Country Bear Christmas returns?

[Dr Albert Falls]

Any word on whether the County Bear Christmas show is coming back this year?

Also, anyone ever find out exactly why they cut the show last year? Rumors included using the budget for an overhaul, for Mansion, or to test the waters to see if it would be missed.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

The real reason why the CBJ holiday overlay didn't happen last year was because they needed to re-clear certain copyrights for some of the songs used in the show, particularly for "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and they couldn't obtain them on time.

So, the CBJ Xmas show IS returning this year.

As a matter of fact, the Rudolph song was cut out of "Celebrate the Season" and "Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" this past year, due to the same copyright issues that caused the Bears' Xmas show to get cancelled for that year.

 

[bgraham34]

Rudolf is a great song. Boy at least he is back.

 

[LuLaSue]

Oh! If the CJB Christmas is back it is wonderful news. My nieces are going to love it!! :xmas:

 

[figmntal95]

Its coming back!



Yeehaw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[WDWFigment]

This is great news. I was beginning to think our Country Bears would suffer the same fate as the guys out west! Country Bear Christmas, I can't wait! :xmas:

 

[DisneyNut2007]

This is great news. I was beginning to think our Country Bears would suffer the same fate as the guys out west! Country Bear Christmas, I can't wait! :xmas:

And besides, our Country Bear attraction is still popular and the space that the show occupies in the MK is too small for anything else to go into it.

Especially if you consider the fact that it's housed in the same building as the Tiki Room, the Pecos Bill Cafe, El Pirata Y El Perico, Prairie Outpost & Supply and the Sunshine Tree Terrace.

If you were to tear out the Bears for another ride or attraction, you'd have to gut pretty much the entire building, including the stores and restaurants...and Disney won't demolish the restaurants and stores, since they actually bring in money.

Therefore, I can't see our Bears going the way of their West Coast cousins anytime in the future.

 

[prberk]

Anyone know why "Rudolph" was written? I do....

(Any guesses before I answer?) .. and hey, no Googling please (that's no fun)!

Paul

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Anyone know why "Rudolph" was written? I do....

I don't know why.

But I do know that "Rudolph" is not a public domain song. At least not yet anyway.

 

[LuLaSue]

Anyone know why "Rudolph" was written? I do....

(Any guesses before I answer?) .. and hey, no Googling please (that's no fun)!

Paul

I could be very wrong here but, I think it had to do with the personal life of Bobby May.

 

[prberk]

That's a start, Lullabell! But not exactly why it was written.

I will give everyone another hour or two before I confirm an answer...

(And thanks for the genuine guesses, without Googling!)

Paul

 

[prberk]

Well, no new guesses... So, here is the answer:

The story was written by Robert May as a promotional give-away book for Montgomery Ward during the Christmas season (1939, I think). He worked as a copy writer for the department store chain. Several years later, his brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made the story into a song (1949, I think); and later singing cowboy (and Angels baseball team owner) Gene Autry reluctantly recorded the song... and the rest is history.

So, the answer is that the story was created as a marketing effort for Montgomery Ward's Christmas program. They had been buying and giving away coloring books and story books each Christmas; and they wanted one that they did not have to buy. And they hit upon magic!

By the way, it is Gene Autry's recorded version that is responsible for the Americanization of the reindeer Donder's name. He starts the song by saying, "Well, you know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and DONNER (no "D") and Blitzen... but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all...."

After he (perhaps accidentally) dropped the "D" from the otherwise German "Donder" that had been known before, many Americans followed; and "Donder" became "Donner" in much literature!

Anyhow, sorry for the thread drift... but I couldn't help it!!

I actually think that the Montgomery Ward merchandising tie-in was very similar to the way that Walt Disney himself often did things. (His first Christmas special was promotional tie-in to Alice in Wonderland, and the second was the same for Peter Pan!) So, this just made me think of that!!

Anyhow, back the CBJ Christmas! (Hey, as hot as it is here, "We need a little Christmas!")

Paul

 

[MickeyTigg]

So, the CBJ Xmas show IS returning this year.

This is great news!!!

:sohappy:

 

[LuLaSue]

Well, no new guesses... So, here is the answer:

The story was written by Robert May as a promotional give-away book for Montgomery Ward during the Christmas season (1939, I think). He worked as a copy writer for the department store chain. Several years later, his brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made the story into a song (1949, I think); and later singing cowboy (and Angels baseball team owner) Gene Autry reluctantly recorded the song... and the rest is history.

So, the answer is that the story was created as a marketing effort for Montgomery Ward's Christmas program. They had been buying and giving away coloring books and story books each Christmas; and they wanted one that they did not have to buy. And they hit upon magic!

By the way, it is Gene Autry's recorded version that is responsible for the Americanization of the reindeer Donder's name. He starts the song by saying, "Well, you know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and DONNER (no "D") and Blitzen... but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all...."

After he (perhaps accidentally) dropped the "D" from the otherwise German "Donder" that had been known before, many Americans followed; and "Donder" became "Donner" in much literature!

Anyhow, sorry for the thread drift... but I couldn't help it!!

I actually think that the Montgomery Ward merchandising tie-in was very similar to the way that Walt Disney himself often did things. (His first Christmas special was promotional tie-in to Alice in Wonderland, and the second was the same for Peter Pan!) So, this just made me think of that!!

Anyhow, back the CBJ Christmas! (Hey, as hot as it is here, "We need a little Christmas!")

Paul

Thanks Paul...

I thought it had something to do with the fact Robert May was a small boy and as he became a man was still small and fragile. He apparently was the butt of many jokes as a both child and adult (kinda like Ruddy himself)!

Thanks for the information, very interesting!

Susan