News Country Bear Jamboree is getting new songs and acts

[celluloid]

While it’s valid to question some of the recent Imagineering choices, I’m not sure the Imagineers, per se, were the driving force behind these changes. I’m quite confident they were given a mandate to remove the existing songs, use only Disney IP songs to replace them, and make sure the new show’s humor would be as benign and inoffensive as possible.

Even though I’m not a fan of the changes, in this instance, they did the best with the constraints they were given, IMO.

Yes and no. There are odd fundamental and even obvious choices in themed design that were neglected here.
The concept itself of synergy is mostly exec level. Writing, pacing and direction issues are a WDI blame.

 

[celluloid]

Question, I do like the show, but for others, would you rather have 2012 bears or musical jamboree?

Losing fractured folk and other edits were a bummer but the general concept of the show was still there and well paced.
It needed upkeep.
Much like the edited Tiki Room.

 

[Disstevefan1]

They already have one they ran for a while. I’d be down. Maybe they can do a Halloween show, or bring back vacation hoedown as well

I remember the old show has a Christmas one, I thought they stopped showing that?
I wonder if there will be a new version of a Christmas show?

 

[Sneakman]

I remember the old show has a Christmas one, I thought they stopped showing that?
I wonder if there will be a new version of a Christmas show?

Probably the og, why need to change it? It probably would get some edits like the bears did in 2012. What about a tiki room Christmas show?

 

[celluloid]

Probably the og, why need to change it? It probably would get some edits like the bears did in 2012

It would be harder to bring back that Christmas show now than it was before this change.

 

[Sneakman]

It would be harder to bring back that Christmas show now than it was before this change.

Maybe make a new Christmas show! Shouldn’t be hard! I can one hundred percent think of gags for the new iterations of the bears, especially Big Al crying while singing “Blue Christmas”.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I 100% expect this iteration to make its way to Japan. This seems like something that audience would eat right up.

Indeed. Tokyo is often eager to utilize Disney IP. When OLC licensed Disney IP for a Disney park... they tended to want Disney IP.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Probably the og, why need to change it? It probably would get some edits like the bears did in 2012. What about a tiki room Christmas show?

I am for any and all Christmas overlays..... Now you did it! I MISS the Osborne lights!

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I gotta say... I'm basically a hardline purist with very little love for any of the soulless corporate crap modern WDI churns out these days and I fully expected this to be more of the same, but I'm beyond relieved to say that I found this new show absolutely delightful. It is very clear that the team responsible for this has a great deal of affection and respect for the Bears.

I'm also very much not understanding the couple complaints that they took all the humor out? I found myself laughing multiple times throughout. The smoking fiddle, afraid of swings bit, "get the hook!", Wendell rising up from the mist and off-key crooning the opening lines to Whole New World? All very funny and cleverly timed. I also feel like the soul of the original was preserved. This just feels like another overlay like Vacation Hoedown. They don't even mention the fact that they're singing Disney songs now, it's just another show for them.

If I had any criticism, I might have preferred that they mine the catalogue a little deeper and used a few less well-known songs.

Overall a very solid update, though. And the bears/theatre have never looked better! Like, I'm absolutely flabbergasted at how much I enjoyed this.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

As expected, any change creates strong emotional reactions.

My 2 cents - this type of change is exactly what every attraction should go through the scrutinty of. I love the original Country Bears Jamboree; but, I'm not going to sit and pretend that it was pulling it's weight in a park that still is in dire need of capacity.

Of course, I could insert the ad naseum Walt axiom about the parks not being a museum; but, in this case - there was a piece of prime real estate in the park that could either undergo a wholesale makeover into something completely different or even worse - get shuttered like so many other things around the resort when they can't pull their own.

What I immediately picked up on with this makeover versus other attempts on different attractions is that the tone and framework of all the show beats that worked in the classic version are still present even if what was being sung or said has changed. It still 100% feels like the Country Bears. It's just they are now singing a different tune. In this case, change is good.

In the long run, this is exactly what should happen with every under performing attraction as history has already shown us that true addition to the parks (by actually adding new things without taking away) is very, very infrequent. Simply, TDO is adverse to spending more on labor and maintenance and would rather steer crowds around the parks to what is already present (with the exception of what lies beyond Big Thunder and in Adventureland as they've finally given up on trying to keep people out of MK and instead just want to cram more in).

Thinking this makeover through and applying the lessons learned here to other updates think of the Imagination attempts. They have failed because they were changes for the sake of changes. The quality and tone couldn't match or exceed what was there before even when they attempted to make the second attempt closer with the addition of Figment - the tone of the attraction and character were still different.

Hopefully, this version of Bears will be a success and steer some crowds its direction and when it stops doing that - simply revisit it again. The Bears weren't broken... they just needed a new coat of fur and tunes to bring people back.

In short... don't throw the Bear out with the bathwater. Simply lather, rinse, and repeat.

 

[montyz81]

Question, I do like the show, but for others, would you rather have 2012 bears or musical jamboree?

I would have liked to see some original music. It's the same argument I have for ROE being replaced with a show that includes all IP-based songs. ROE was an original story told by imagineers with no constraints. To constrain an imagineer is the anti-definition of "use your imagination."

Comming soon: Sonny Eclipse to be refurbed and sing only IP based songs.

 

[celluloid]

Maybe make a new Christmas show! Shouldn’t be hard! I can one hundred percent think of gags for the new iterations of the bears, especially Big Al crying while singing “Blue Christmas”.

For sure it could be done but today's Disney that is not likely.

Blue Christmas was a part of the original Christmas Show.

 

[MK-fan]

Also I find it funny how WDW and its fandom has much more loved specific “park characters” (Figment, the Orange Bird, The Country Bears) than Disneyland. I guess we love our little guys in Florida! Does Disneyland have an equivalent of orange bird or Figment?

The Little Man of Disneyland? Lol

 

[JohnD]

Interesting question. I wonder if they did any upgrades such that they can be more agile and can change story and songs?

I really hope there would be a version for Christmastime.

Unless times change again and they find something "problematic" of the just-reworked version in 20 years time.

 

[JohnD]

In short... don't throw the Bear out with the bathwater. Simply lather, rinse, and repeat.

For Goldilocks, it's probably not "just right" but neither is it too hot or too cold. Maybe a little tepid and will suffice.

 

[Sneakman]

the way sone people describe this show as Hollowly initiating the original is the way I feel about japans tiki room get the fever. There’s a version of yhe show in English and man is it rough. I think it’s worse than under new management. Because at least that show has some reedeming qualities, it’s fun to laugh at and it’s enjoyably bad imo. This just makes me feel nothing. sure it has the tiki room don’t and the Hawaiian ear chant, but it just feels like there isn’t emotion in it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

True. They did their best, and I liked it. I wonder if this is gonna be here for the next 10-20 years tho, or if another show comes in eventually.

What’s that old saying, “quit while you’re ahead”

 

[Sneakman]

What’s that old saying, “quit while you’re ahead”

Ik the saying, but what’s that supposed to mean? I know any sort of permanent show change is not going to be for a loooonnng time.

 

[Sneakman]

Also sorry for the long winded tiki room Rant but genuinely get the fever doesn’t get the hate it deserves. It feels like the story of Tiana’s bayou adventure if I had to describe it.

 

[Seabasealpha1]

Just watched video of what they've done. Why. Just. Why.