Country Bear Musical Jamboree

Head over to Frontierland for this newly reimagined show where Henry, Trixie, Big Al and their pals are playin’ some of your favorite Disney songs alongside a heapin’ helpin’ of Southern charm.

“So clap your hands and stomp your feet, and try to keep right with ‘em. One sure thing the Bear Band’s got is… now an even bigger catalog of covers.”

Gather up your cubs, your significant otters, and maybe even your in-laws, and head into Grizzly Hall for a high-energy, fun-filled show starring the newly updated Country Bears. Don’t worry, you’re still greeted by the charming trio of mounted animal heads: Melvin (moose), Buff (bison), and Max (whitetail buck) — the same taxidermy social club you know and love — who welcome the crowd with their time-tested banter before the show’s ever-dedicated Master of Ceremonies, Henry, appears to preside over the musical madness.

This time around, the bears have expanded their repertoire. Instead of strictly sticking to country classics, they now perform countryfied versions of beloved Disney songs. It’s a little bit Nashville, a little bit Magic Kingdom — think less “Blood on the Saddle,” more “Try Everything” with a twang (yes, really). You’ll still see familiar faces like Remeo McGrowl, who received a little bit of a makeover and updated name in the new show, Teddy Barra, the Sun Bonnet Trio, and of course, Big Al — who’s traded his signature dirge for a slightly livelier Disney tune. Don’t worry though, he still looks like he’s one bad gig away from turning into an antique store prop.

There’s something in the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree for everyone — from kids who think “country” means Kacey Musgraves, to grandparents who are still wondering why there’s no steel guitar in “Remember Me.” And when the lights come back up, whether you loved it or you’re muttering about how things were better in 1971, at least one of the songs will have permanently fused itself to your brain stem.

Behind the Schemes:

• The bears have undergone a minor makeover — think of it like a “bear lift” rather than a total reboot.

• Disney’s Imagineers worked closely with Nashville musicians to reimagine the songs, because if you’re going to mess with sacred classics, you might as well hire people who have gold records.

A Brief Grizzly History:

The Country Bear Jamboree debuted with Magic Kingdom in 1971 and quickly became the rootin’-tootin’est audio-animatronic musical spectacle this side of Frontierland. Over the years, the show was given several overlays:

• The Country Bear Christmas Special (1984–2005) — featuring festive tunes and bears in questionable sweaters.

• The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown (1986–1992) — the summer vacation where you learned bears are somehow worse at camping songs than you are.

After a lengthy run of costume changes and mashups, the original show made a nostalgic return in the ’90s, and all was right with the world — until 2024 rolled around with an acoustic guitar, a cowboy hat, and a mouse-shaped wrecking ball.

In Cinematic Disgrace:

The bears were deemed famous enough to warrant their own movie in 2002’s The Country Bears. Starring Haley Joel Osment, Diedrich Bader, and Christopher Walken (yes, that Christopher Walken — still under investigation for why he agreed to this project), the film was a curious blend of animatronics, mild existential crises, and songs. It joined Mission to Mars (which is technically Disney’s first attraction-based film — somehow) in that special category called “Not Exactly a Masterpiece.”

Reality Check:

• Texas still leads the nation in white-tailed deer. Which explains why Max looks perpetually concerned.

• Oscar — the shy little bear clutching his teddy — is still hanging out stage left, still hoping nobody asks him to sing.

• The Mile Long Bar may be gone, but if you listen very carefully by the exit, you can still hear the ghosts of thirsty dads lamenting the lack of beer.

• The musical question “How long is forever?” remains unanswered — but at least now it has a banjo solo.