Credit: DisneyAn official Walt Disney World Resort survey has found that Magic Kingdom Park guests prefer the reimagined Country Bear Musical Jamboree over its predecessor.
After Walt Disney Imagineering announced it would refresh the Frontierland attraction at Destination D23 2023, Magic Kingdom Park’s original Country Bear Jamboree closed in January 2024. Six months later, in July, Walt Disney World Resort premiered the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree.
The Country Bear Musical Jamboree features more technologically advanced animatronics of the same characters: Henry, Big Al, Trixie St. Claire, Teddi Barra, Wendell, Shaker, Melvin, Buff, Max, and more. The only character change was the renaming of Liver Lips McGrowl to Romeo McGrowl–the original name was considered culturally insensitive by the time of the attraction’s closure.
In the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree, the bears sing country versions of classic and modern Disney tunes. The show is a tribute to a Nashville-style country musical revue with flashy costumes and different Western music styles.
Like any change to an original Walt Disney World Resort attraction, the Country Bear reimagining was controversial among nostalgic Disney Parks fans. But according to an official report, Magic Kingdom Park guests far prefer the new version of the 53-year-old Frontierland attraction.
On Wednesday, WDWNT obtained the results of a Magic Kingdom Guest Satisfaction (GSAT) survey about the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. The survey found that Disney Park guests ranked the new show as #6 among all Magic Kingdom attractions. In past surveys, guests ranked the old version of the show at #27.
According to the report, Walt Disney World Resort considers the modernized Frontierland attraction a “big success.”
The new Country Bear Musical Jamboree is just one of many changes in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom Park. In the past year, Walt Disney World Resort has transformed Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and demolished the original Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade for a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) lounge.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently closed for a year-long refurbishment that promises “new magic” on the Frontierland roller coaster. And there’s more to come.
At D23 Expo 2024, Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro announced that Tom Sawyer Island and parts of the Rivers of America would be demolished to make way for two all-new Cars (2006) attractions in Frontierland.
In the area “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,” Walt Disney Imagineers are developing the largest Magic Kingdom Park expansion ever: a Disney Villains land. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced opening dates for either of these projects.
Which version of the Country Bears do you prefer? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!