News Country Bear Jamboree is getting new songs and acts

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Now I understand why Disney bought the Simpsons. It was for the Country Bear Jamboree upate!

Bob has his own version he keeps himself entertained

 

[mkt]

Bob has his own version he keeps himself entertained

Coincidentally, I believe Disney owns that IP now as well.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Coincidentally, I believe Disney owns that IP now as well.

The Critic series is owned by Sony/Columbia pictures

 

[mkt]

The Critic series is owned by Sony/Columbia pictures

I recant my previous statement. Although Disney could likely get it for $3-4 (three or four dollars. not millions or thousands)

 

[J.E.Smith]

It doesn't seem right for Sammy to be out of Henry's hat. I don't want to think about the fact that he has feet. I've seen too many raccoons digging through garbage.

By the way, Sammy up close is kind of terrifying:

Spoiler: Nightmare fuel...beware

View attachment 765817

I think Sammy is actually supposed to be a normal raccoon pretending to be a hat. He's like that on Henry's painting in the lobby, and Tokyo always shows him that way in their artwork.(Credit to Rabi on Twitter for the Tokyo Sammy art mashup))

 

[imagineer97]

I think Sammy is actually supposed to be a normal raccoon pretending to be a hat. He's like that on Henry's painting in the lobby, and Tokyo always shows him that way in their artwork.(Credit to Rabi on Twitter for the Tokyo art collection)

Wow, ok I stand corrected! I've never seen any of these before except the one from the lobby, and I had forgotten about that one!

 

[J.E.Smith]

Wow, ok I stand corrected! I've never seen any of these before except the one from the lobby, and I had forgotten about that one!

Well that's understandable you haven't seen those since those are Tokyo-exclusive art (The last one of the bears on the beach is actually a brand new piece of art for TDL's 2024 wall calendar).

Since Tokyo's lobby is bigger due to them having two theaters like Disneyland used to, they have lots of extra artwork of the bears on the walls, which they also sold on telephone cards. Rabi, an avid bear fan in Tokyo (and I do mean avid, in 2017 she saw the bears a total of 780 times in the year, which is her current record), seems to be the only person who's put up full images of the Tokyo queue art in her Twitter posts(https://twitter.com/rugs__).

 

[GrumpyFan]

I'm not sure if we're "re-imagineering" here, but one of the things I would like to see in the new version would be interactivity with the audience reactions. I think the technology exists or at least Disney should be able to make the Bears respond and react more with the audience.
For example: Random comments to the audience, or responses for a loud and engaged audience or delayed responses if the audience is quiet. Anything that would make them seem all the more lifelike, as opposed to the 50+ year old static animatronics that have limited motions and responses. In short, something that would make guests excited to see them, like people were in 1972, if that's possible.

 

[Jrb1979]

It's sad that they had to get rid of "Blood on the Saddle". I can't picture a country version of Let it Go" being good.

 

[Brer Panther]

I'm not sure if we're "re-imagineering" here, but one of the things I would like to see in the new version would be interactivity with the audience reactions. I think the technology exists or at least Disney should be able to make the Bears respond and react more with the audience.
For example: Random comments to the audience, or responses for a loud and engaged audience or delayed responses if the audience is quiet. Anything that would make them seem all the more lifelike, as opposed to the 50+ year old static animatronics that have limited motions and responses. In short, something that would make guests excited to see them, like people were in 1972, if that's possible.

So, would this be using the "Living Character" technology a la Turtle Talk With Crush or Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor?

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

The technology is there for a Country Bear to recite your social security number to you.

Hopefully they will at least update Henry's movements. He was always the jankiest looking to me...something about his arms and hands.

 

[GrumpyFan]

So, would this be using the "Living Character" technology a la Turtle Talk With Crush or Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor?

I was thinking something more automated. Using AI or similar technology to "read" the audience and perform a unique show that hasn't been done before. It would incorporate some of those other capabilities but done in a way that it would require a lot less human input.

A quick search came back with the following that they were toying with back in 2009.
I assume the budget got cut and never went much further. But, it seems like they were starting to make some progress.
They called it "autonomatronics".

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/09/disney-autonomatronics-figure-can-sense-if-youre-happy/

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

That's neat but also sounds like nightmare fuel. Imagine a country bear developing sentience and going on a rampage.

The Simpsons predicted this.

 

[Drew the Disney Dude]

A bear-y important meeting currently taking place.

 

[wdwmagic]

View attachment 768583View attachment 768584
A bear-y important meeting currently taking place.

Interesting

 

[MaximumEd]

Rooftop parade viewing at 79.99/person.

 

[JohnD]

Fozzie Bear Muppets pre-show. I noticed two double doors up there. (Borrowing from HOP pre-show several years back.)

 

[aladdin2007]

Rooftop parade viewing at 79.99/person.

there's a parade?

 

[JohnD]

there's a parade?

Festival of Fantasy starts in Frontierland. (Or maybe you already know that.)

 

[aladdin2007]

Festival of Fantasy starts in Frontierland. (Or maybe you already know that.)

I was being facetious meaning lack of a light parade, and the day parade is limping.