Well now that the Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland has nothing to do with country music or the frontier (beyond its recycled infrastructure) I think we can conclusively say the theme of Disney theme parks is "Disney"...whatever that means.
The growing trend in Disney theme parks isn't just IP, it's self-reference. Whatever already exists is "Disney" and that's what the parks need more of, whether it's pulled from movies, TV shows or older attractions. The Hatbox Ghost is a perfect example because he's now both a deep fan cut reference AND a movie character. There's a direct link from the fandom to WDI because the audience and designers are the same Millennial Disney Adults creating a shared feedback loop fueled by genuine passion for the brand and a management team eager to exploit that, and risk adverse to substantive creative thinking.
So now we have a Country Bear show that's full of references to the attraction's history and Disney movie history, but short on anything of relevance to the actual idea. Some of the creative choices also only make sense if you have knowledge of the original show. Sammy was there because the gag was "coonskin cap is still attached to the !". Now Sammy is there only because he's always been there, not because there's a situation in the show that necessitates or justifies his inclusion. This new Jamboree is the kind of fanboy fever dream that could only exist today. WED certainly never would have taken this approach, and I doubt the 2nd generation of Imagineers would have either. They had their own Country Bear shows that had other songs and takes on the characters, but they were not a celebration of Disney.
This is the Country Bears for the spirit jersey and loungefly crowd. Obviously, they're eating it up like Food and Wine apps.
@Casper Gutman I would say if Under New Management were made today, people would love it. Much like they do the Stitch Tiki Room. We're a generation removed from UNM's debut and the audience who goes to the park now has a totally different reference and expectation going in. They expect "Disney", which they interpret to be movies (or more specifically, the movies from the past 35 years). Anything that doesn't have that, isn't celebrated explicitly through the company's official history (like CoP or Tiki) or isn't tied to a new product, is old, boring and needs to go.
Yes, it's nice to have the Bears in decent shape, but I was hoping for at least more country music for the country bears. Or anything else that would have carried on the legacy of a true Disney original beyond callbacks and new costumes.
