Country Bear Musical Jamboree is opening today in Magic Kingdom. Guests will one again be able to enjoy the charm of the Country Bears. The Imagineers have been working their magic to create a new experience, and with that magic comes a new name: Country Bears Musical Jamboree.
This opening day attraction in Frontierland has been spruced up to tell a different Disney tale for a new audience. The bears are now singing your favourite Disney songs with their fuzzy country charm. There has been a bear naming change too as we say goodbye to one retiring bear and hello to a new charming country character.
Song list
It’s the song list you’ve been waiting for:
- “Country Bear Musical Jamboree”: a new original attraction song
- “Try Everything” from Zootopia
- “Kiss the Girl” from The Little Mermaid
- “A Whole New World” from Aladdin
- “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins
- “Fixer-Upper” from Frozen
- “Remember Me” from Disney-Pixar’s Coco
- “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story
- “Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book
- “Come Again” – an original song that debuted with Country Bear Jamboree in 1974
Including the bare necessities made us laugh and this song fits well with the attraction. Some of thee other tunes don’t fit so well in our opinion, not really adding anything to the attraction story or the guest experience. It feels a bit like the bears sat down and went, right what songs to do people like the most? Ok, we’ll sing them.
They add the country twist; it doesn’t work for every song. But we would recommend you pop on by, if only to meet their new character.
Character name change
He’s the transformed bear in the saloon, he’s Romeo McGrowl. Sporting a tall blonde quiff, cowboy style attire, and quite the pout he’s the new bear on the block. He has a very strong resemblance to Liver Lips Mc Growl. It is obviously a complete makeover, but that isn’t the Disney story. Singing “Kiss the Girl”, he brings a rockabilly vibe to this Disney classic song.
Country Bears Past Perspective
Country Bears has never really been our cup of tea. The attraction kind of just went over our heads. It does however have a huge fan following in the States. Popular from it’s opening in 1971, the attraction is also found in Disneyland, California and Tokyo Disneyland. Featuring 18 animatronic bears, the reimagining brings a complete costume change along with new songs.
Sitting in the show surrounded by people singing along was a different kind of experience before the reimagining. That feeling you get when you don’t quite get the joke was the exact feeling when sitting in the show for the first time when it was Country Bears Jamboree.
Grizzly Hall is dark and the wooden staging gave it a mid-western vibe that fit with the country style performance. The original songs had no parallel for UK guests and it was hard to engage beyond liking the bears. For many US guests however, this attraction was high on their visit list. With songs and jokes tailored exclusively for adults, the show went over the heads of many younger guests.
That’s all changed now.
Country Bears Present Perspective
The new version makes the show more accessible for everyone, while removing historical material that some people may have found offensive today. Reimagining Disney songs with a country twist, this experience seamlessly blends familiar Country Bear characters with Disney classics.
The new songs appeal to both younger and older audiences. The new costumes have given the bears a new lease of life and you can see that the Imagineers have styled the bears with the songs they sing.
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Trixie, who sings ‘Try Everything’ from Zootopia is styled in country style attire to resemble the pop style of the gazelle. It’s this kind of touch that helps the reimagining work, giving this 50 year old attraction a new and current lease of life.
Worth a visit?
It is still going to feel a little dated for many guests, as the bears are not using the more modern Disney animatronics. Younger guests will enjoy it, but we are getting to a point where the shows are all playing songs from the same Disney films in different genres.
Country Bears Musical Jamboree is worth a visit. This experience is one for all ages and if you are on a multi-generational trip it is something nice that will have you all singing along together. Prepare for earworm tunes and having your favourite Disney song distorted by a country bear.
The bears are lovable and you can meet Big Al outside the attraction roaming about the pavement in Frontierland. The bears have a different vibe than other more polished Disney characters and they fit well in their Frontierland home.
Still a filler attraction
The reimagining does not change this ride’s status as a filler attraction. It is never going to be an attraction high on your ride bucket list. It’s enjoyable. It’s a tuneful escape from the wet or the heat, but even then it probably isn’t top of the list. Nothing is ever going to beat Mickey’s PhilharMagic.
When to add it to your day?
Visit this attraction when:
- You have a spare half an hour between rides.
- You are looking to escape the hot or wet extremes of Florida weather
- You need a rest
If you are short on time in the parks, this is not an attraction you need to worry about missing.
Conclusion
The Bear’s musical finale is ‘Come Again’. For an attraction that is a once and done for may guests there is some irony in that song choice. Although, it does fit with mid-western and Disney hospitality. Unless you form an instant bond with a country bear, for many guests heading out to Magic Kingdom this reimagining is not going to change their park plans.
