Former Walt Disney Imagineer provides more insight into the changes coming to the Country Bear Jamboree

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New Country Bear Jamboree 2024 poster

Posted: Saturday September 9, 2023 7:04pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Ethan Reed, a former Walt Disney Imagineer, has shared some additional background information on the work that has gone into the just-announced changes coming to Walt Disney World's Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom.

New Country Bear Jamboree 2024 poster

Ethan says that he originally pitched the idea in 2004 and was the conceptual Creative Director on the project from 2018 through 2020 until it was put on hold due to the pandemic.

Speaking today during the announcement at Destination D23, Disney Imagineer Chris Beatty said that when the new show debuts, the bears will be reinterpreting favorite Disney songs in different genres of country music. Imagineers envision the new experience as a homage to the classic musical revues in Nashville, and they're working with Nashville musicians to get the authentic country sound.

Disney says the Country Bear Jamboree will still have the fun and friendly tone fans enjoy with the same famous characters like the loveable Trixie, Big Al, and others.

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Starship8241 day ago

Maybe they'll bring the old shows back next year since they probably want the new show running for at least a year. I highly doubt that though.

Animaniac93-981 day ago

It possibly means Tokyo is bringing back the Xmas version too, and rotating through the 3 existing versions as they were pre-2020...what WDW should be doing (have been doing) instead of this new show.

TheCoasterNerd2 days ago

I wish we could get Great Outdoors, Davy Crocket, Bear Band Serenade, and Come Again back, but I'm guessing it's just gonna be one of those. Maybe Come Again as the exit music and one of the others but I doubt many songs will return

Touchdown2 days ago

I’m also hoping for Thank God I’m a Country Bear.

celluloid2 days ago

Those have been gone for so long. It is wild that it would not have Davy Crockett. And fits the IP edict. Just not too recent

The Leader of the Club2 days ago

If there was a betting pool on songs for the new show, I’d throw some money towards “Great Outdoors” and “Come Again” returning.

discos2 days ago

Part of me thinks the new show at MK will feature the opening song from Vacation Hoedown

TheCoasterNerd2 days ago

Don't know how relevant this is to Florida's new show, if at all, but its an interesting possibility to think about!

Inspired Figment7 days ago

That’s def a question I had in mind/am definitely going to ask when I’m able to speak with him for my Talking Mickey Mouse (the audio-animatronic talking/storytelling toy by Worlds of Wonder, similar to Teddy Ruxpin) research project soon. :

imagineer977 days ago

Does anyone know if Peter Renaday is involved in the new show, even in a small role? Paging @Inspired Figment because you mentioned him in the Figment thread.