The Country Bears

OK.

So the two I thought of and my first choice was going to be Henry the Bear from the Country Bears.

So you'd have him out front and he could play songs for you and kind of introduce you.

Okay.

Yeah.

Then the 4-13 matchup is Space Mountain versus the Country Bear Musical Jamboree is the 13th highest rated.

I'm taking Country Bears in here because Space Mountain is breaking my back.

Literally, I said I don't think I ever want to be on this attraction ever again just by how uncomfortable I am.

They've already gone through a lot of Magic Kingdom, the Buzz Lightyear, Big Thunder, Carousel of Progress.

I mean, Country Bears, I would even lump in there too.

That happened.

That's happened, and we know Space Mountain is happening at some point.

I get it.

That's why I don't like Winnie the Pooh.

He killed the country bears, and he killed Mr. Toad.

He's the worst.

Albertino.

The bassist to Big Al from Country Bears, a Disney animator who crossed over into Imagineering a little bit.

So you're getting some of that- ... expertise.

You're getting the, like, character craft of, of Albertino, and then Phil Mendes is the most important name in this.

Yes.

The inspiration for Big Al.

On the Country Bears, yes.

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

didn't love two.

yeah uh okay um all right so adam old country bears or new country bear show

old country bears hands down is this uh is this like a frame job where you're just gonna set me up to only say the the old stuff

i literally am curious hash

yeah old country bears obviously

obviously yeah and i think that's that's funny because one

thing about

please you can say whatever you want

I- I've heard that.

We also have never done Country Bears.

[gasps]

I know.

[laughs]

How dare you? You didn't do Country Bears in November?

No.

That is horrible.

What are your thoughts? Because this is the first time we're talking to you.

So what are your thoughts about, you know, the nostalgia versus, you know, upgrades in the future of an attraction? Because I think a lot of times as huge Disney fans, we're very protective of the things that we loved, whether it's the Country Bears and the original show or the Carousel of Progress, which is changing now.

But what I mean, what is your take on all of that when things change like that?

Yeah, I mean, the idea that they can never change anything is crazy.

Some of the attractions that I wanna talk about tonight about, like, the glow-ups and things, how long before they changed.

The Country Bears.

Wow.

Look at that line.

Let's move on to the, the next part about this is the, these are the ones that I'm calling tier two, the contested cases.

These are the things that not everybody's on board with, and I think we start with this one because I feel like our friends here on the panel are at odds on this one, and that makes me so happy.

Um, the Country Bears New Songs.

Uh, how do you feel about them, Stephanie?

you know what i mean you

know southerners that's right um i don't know the new outfits on the bears are like a little silly yeah i am just it's like i don't know like you're in toy story land and you hear the same songs and then you go to the country bears and it's the same song and it's like it's just all like rinse and repeat it's like a one trick pony that's

fair you know yeah nothing kind of original yeah yeah

okay i mean like you hear the same things on country bears that you will in philhar magic you know like some similar songs some same things i don't know and then the bears walking around outside like i get it but i don't like i like that they have like the walking characters around but like you know i did not go in Country Bear Jamboree until I met you.

I've never seen him walking around.

Oh, really?

He must be taking someone else's name walking around the country bears, because it's not me.

Next time we go, he's going to come right in front of you.

Yeah.

Um, very, very relatedly for me is the Country Bears.

This is one that I think, again, I don't think Mom and Mouselet liked the Country Bears.

No.

And I think we always were kinda like, "What is this sort of weird?" No.

As I've grown up, you know, learned more about Disney and stuff, I have a real appreciation for the Country Bears, but I-- and, like, I liked the show before, but this new version of the show I, like, genuinely really, really like.

I think that they did such a good job.

I think it was the perfect refresh.