The “Bear-y” Interesting History of the Country Bears
With the recent opening of the Country Bear Musical Jamboree, our friends over at the Disney Parks Blog took some time to look back at the history of the fan-favorite musical troupe.
As many Country Bear die-hards know, the attraction that would eventually become the Country Bear Jamboree was originally thought up by Walt Disney as a possible attraction for Disney’s proposed Mineral King Ski Resort. Walt tasked Imagineer Marc Davis with developing the concept, which would have featured bear entertainers performing for guests staying at the resort.
Walt and Mineral King survey team
When Mineral King was eventually canceled, the attraction was reimagined for inclusion at the then-unbuilt Walt Disney World.
The Country Bear Jamboree
Eventually, the Country Bear Jamboree would open with the rest of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. The show featured an eclectic cast of bears who were designed by Davis and fellow Imagineer Al Bertino. While Disney toyed with having the bears sing different styles of music, they eventually settled on country music.
Photo: Disney
The original Country Bear Jamboree featured a combination of Vauldvillean humor, well-known country songs, and new compositions, including “The Bear Band Serenade” and “Come Again (Come on In).”
Photo: Disney
The Country Bear Jamboree eventually proved so popular that a version of the attraction opened in Disneyland in 1972 and Tokyo Disneyland in 1983.
Christmas Special and Vacation Hoedown
In November 1984, the first significant change came to the Country Bear Jamboree when the new Country Bear Christmas Special debuted at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park. The new show ran from November through New Year’s Day and featured the bears singing countryfied Christmas songs, including “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland.” The Christmas Special would later open in Tokyo Disneyland as the Jungle Bell Jamboree in 1991.
Photo: Disney
In 1986, the Country Bears debuted a new version of their act when the Country Bear Vacation Hoedown opened in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. The show featured the country bears pining for vacation and singing songs, including “The Great Outdoors” and “On the Road Again.” The new show would eventually come to Tokyo Disneyland in 1994.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
The original Country Bear Jamboree show returned to Magic Kingdom in February 1992. At Disneyland, the Vacation Hoedown continued until the attraction closed on September 9, 2001.
A New Era
Finally, on July 17, 2024, the Country Bear Musical Jamboree opened at Walt Disney World. The new show features all your favorite bears singing country versions of popular Disney songs.
Photo: Disney Parks Blog
It has now been almost 60 years since the Country Bears were first dreamed up by Walt Disney, and the musical troupe is showing no signs of slowing down.
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