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

Sep 09, 2023 in "Country Bear Musical Jamboree"

Gallery / 1 Photo
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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CompedNov 19, 2024

I saw it about 2 weeks ago and was disappointed. Everything felt pretty rushed, and only one or two songs even got close to working for me personally. The group I was with commented that "the costumes look cheap", although I tried to assure them that almost certainly was not the case. A lot of segments felt like an attempt by Disney to perhaps advertise a new country album, more so than fitting concept of the show and country music into the Disney canon. Which is funny because Disney definitely has a history of taking songs from one medium and putting them into another, most notably jazz during the '90s - but always with a little bit more care than whatever happened with the orchestration of most of these songs. Very disappointing. A huge letdown musically, even more so than when I saw the taped performances when it originally opened. Used to be a show I would see probably at least once a month, now I probably won't go back until they redo it or close it permanently.

tancNov 19, 2024

Saw it back on Nov 8th, great show! The updates are phenomenal, while the original is preserved in Tokyo, the new look of everything is spectacular in WDW.

JD80Nov 14, 2024

I saw it for the first time two weeks ago. Loved it.

EagleScout610Nov 14, 2024

Or they could've had the gag of them running around backstage like they did from the skunk in Vacation Hoedown

zipadee999Nov 14, 2024

They could’ve at least played backup for some of the other bears like they did with Ernest in the OG show

Steamboat71Nov 13, 2024

The Five Bear Rugs were done dirty in this new show. Bear-ly any showtime.

Charlie The Chatbox GhostNov 13, 2024

From what I've heard, they tried to keep Sammy as a hat, but couldn't get it to work with Henry's new cowboy hat. Having him behind the amp was a compromise to keep him in the show instead of cutting him altogether.

TrainsOfDisneyNov 13, 2024

Yes…. Although the 2 have been plopped together so much they are practically the same song now! Haha.

Mike SNov 13, 2024

Do you mean You’ve got a Friend in Me?

TrainsOfDisneyNov 13, 2024

I saw country bears yesterday - overall I like it. “Try Everything” is too modern sounding and is the worst of the updates - the other songs sound country enough that they work. Friend Like me is strange too…. Not sure why he’s playing a modern electric guitar… they should have kept the raccoon cap as that was pretty iconic and would have worked well with friend in me as well. But overall the show feels like the same country bears and I’m very happy they survived!

JohnDNov 06, 2024

I saw it last week. I liked it for what it was. It's clever and current. I liked that they found a way to bring back the fiddle portion. Of course I'll miss the old show. I wish they could have kept the Bear Band Serenade as a connection to the old show in introducing the Five Bear Rugs.

Charlie The Chatbox GhostOct 14, 2024

I'd be shocked if they still have either costume, but I'd LOVE to see Henry and Teddi.

Cmdr_CrimsonOct 13, 2024

I know they have updated the bears outfits for M&G's but, couldn't they bring out the rarest of the bears like Henry for example..They had made one for Disney on Parade..Along with the Sun bonnets. But, if turns out..There was a Teddi Beara character as well...Shame they aren't out..

Ghost93Oct 13, 2024

Zip A Dee Doo Dah would be a great fit for the Country Bears. But I don't blame Disney for cutting it. After 2020 there was a renewed scrutiny for anything remotely connected to SOTS and if the song was part of the show there would be clickbaity articles and Twitter users complaining about it and condemning the company for profiting off of SOTS.