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Credit: Inside the MagicThe Country Bear Jamboree at the Walt Disney World Resort is about to get a modern, musical makeover, and the reviews are mighty mixed.
It was announced this week that the famous Country Bear Jamboree at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom would be giving its final performance on January 26, 2024. As one of the few remaining vintage park staples on Disney property, it’s only natural that some fans are taking offense at the attraction’s closure.
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The Country Bear Jamboree is one of the oldest functioning Disney World attractions, having been at the Florida park since its opening day in 1971. As seen with the Splash Mountain mourners, fans can get pretty extreme whenever one of Disney’s original attractions is threatened, and this furry feature was no exception.
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Henry, Teddi Berra, Big Al, Shaker, and all the rest of Frontierland’s animatronic bear band are scheduled for a musical makeover in 2024. Disney’s official blog had this to say about the upcoming update,
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…”
That might sound good to some on paper, but dozens of Disney purists would definitely disagree. Social media is starting to see an influx of conflicting opinions regarding the show.
The TikTok below from @disneyparks shared our favorite Country Bear characters “in rehearsal” as the attraction undergoes its new recording process. As with most things on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, it didn’t take long to get a reaction from some very vocal fans.
@disneyparks Rehearsals are now under way! 🪕Country Bear Jamboree is getting new songs and a new act reinterpreting favorite Disney songs in 2024 🐻🎶 @Disney D23 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #MagicKingdom #CountryBearJamboree #NewShow #CountryMusic #Nashville #DisneyNews #DestinationD23
The TikTok above from @disneyparks shared our favorite Country Bear characters “in rehearsal” as the attraction undergoes its new recording process. As with most things on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, it didn’t take long to get a reaction from some very vocal fans.
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Several comments are prematurely mourning the loss of the original attraction, and begging Disney not to change it.
@dolewhiptattoo writes,
“This makes my heart so sad.”
And @mkhalley adds,
“I’ve never wanted anything less.”
Comments continue down this path in a similar vein, but the reactions on Facebook were much more verbose. Gratuitious Theme Parks is a Disney Park fan account that frequently shares memes and attraction updates, and the fur started to fly when they shared the new artwork for the updated Country Bears.
“How is everyone feeling about the incoming closure, and rework of The Country Bear Jamboree? I’m going to miss the old show with all of its quirks, but I’m happy they found a way to keep the bears in the park.”
And fans were quick to respond.
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One fan, Nick H., writes,
“The show is going to lose its humor. You can already tell based on the way they renamed Liver Lips McGrowl. I would love to be pleasantly surprised, but I’m expecting mediocrity, much in the way Disney previously ruined the Enchanted Tiki Room until the tiki gods set the attraction on fire and brought back the original show.
Just under that post, Vanessa H. adds,
“It feels a bit like when The Great Movie Ride closed. It’s not truly the original attraction in its outset. You still have all the feelings for it, but it’s been gutted and changed so much already it’s nearly unrecognizable from when it started.”
However, for all the negative points of view, Daniel P. shares a more level headed approach.
“I don’t like the idea of them singing Disney songs instead of historical country songs and original songs, but I’ll withhold an opinion until I see the show.”
John Metzdorf, owner of the Gratuitous Theme Parks page had this to say about the development.
“I am a huge fan of The Country Bear Jamboree, and never skip the show when I visit the Magic Kingdom. While I will certainly miss some of the weirdness of the original show (especially the thirstiest bears in the Sunshine State, The Sun Bonnets), I understand why they are changing it. Furthermore, I am excited to see what they do with the show. I only hope that it is handled with care, and respect.”
He also shared the following response on TikTok.
@gratuitousthemeparks Replying to @Magu Listen, there is potential for greatness. #disney #countrybearjamboree #magickingdom #disneyworld #themepark #animatronics #meme #funny #hercules
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On that note, we truly can’t say whether or not the new Country Bears attraction will be a hit or a miss. One thing that can be said for certain is that the bears are evolving with the music that inspired their creation, and that’s certainly a comfort.
Are you a fan of the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!