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View Full Version : Where did the Country Bears come from?



RowboatWillie
09-28-2008, 09:20 PM
Was it a random creation for Disneyland or from a movie??

woody9six
09-28-2008, 09:31 PM
As far as I know it was random. The movie came later.

dznyphreak
09-28-2008, 10:15 PM
I just read about this!!!

From "Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real":

Walt's Last Laugh
"In 1966, as Imagineer Marc Davis was creating character designs and storyboard sketches for a new attraction, he was paid a special and memorable visit. At the time, plans were in the works for a park development in Northern California called Mineral King. Marc, an animator turned Imagineer, was developing ideas for an Audio-Animatronics musical revue for Mineral King that would feature a cast of country music-singing bears. Whenever Marc was deeply involved with an idea, he would literally cover his office walls with sketches.
One day, as Walt so often did, he stopped in to see what Marc was up to. From literally hundreds of pinned-up sketches, he immediately singled one out that featured a bear playing a tuba, and began to laugh hysterically. He told Marc, between guffaws, that he 'really had a winner here with these musical bears.'
As Walt began to leave the office, he turned and said 'Good-bye, Marc.' This took the artist by surprise as Walt never said good-bye, but rather, always said, 'so long' or 'see ya.' Walt died a few days later. Marc believes this was the last time Walt ever had a good laugh.
The Mineral King project was eventually canceled, but the musical bears refused to go into concept hibernation. In 1971, they made their debut at Walt Disney World, where they put on a hand-clappin', foot stompin' centerpiece show called Country Bear Jamboree."

BrizMarc
09-28-2008, 11:22 PM
anyone see the movie at all? Great for the kids considering how bad it could have been.

TTFN92
09-29-2008, 08:37 AM
Most things in the beginning were random creations. Now it seems like everything has to have a movie tie-in.

cstephens
09-29-2008, 09:53 AM
anyone see the movie at all? Great for the kids considering how bad it could have been.

I think you're the first person I've heard of who actually liked the movie. Even friends who ended up being extras in the movie thought it was pretty bad.

dawnid
09-29-2008, 10:37 AM
That was one of my top ten attractions at DL :crying: . I wish it was still there.

ralfrick
09-30-2008, 06:57 AM
Most things in the beginning were random creations. Now it seems like everything has to have a movie tie-in.

Unless you count Fantasyland, and this is the place where movie (or TV) tie-ins were invented. Now it's all pirates and princesses; then it was all Davy Crockett and Zorro. Honestly, an attraction is either good or it isn't, and it doesn't really matter where the idea originated. If you look at this company's history as a whole, they have been amazing when it comes to new ways to tell stories, starting with the first cartoon with sound. But they tend to get those stories from out side the company.

Piece of trivia, the CBJ was the first attraction to debut in WDW before DL.

A bientot.

Park Freak
09-30-2008, 07:40 AM
Great story dznyphreak, it's one I've never heard before. Thanks!

oregontraveler
10-01-2008, 07:14 AM
I believe the 50th Anniversary exhibit in the Opera House talks about the
creation of the Country Bears for the Mineral King Resort. Also, the first
attraction to open first at WDW then at DL.

Ohthatjeff
10-01-2008, 07:20 AM
See when a mommy bear and a daddy bear love each other...

codewoman
10-01-2008, 01:43 PM
See when a mommy bear and a daddy bear love each other...

(Not more of the red shirt talk ... that's a whole different thread!)

:D Great response!

jenniebean
10-04-2008, 01:40 AM
I just read about this!!!

From "Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real":

Walt's Last Laugh

One of the few non-textbooks in my dorm room-- personally, I like the story behind Toon Town the best.


See when a mommy bear and a daddy bear love each other...

legit lol'd

nice.

jMom
10-04-2008, 08:59 AM
see when a mommy bear and a daddy bear love each other...
:d