Big Thunder, so the fate of Frontierland has not been sealed. Any rumors are, at this point, potentialities.
2) I think it’d be very difficult to get rid of Frontierland entirely. More likely, Tiana’s becomes part of the current Frontierland with a bit of placemaking and added backstory, but the land continues to exist as-is. Maintaining the style of the Country Bears (rather than making them a jazz band) is a strong signal of this. I could see Big Thunder getting grafted into whatever new land is added beyond it.
In all likelihood, I think Frontierland is here to stay in some form.
Yeah it’s always an interesting question – in Disney’s theme park decision making process, will cynical marketing/synergy triumph, or laziness/risk aversion? You can never be too sure…
About time- that show is horrible
Fake post.
Disney really can’t be trusted to do this in a decent way. The folks who thought it was a good idea to destroy the storyline of Snow White for a mocking, live-action re-make ( Bob Iger, et al ) are still in charge, and still want to demolish other much loved and original Disney achievements.
I’m a fan of the Bears and always take in their show whenever I visit Disney, which is rather infrequent. But the show needed to change. The question, as with all changes, is whether the new show will capture the magic of the old one. I’m not encouraged by the plan to incorporate IP into it. I’d be happy to never hear the word “synergy” again. OTOH, Diagon Alley at Universal in Orlando is almost pure IP and I love it. So it is possible to do IP well, it just seems less likely in my experience. Like there are good movie sequels, but most of them aren’t good.
As long as we’re updating stuff, can we please, please have new material for the Laugh Floor? Ought to be pretty easy to do. That show is on my ‘skip’ list until they get new jokes.
I am embarrassed at how sad I am that this attraction is changing, but for me it is all about nostalgia. The County Bears is one of my earliest memories of Disney World. I think about enjoying it with family who are no longer with
us. I understand and even agree with Tom’s point, but it’s hard to see the show change.
I know just some of the background and what was done behind the scenes to save the Country Bears (at all) and even so, it’s *still* hard for me to see the show change. I definitely feel your pain.
Throws out all plans for disney after dark at Magic Kingom in 2 weeks time to marathon country bears! Nah in seriousness I will go in and watch it a few times before it changes as im there in the next few weeks and im sure that there will be some to see it off(Looks at the site owner sat in the front singing along to blood on the saddle over the day). I prefer do that its being changed and improved rather then completely killed off and isnt being refurb closed and never reopening like some entertainment was.