Disney Park Legend Dies Mid-Performance in Front of Families

A recently resurfaced video shows a disturbing malfunction in the Country Bear Jamboree at Walt Disney World Resort. One of the historic animatronics began leaking hydraulic fluid during a performance before freezing and dying on stage, leading Disney cast members to evacuate shocked families from the attraction.

The Country Bear Jamboree opened alongside Magic Kingdom Park on October 1, 1971.

Last year, Walt Disney Imagineers reimagined the 53-year-old attraction as The Country Bear Musical Jamboree, a Nashville-style musical revue featuring classic Disney songs like “The Bear Necessities” and “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” performed country-style. The retheme came with refreshed, more advanced animatronics that honored the historic style of the bears and their friends.

A bear animatronic, reminiscent of an iconic Disney Parks character, dressed in a white cowboy hat and suit plays an electric guitar on a stage with a blue curtain background. Beside it, a smaller bear in a cowgirl hat and purple outfit sits with a box. Both figures appear whimsical and entertaining. — Credit: Disney

Alongside the reimagining, Walt Disney World Resort announced that it would rename the controversial Liver Lips McGrowl to Romeo McGrowl. The other animatronic characters kept their names, including Big Al, Trixie and the Sun Bonnet Trio, Wendell, Teddi Barra, and Henry.

Trixie in the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. — Credit: Disney

Last week, TikTok user @emmamarryme shared a video from approximately three years ago, before the Country Bear Musical Jamboree retheme. In the clip, Disney Park guests evacuated the attraction because of a fatal malfunction on the Bubbles bear animatronic:

@emmamarryme

guys got evacuated from cbj AGAIN #countrybearjamboree #disney #waltdisneyworld #chapellroan #fyp #magickingdom #wdw

♬ original sound – The Mouselets

“NO BUBBLES DONT DIE,” the TikTok user wrote.

As Bubbles performed, Disney Park guests noticed hydraulic fluid leaking all over her fur. The bear eventually froze and powered off in front of the audience. All of the other animatronics also stopped moving.

Three anthropomorphic bears wearing pink cowboy outfits and hats are dancing on a stage. Behind them is a screen with a blue and white illustration. They are positioned in front of several black bottles lined up on the floor. — Credit: Disney

The person filming the bears captured a close-up look at the leak before following Disney cast members out of the building. Although it’s unclear exactly where the leak originated, it soaked one of Bubbles’ legs and part of her costume.

Maintenance crews quickly cleaned and repaired Bubbles, and the animatronic remained operational until its 2024 refresh for the Country Bear Musical Jamboree.

Have you ever seen a technical malfunction at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? In the comments, share your memories with Inside the Magic!