News Country Bear Jamboree is getting new songs and acts

Drew the Disney Dude

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
I saw the show with @IveBeenJack, and we both genuinely enjoyed it! The finale is the only part that landed short for me, personally. I was waiting for the big "wow" moment in the finale, and it never happened, in my opinion. The props in the lobby are gorgeous, there's new announcements from the bears before the show starts, and the show as a whole is so fun. The animatronics are so smooth and I hope everyone goes into it with an open mind.
 

Brer Oswald

Well-Known Member
So is Disney softening on Zip? I thought it couldn't be anywhere, even a storyboard. Unless that Storyboard was going to be trashed anyway???...

How many Years have we had problems with Zip?
I highly doubt everyone in the company is in agreement with the decision. Most people love the song. It’s gotta be a select few in higher positions that have ultimate veto power.

Given the other radically insensitive songs they still play at the parks (Following the Leader, Ballad of Davy Crockett, straight up minstrel era songs in Frontierland and some in the TBA queue loop) it’s weird that they are so hard on this song that is just about sunshines and pretty days.
 

Consumer

Well-Known Member
Overall, much better than I expected upon the initial news. Is it better than the original show? No. Is it on par with the other two versions of the show? Again, no. But that’s ok. There’s a lot of little moments that work well, the animatronics look wonderful, the costuming is delightful. The show has managed to keep most of its soul.
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
I highly doubt everyone in the company is in agreement with the decision. Most people love the song. It’s gotta be a select few in higher positions that have ultimate veto power.

Given the other radically insensitive songs they still play at the parks (Following the Leader, Ballad of Davy Crockett, straight up minstrel era songs in Frontierland and some in the TBA queue loop) it’s weird that they are so hard on this song that is just about sunshines and pretty days.
I suspect it will return one day but this was deemed “too soon.”
 

Comped

Well-Known Member
As to the rest of the show:
  • Henry sounds off. Weird choice not to get the original voice actor to return but whatever.
  • The original song is fairly short and weak. Big Al plushie making the old sound is a nice touch though. Be Our Guest could have been placed here quite easily, although I would have had very mixed feelings about it personally.
  • Not sure why there's a song in the show that is clearly mostly popular in China, unless Disney intends on bringing this show to Shanghai at some point. It sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to what is mostly a renaissance/Pixar Epcot-layover hits collection of music, both in terms of tone and the actual choice itself. Not a terrible piece of music, there are definitely worse in the show, but it just doesn't fit.
  • Kiss The Girl is surprisingly solid. Though there's a surprising lack of Elvis resemblance in the music itself, likely for licensing reasons, because my God is Elvis not cheap, but it's probably my favourite number in the show.
  • There is a world where Dick Van is a VA on this, and I think it's an interesting missed opportunity. As it is I don't mind the instrumental break too much. Probably in the top third of songs because it fit and wasn't that bad.
  • A Whole New World does not sound good as a country song. Sounds like something that would have gotten laughed out of the Opry frankly. Probably the weakest part of the show.
  • A song from Frozen that isn't Let It Go? I'm surprised. Probably the 2nd best song in the show (if only because I've never heard, or plan to hear, the original).
  • Let's just say that someone got a few musical cue references on point... Only for hardcore fans to be very annoyed.
  • Remember Me was... forgettable. Sadly, as Big Al is a character they could have used properly with a few different, more obscure, songs.
  • Friend in Me is only vaguely changed, so it's fine (not great), I guess. Wish they'd have chosen a different song though, because it's really overplayed.
  • Bare Necessities, meh. It fits I suppose, but they could have done more work on the vocal arrangement.
  • The biggest applause being from the one song from the old show says it all really...
C+. Not terrible, and it has its moments, but it's let down by a few choices that could have made it a B-level show for me. It'd be a B compared to recent live shows from Disney at WDW though (and even some international parks). Up your game.

It was at the end.
Oh I would have absolutely sacrificed the last remaining part of the old show in song form to have that, but I can see why it would never get past the storyboard phase. The PR issues would have been immense. Far too soon for Disney to go back on its word with that song, sadly.
 

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