CBJ: A dinner show?

[Captain Obvious]

My wife and I were having this debate today at MK. Would it be possible to turn CBJ - Country Bear Jamboree- into a dinner theater attraction? Think along the lines of Chuck-E-Cheese pizza restaurants we have for children and families here in the USA. What if CBJ could follow a similar concept and become a family friendly lunch-dinner entertainment complex. The plus side of this for Disney is obviously a opportunity for more revenue with this new restaurant. The downside - which is why I would not favor this - is guests who just want to watch the show like we always have now have to purchase a meal. My wife suggested this upgrade but I am not really in favor. What do all of you think? Keep the country bears as just a show, or upgrade to meal and entertainment?

 

[AndyS2992]

Interesting but no, it’s fine as it is.

 

[Mickey5150]

I don't know what would be involved in building this but they should add a balcony to the show for people to dine. These tables could be served a special pecos bill meal. The show would be the same but they could space out exit/entry by 5 minutes and have a random bear do something, sing, tell jokes, whatever. This way the people paying for the meal could get something extra from the bears. Hook it all up to the magic bands and Melvin the Moose could ask you by name if you are enjoying the show or how's your lunch.

 

[TwilightZone]

I always felt disney should make their classic theater shows (CBJ, Tiki room, and COP) into partial restaurants. It would allow more people to see them and takes away the we only come here to sleep aspect all the shows have now.

 

[LUVofDIS]

I would vote to keep it as is. The space is not that large enough and the show would be to short for a full dinner. The show would need to be expanded as would the building. Plus if this was tried and worked, every show would be transformed into a dinner experience. This thread needs to be erased from the board and everyone's mind that has seen it. This can not fall into the hands of a Disney executive.

 

[TwilightZone]

I would vote to keep it as is. The space is not that large enough and the show would be to short for a full dinner. The show would need to be expanded as would the building. Plus if this was tried and worked, every show would be transformed into a dinner experience. This thread needs to be erased from the board and everyone's mind that has seen it. This can not fall into the hands of a Disney executive.

Except it is already in the hands of a disney executive because CBJ was originally planned to be a dinner show, I believe. Same goes for tiki room.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Have we not learned bears and restaurants Don't mix!?! Just make it til 6am you'll be fine.....Uh...oh crud.....

 

[marni1971]

It would allow more people to see them..

Tables take up more space.

 

[danyoung56]

...CBJ was originally planned to be a dinner show, I believe. Same goes for tiki room.

I've always known this about the Tiki Room, but I've never heard it about CBJ.

Edited to add - I stand corrected. It was originally called the Bear Band Restaurant Show, and was planned for the Mineral King Ski Resort that was never built. When the plans changed to make it into a show for WDW, it bacame just a stage show.

 

[Minnie Mum]

Agree that it's too small to accommodate tables and chairs. Plus the run time of the show is just shy of 16 min. Even if you double that by adding dead time for entering, ordering, exiting, and clean up, it doesn't allow enough time to get your food and eat it during the show. They'd have to completely revamp the show, or at least add a lot of material to it. I suspect it would also require a revamp of Pecos Bills kitchen, since part of it would have to be prioritized to preparing only the CBJ meals.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Well, what if instead of tables, they would just attach something, like say a fold out tray table (kind of like the ones they have on airplanes) on the backs of the seats in front of you?
And before you would even take your seats, you would have your food in hand before the show started...

Eh. Who knows.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

No way Jose. CBJ is amazing (even the cut version now). If you want an AA dinner show start by reviving the Mile Long Bar

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They need a show back at the Diamond Horseshoe first.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

CBJ is just fine as it is. In a very rough draft of this attraction prior to Walt's death, I believe it was some sort of dinner attraction for guests at one of the Disney hotels/restaurants. Someone else can help me out with this I am sure. I don't know how much impact Walt had on the eventual finished product, but it turned out just fine.

 

[JIMINYCR]

IF theres a dinner show it should not be CBJ or any other animatronic driven show. Disney should open up their wallets and get some talented people to perform a dinner show for guests to enjoy in the parks. I do like HDD and keep going back but something new and entertaining would be well received.

 

[LUVofDIS]

I can only think of three actual dinner shows and all three are outside the parks. Hoop-Dee-Doo, Mickey's Backyard Barbeque and Aloha. It would be nice for a show in one of the parks, I think? It would probably be sold out every time and there would probably only be three shows a day. I don't know if I would like that. It would just be another thing to plan six months in advance which would mean you would have to know exactly what you were doing that day.

Now if it was a revolving show that you could just sit down and watch from any point or better yet, the show revolved around like the Carousel of Progress only lasted longer. That might work, but it wouldn't be able to be a live (people) show.

 

[kevlightyear]

@Djali999 just wrote a blog post including this very topic, suggesting that it be turned into an ice cream parlor. You can read her (very reasonable and compelling) argument here: http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-personal-magic-kingdom-wish-list.html.