Country Bear Closing

[pattievers]

We are just back from two weeks at Disneyland.

I am sad to report that Country Bear is indeed closing. I think Sept 7th is the last date. It is definitely around that time.

The cast members announced it during each show. They even encouraged you to take pictures (though asked that you wait for the finale).

She said it is being replaced by a Pooh attraction.

Patti

 

[phins_jazy]

Any idea how long it will take for the new attraction to be in it's place??

 

[minnieandmickey]

I believe that the pooh ride isn't supposed to open until sometime in 2003. I just wish that Disney could have figured out how to put the ride in without taking the bears out.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I've heard sometime in 2003. The original plan was to run through Christmas to fill the void of the Splash Mountain rehab. They will be replacing CBJ with a Winnie the Pooh dark ride. I hope they do a better job than the one at WDW. At least we can all rejoice in the fact that Mr. Toad's Wild Ride will not be the casualty for this (like WDW).

 

[WDW2002]

I am very sad to see the bears going. With two theaters showing the bears, couldn't they have found a way to keep both?? I know the bears are a little dated but I have tons of ideas of how they could "update" the show. There are so many newer country songs that could have been paradeed (sp). I am glad I am going in two weeks to see one of the final performances of the bears.

 

[minnieandmickey]

From what I have read on mouseplanet.com, the pooh ride is supposed to be exactly like the one in WDW.

 

[KarenT]

KarenT

 

[raidermatt]

My 2-year old (at the time) son loved the Pooh ride. He was bouncing like Tigger for the next 1/2 hour.

Still, I will miss the bears at DL.

 

[Uncle Buck]

funny thing is...they are making a Country Bears movie!

 

[TigerBear]

Uncle Buck - now that makes no sense. I have heard rumors that they might add the bears to the water ride at DCA.

 

[princessKT]

*tear* I'll miss the Country Bear Jamboree

 

[disneyphilip]

DISNEYLAND'S BEAR ARE NOT CLOSING!!!

ALL THAT INFO IS DOWNRIGHT FALSE!!!

STOP READING AL LUTZ'S STUFF AND EVERYTHING...IT'S ALL WRONG!!!

THE CM'S ANNOUNCING THE ATTRACTION'S FINAL SEASON JUST GOT THEIR INFO OFF OF THE INTERNET/UNOFFICIAL DISNEY WEB SITES! NOTHING'S OFFICIAL!

THE SAYING IT ALL BECAUSE OF THE "NET" PEOPLE AND THEIR DARN RUMORS/GOSSIP!

THANK YOU!

 

[phins_jazy]

Wow, someone sure got excited.

 

[WDW2002]

Originally posted by disneyphilip
DISNEYLAND'S BEAR ARE NOT CLOSING!!!
ALL THAT INFO IS DOWNRIGHT FALSE!!!

And just how are you so sure that it is NOT closing?? Sometimes the only way to get a real answer or I guess scripted answer is to get it from the mouses mouth. I am going to e-mail them and see what they have to say. Even though I wish they would QUIT typing from a script and just answer my questions.

 

[year2late]

I hope it stays!!!!!!!

 

[princessKT]

yikes LOL

didn't that person say they actually WENT there the other day and they said it was closing? what does that have to do with the internet? LOL

 

[disneyphilip]

I know the person said he/she went there, I read that first message.

What I said is what I was told by Guest Relations when they contacted the Playhouse's "leads" for me. The "leads" said the Playhouse's closure is STILL ONLY a "rumor", nothing's official.

IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL!

The Disneyland Bears are NOT going to be closed in September!

The last time I called DL, which was on Monday August 6, I spoke to a Disneyland Guest Relations representative who is in communication with Walt Disney Imagineering. He said that the alleged Pooh ride has NOT been finalized. No specs have been approved and they have NOT decided on a location yet (they've looked at several locations including the Playhouse, near the Playhouse or in Fantasyland at the old Skyway chalet/along the Big Thuner Trail).

He also said that the protocol when closing attractions is at that it gets officially/publicly announced (and that press releases about it get published) at least three to four months in advance. If the bears had to pack it up and go in September, we would have officially known by now!

There is talk about bringing back the original CBJ show to replace the Vacation show. With so much $$$ invested in the upcoming live-action Country Bears movie, the theme parks will use the bear attractions to promote it.

 

[BobF58]

I was there last week and there was no indication of it closing. I would prefer the original show to the vacation show, however.

I was very happy to be able to enjoy Mr Toad. I don't know who could have dreamed they would replace it with that Pooh ride. If they create a Pooh ride at DL, let's hope it's better than that one.

 

[TheLionKing]

There was an article in the LA Times and Country Bears is closing September 9th.

It sounds pretty official now. The article did not report what was replacing it.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Country Bears to get the hook
A Winnie the Pooh ride reportedly will replace the robots.

August 25, 2001

By DANIELLE HERUBIN
The Orange County Register


Anaheim -- The 29-year-old Country Bear Playhouse at Disneyland will close Sept. 9, a Disney spokesman said Friday.

The bears -- 20 robots dressed like mountain folk -- sing and play banjoes and fiddles about their "beary" amusing adventures.

It will be replaced by a Winnie the Pooh ride, according to Al Lutz, a Disney watcher who runs the unofficial Disney Web site Mouseplanet.com.

It is unclear if the new Pooh ride will use less expensive two-dimensional props - like those used in SuperStar Limo at the California Adventure theme park next door to Disneyland - or three-dimensional figures like those used in the new Tokyo Disneyland attraction.

"They've been working on it for years," said Dave Koenig, author of "Mouse Tales" and other Disney books. Disney's Imagineers wanted something similar to the high-tech version in Tokyo Disneyland, but Disney management "kept cutting back and cutting back and cutting back," Koenig said.

Disney spokesman Joe Aguirre declined to comment on what will replace Country Bears, saying Disney hasn't decided yet.

Koenig said the Pooh attraction will open the summer of 2003 or later. He added that the bear move is unusual because Disney is working on a Country Bear movie.

The Disneyland bear show, which opened in 1972 and was called Country Bear Jamboree until 1986, was based on a similar attraction at Walt Disney World near Orlando. It's in Critter Country, a small area near Frontierland.

Disney hasn't decided what it will do with the 20 bears, Aguirre said.