After 16 years of entertaining families, it seems like 10/1/16, the 45th anniversary of Magic Kingdom, will be the last time The Notorious Banjo Brothers & Bob will ever perform in Frontierland.
As with recent cuts such as Scoop Sanderson, it seems to be related to the start of fiscal 2017 for the company and the financial fallout from a rather slow summer season in general.
Be sure to catch their final shows at the following times on Saturday, October 1st:
11:00 A.M., 12:20 P.M, 1:20 P.M., 2:05 P.M. 3:30 P.M., 4:20 P.M. & 5:20 P.M.
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Awesome! Out with the old and in with the new. I’m sure they have a fun and exciting new experience already lined up for guests.
You should work for Disney’s press department!! I’m hoping the same, but with the current changes so far i’m not as optimistic.
How can you say “Awesome”? Those three musicians have over 90 years with the company combined. They have been dedicated and loyal employees. They have entertained thousands of guests. So after all that, they’re being let go to be replaced with a muppet show??
The fact that WDW is slowly eliminating all of the “street-mosphere” entertainment is very sad. They are getting rid of talented musicians and actors that are the epitome of what Disney Was known for: entertainment.
How can I say awesome? Maybe because that’s my opinion? I’m sure they’re just having to clear budget for all the streetmosphere for Star Wars Land. Maybe they’ll even show up there as a cantina band.
You obviously know nothing about anything… actually, knowing Disney, you probably work for them. You be happy that these wonderful men, that I know personally, have lost their livelihoods. I refuse to celebrate at someone else’s misfortune. Smiling goul…
I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware Disney was a charity. I was under the impression that they are a business. Is it horrible they’re being let go? Absolutely, but it makes no difference because everyone here will still go to the parks, still spend tons of money. They know they’re like a drug, they can make the place worse and worse and attentance will continue to grow because everyone has to get their Disney “fix”. The only way things will ever get back to the way they use to be is if Avatarland, Star Wars Land, or Toy Story land all fail spectacularly.
That attendance is going up??? Where you getting you’re numbers???
Disney optimist writes like a college intern hired by the rat. Go away kid. Disney management hates the parks. They want to save their money to buy more media. It shows.
I’m sorry you think it’s awesome. My husband is one of the guys in the trio. In order to keep our benefits he took a job working the monorails with a rather large pay cut. He has been a musician at Disney for 35years. What a waste to have these talented guys wasted on monorails and front desk work at one of the hotels. 35years ago there were over 200 musicians in just the Magic Kingdom. After today they will go to 16. The world band, the Dapper Dans and the piano player on Coke Corner. The way their schedules are 2of those are off on Friday and Saturday so that means there will be one musician in the entire MK. If you think that’s awesome maybe you are more of a Universal fan where there is no entertainment.
Donna this absolutely breaks my heart. I am so sorry for your loss. I wonder if there would be a market for a “Remember the Magic” musical tour featuring all of the great artists that use to entertain and enrich our lives at the parks. A concert evening featuring The Banjo Brothers, Off Kilter, Morockin, the marimba band from Mexico, the Steel Drum band from the Magic Kingdom, blood, sweat and shears, and more.
Donna, I am also so very sorry for your family and friends. This decision from Disney is deplorable and sadly appears to be just one ugly aspect of all the cuts that is cheapening the Disney experience. Our first trip to Magic Kingdom was filled with magic and special moments that I had carefully researched and planned, ha! It probably isn’t much consolation to you, but I can tell you that the most precious and special of all of those moments (and one I have a video of ) was an impromptu moment taking a beak just as the Banjo Brothers and Bob started to play. Our 3 year old daughter couldn’t contain her excitement and started to dance and clap her hands along with the music. It was by far our favorite moment of the entire trip. That spontaneous joy and real magic that your husband and the band provided us was priceless and I thank you. Clearly, this type of artistry is something that “The Disney Optimist” can’t possibly understand in their ignorance as well as some of the Disney executives!
What a heartless, clueless idiot. We have STOPPED going to WDW and STOPPED recommending it to our friends because of the live Entertainment cutbacks over recent years. Lip Synching is NOT live entertainment.
I’m literally crying.
I remember when they played the Cinderella medley, my little one dressed as Cinderella and I danced, and danced…
This is so heart wrenching…
They should fired the managers in charge of that. That is the land that with the years pass don’t have to make a change because marks a time on the us history.
[…] hear from WDW News Today that the newest Character cutback is the removal of The Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob act that […]
Disney management is the worst. These guys were fun, but they don’t make money, and even worst COST money. Fun has no part of the equation. NOTHING will be staying in the parks unless it makes a profit. This shouldn’t be a surprise. There’s nothing “In with the new’ coming unless it makes money. Every cm of the park must make it off every guest as many minutes of their stay as possible. I don’t think it’s right…and doesn’t make for a fun time…but it is the mindset of Disney theme parks lately.
What Disney doesn’t understand is that all of these musical ensembles do make money for the parks. As a former annual pasholder I would go to the parks for dinning, shopping and to enjoy the LIVE musicians. Some of my fondest memories were days we would go to EPCOT and travel from country to country enjoying the live performers. I could listen to FUTURE CORP in Future World all day long and never go on attraction. Now I just don’t go as often.
Jim, I couldn’t agree with you MORE! You’re much more long term looking at Disney than their current management. They see 3 dudes making $12-13/hour and fire them. That’s space to put say a stand selling balloons. Sadly Disney is happy you (and others) may not go as much as they’re overcrowded beyond belief and are just trying to sap the suckers who make it there out of money with giving as little as humanly possible back in a good experience. Not being negative, just calling it how it is of late. Hope it changes!
Hi Jim,
We understand your excitement for live music while being at Walt Disney World. That’s why we’ve created the perfect place for you at the NEW Disney Springs, there you can dine, shop, and listen to over a dozen live performances. We feel that Disney Springs is the perfect place for locals to enjoy everything they love about Disney, while leaving the parks clear for our out of town guests that only have a few days to experience what you have all year to. We know you’ll love the all NEW Disney Springs and all that it has to offer you. Have a Magical Day
Answer this question Disney – are Main Street USA and World Showcase stages to tell a story or themed shopping malls? I remember a time when you could experience the Walt Disney Story in City Hall, see classic Mickey movies in the cinema, experience turn of the century arcade games and try your hand at some slight of hand in the Magic Shop all on Main Street. Live entertainment would bring this stage to life creating a destination where you would linger, dine, shop, listen all while experiencing the aura of this era. Aside from the outstanding barbershop singers all I have seen is a trolley with actors lip syncing to pre-recorded tracks. Why do we settle for this canned music when at Disney California Adventure an outstanding group of live entertainers arrive via Red Car Trolley and perform, really perform, classic hits outside the Carthay Circle restaurant? Main Street has become a generics Disney Mall. Is this really necessary? Does anyone really leave the Disney property saying, “Gee, I wish I could have purchased a Mickey souvenir but I couldn’t find one anywhere?” You are charging more and delivering less. To paraphrase arts guru Michael Kaiser, when times are tough in the entertainment business you never cut the product. The audience will notice that they are receiving less for their money and will not return, thus exacerbating the problem.
PS – Dear Disney Springs, I don’t need to travel 200 miles from my home in SW Florida to visit a high end shopping mall featuring cover band musicians with my vacation dollars. I can stay at home and patronize the arts right here by going to clubs, theater and symphony in my own community. The music in the parks affords you the opportunity to expose us to entertainment that we would not normally experience in our local communities, i.e. A rock band with bag pipes, a Moroccan rock band, an authentic GermanFest. Get it!
Jim, you might as well be beating your head against a wall, because no one at Disney (upper management) is listening. All they hear these days are cash register sounds.
Jim,
That was beautifully said, could we use it for our new promotional campaign looking back at the Magic Kingdom of the past? You must not realize that Disney Springs is no ordinary high end shopping mall. It has its own fully realized backstory to help immerse you in the story of Disney Springs. With our unique shops and restaurants, we’re sure you’ll feel right at home, just like in the parks. The thing you must realize about the difference in the Disneyland and the Walt Disney World resorts are that Disneyland is a locals park and WDW caters to many of our guests traveling from
All over the world, and we made it our priority to have everything that an average out of state or international guest could need while visiting. Plus Disneyland’s Downtown Disney is nowhere near the absolute marvel that the all new Disney Springs. We invite you to come on down and experience the magic of Disney Springs. Have a magical day!
Hi Disney Springs Guest Relations,
I’m just curious- Were the Banjo Brothers and Bob given the option to be a part of the live music that is being offered at the NEW Disney Springs? I’m betting they were NOT, seeing that they’re not NEW and all!
Jim (also)
I’ll have you know we care about much more than the sound of cash registers. We enjoy the sound of our kids laughing on videos sent to us from their boarding school, the ticking of our rolexs, and most importantly the sound of our sports cars starting.
Dear WDW Public Relations: Talk about drinking the Cool-Aid. You would have been better off to not respond than to put that fluff out there. Back story, really. We the guests need to experience the “back story” without having to read it or have someone explain it to us. I was in Disney Springs 4 weeks ago. It’s a mall with a man-made pond in the center of it all. I found the area to be rather sterile unlike the Marketplace which still has charm and character. When you visit a Disney hotel or theme park no one needs to explain the backstory. It is obvious in design, architecture, ambiance, art and MUSIC. Have a great weekend.
#ImWithJim Disney springs was a hope to keep their guests from going to outlet malls, and is measured only in how much they make on operating participants per hour. Ain’t working. Outlet malls in Orlando are nicer. I get Disney wants to make a nickel at every corner and not spend a penny in getting that nickel, but with some forethought this place could be amazing. Disney is know for creating an ‘experience’. Sure, it’s there to make a buck, but you can only strip it so far. Springs is fun to go eat at and walk through. Most of the stores don’t sell to what Disney crowd will (or can afford) to buy.