Country Bears Farewell

[DisneyPrince88]

Yeah i never really liked the Country bear Vacation Hoedown. It was so old and boring. Maybe if the updated it it would be better. So i cant wait to see the Winnie the Pooh ride.

[sman 195]

I have mixed feelings. We've only been to Disneyland twice. But only the bears once. We fell in love with the show! We had skipped it the first time thinking it looked hokey and just wasn't interested. But decided to see it the next. It was so much fun! I will hate to see it go. I wish they could just relocate them somehow.
But I am looking forward to Winnie the Pooh also. My daughter will love it.
I can also see the need for Disney to keep changing and progressing to keep up with all the competition. Even amongst its own parks.

[toominnie]

I have two questions -

1. Is there a video version of the Country Bears show?

2. Has it been officially announced that Winnie the Pooh ride will go into that space or is this just speculation at this point?

[disneyphilip]

To answer toominnie's second question:

A Pooh ride has NOT been officially anounnced.

The press release DIDN'T say what's going into the Playhouse's land.

Therefore, the things about the Pooh ride going into the Playhouse are probably just speculation for now.

There are two possible things they might do to the Playhouse:

1) Put Pooh in the Playhouse and move the Bears to another location, maybe DCA's Grizzly Peak Recreaion Area.

2) Keep the Bears in Critter Country where they are now, just redesign the Playhouse and premiere a new show that will match the looks and music of the upcoming Country Bears movie...and build Pooh somewhere else, maybe in Fantasyland.

Hope the Country Bear movie tie-in show wins out because it may very well pull in the crowds when the flick (which the company spent a lot of $$$ on) comes out next summer.

If they DO decide to bring the "new" Bear Band in, the renovation of the Bears' attraction might take as long to complete as last year's Autopia re-do (which began demolition/construction in Fall 1999 and was done by the Summer 2000).

Therefore, the Bears' changeover to the movie versions would have to start in Fall 2001 and be completed by Summer 2002...just in time for the release of the Bears' movie (IF they decide to do it).

Besides, I still doubt that Disneyland Park will be getting ANY "ENTIRELY" NEW attractions/replacements, like Pooh or Buzz, for another few years.

It seems to me that over the last few years, DL Park has been focusing more on fixing/updating existing attractions (Autopia, Lincoln, etc.)-the Bears is probably next on that list of attractions to be changed, not replaced (maybe just replaced by the new versions Bears, but not by Pooh). Plus, the company has to focus more of its $$$ on new attractions/quick fixes for DCA.

Sorry for the long posting.

Thanks again. Bye for now.

[DLMAGICDARREN]

I for one agree that it's time to stop taking out before you replace.

It's very well speculated, that Pooh will replace the Bears, but as was stated, it has not been officialy announced. Only the removal of the Bears was announced, not the replacement attraction.

Let's see, we have seen the removal of Skyway, the Subs, Rocket Rods, an now the Bears, yet the official announcement of an attraction removal is always how they are preparing the park future attractions.

Well let it be said, the park is prepared for future attractions. I'm not so sad to see the Bears themself go, but has Cynthia Harris forgotten that they have a whole sub loagoon with room for future expansion? I guess she forgot all about that when she was forced to give the speech that the Bears are closing to make way for new attractions.

Change is good, change is fine, but this is obvious Paul made the decesion that an attraction is closing, before announcing what will replace it, and Cynthia had the challange of making it sound like a positive thing that another attraction is closing.

When the closed attractions get the replacements, not necesarrily installed but at least oficially announced, we can debate if it's a good thing all we want, but until then it's just another closed attraction with your admission the same price.

This not only makes me sad, it is beginning to sicken me.

[TP2000]

I think it's noble that many Bears fans are clinging to the hope that somehow, someway, the current Bear Jamboree will be refurbished into an all new Bear Jamboree to tie-in to the movie.

I think that's wishful thinking.

All of the info available on other websites points to a new Winnie The Pooh dark ride attraction being built where the Playhouse used to be, and it will open in 2003.

It's time to face facts gang, the Bears at Disneyland are history.

[Jerry]

Hello everyone, sorry i had not thanked you all for the great welcome but i am very busy and olny have time to log onto Mouseinfo on the weekends. I myself are sad to see the Bears go but just like marci mentioned the theatres were very much empty most of the time. It is there time to leave in dignity. when they are still apreciated. For those of you that are worried about the area being vacant too long. Don't Worry. Although it has not been officialy announced expect the area to get a whole new look. Hopefully not too many trees are removed but expect several of the store, the theatres and the walkways to be completely redone to accomodate the new attraction. yes it will be pooh has anyone noticed how busy Tigger,Pooh were signing autographs outside the theatres. Well some of you might be asking when will this happen. Start seeing walls coming up before Halloween. The atraction will have and outside and inside portion and should be pretty fun for the families. As for the rest of the land the walkway changes are necessary for the crowds that get raped in such a small area.

[disneyphilip]

MAYBE the Bears will move to DCA and perform a new movie tie-in show in a fresh new theater in that park's Grizzly Peak Recreation Area.

[disneyphilip]

>>All of the info available on other >>websites points to a new Winnie The Pooh >>dark ride attraction being built where the >>Playhouse used to be, and it will open in >>2003.

However, almost all of those web sites are "UNOFFICIAL"! Some info on some websites DO point to a renovated Country Bear attraction themed to the movie.

Now "OFFICIAL" Pooh confirmations yet!

DON'T DESTROY OUR HOPES, PEOPLE!!!

The Bear movie tie-in show is STILL a possibility!

[disneyphilip]

One more thing...

Earlier this month, Hollywood Reporter.com/Hollywood Reporter magazine reported that...

"Though the company hasn't confirmed it, Disneyland plans to launch a totally revamped Country Bears attraction tied to the movie."

This might be of some help.