As we continued making our way around
Disneyland Park, we decided to visit a land that MK doesn't have. This land is the original home of a classic Disney attraction.
In both of its US locations, Splash Mountain is on the western edge of the park (and it has some interesting neighbors in DL - you can see Haunted Mansion on the far left of this pic).
However, Splash Mountain's original Disney home is Critter Country!
The area used for Critter Country has served many other purposes in the past. It was originally Frontierland's "Indian Village" from 1956 to 1971, and then it became Bear Country in 1972 (with the opening of Country Bear Jamboree). The arrival of Splash Mountain in 1989 converted the land into Critter Country, and in 2001 the Country Bear Jamboree closed for good. For such a small land, this place has seen several changes!
One thing about DL's Splash Mountain is that seating is mostly single file (with the back row being a possible exception). Also, DL's ride has significantly more animatronics than the MK version, but that's because DL recycled many of them from a shuttered Tomorrowland attraction (America Sings). Personally, I prefer the MK version (when all the effects are working properly).
Here's another interesting difference (to anyone who's ridden both attractions) - the soundtrack! MK's Splash Mountain (shown below) has a stronger country vibe, with banjos and harmonicas prominently in the background. Because of Splash Mountain's proximity to New Orleans Square, DL's soundtrack has more jazz influences.
Critter Country has several other residents outside of the Splash Mountain gang. Ever since the Country Bears said goodbye, the land has been home to another popular bear...
Yep, those iconic honey pots (or "hunny pots") can only mean one thing.
Much like in WDW (where he evicted Mr. Toad from Fantasyland), Pooh is responsible for the Country Bears leaving DL. In both cases, I can understand the decision, since Pooh has more commercial appeal than the characters he replaced. Still, I find it slightly amusing that Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear reside in the same neighborhood as Tigger and Pooh.
Critter Country has a few other draws - it's the boarding location for Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes, and it also has one of the strongest quick service locations in the park:
Hungry Bear Restaurant. Here's the
AllEars menu.
Hungry Bear has a tempting and unique menu. There's a fried green tomato sandwich that sounds absolutely fantastic, and it would've been my lunch choice if I hadn't been in the mood for fish tacos. Another great thing about this place is the view of the Rivers of America from the seating area. Here's the view from our table - it's amazing how rustic and peaceful this corner of the park is.
Since we'd already had lunch, this was a dessert stop for me. Hungry Bear actually has two unique dessert options (including lattice-topped pies), but my choice was the Bumblebee Cupcake with lemon cream filling and honey-lemon frosting (clearly inspired by Winnie the Pooh).
First of all, this cupcake is absolutely adorable, and I love the individual bee on top. As for the cake itself, there was a refreshingly zesty lemon flavor throughout, which the filling enhanced. My one criticism would be that it had too much frosting. The frosting was thick and rich (it seemed to be cream cheese-based), and I actually scraped most of it off. Overall, this cupcake was fun to try (even though I wouldn't get it again).
That's all I've got for Critter Country! I think this is a great little land, and it's nice to see the original home of Splash Mountain (a more thematically appropriate fit, IMO, than Frontierland).
Great Reviews! I love the pics. 
(I am also jealous that she has an annual pass...but I have been to WDW three times and she has never been...so I guess we are even 
Citricos had an amazing version two years ago, served with wild strawberry and raspberry coulis, 8-year balsamic vinegar, and chocolate lace. Here's a 
We also had ice cream at Gibson Girl. Of course the only way we did this was to only do a few rides-but then that wasn't our focus. It was pretty busy but not as busy as it will be starting this Thursday when the local schools are out.
