Lost Boy
09-03-2001, 05:58 PM
A group of us Country Bear fans met at Disneyland Sunday the 3rd at 1pm for lunch at the Blue Bayou and then went to see the Bears. The group inlcuded Paul Berrie Jr., the founder and Webmaster of the Country Bear Playhouse Web Site and Doobie and Rebecca from Laughing Place dot Com. We had a wonderful lunch and talked about all things Disneyland.
At around 2pm we all meanered over to the Playhouse. Much to our suprise (and delight) the Bears are really pulling in the crowds for there final week. (The Park Map handout now includes a notice at the top left corner of the map to come see the Henry, Teddy Bera and all the bears as they are leaving permanenly soon - so they have finally acknowledged that the Bears are leaving Disneyland forever). The cast members that we talked to all seemed sad that the Bears are leaving. We had a group photo taken in front of the Playhouse. Then, also much to our surprise and delgiht, the Bears were out and walking around Critter Country. Haven't seen the costumed bears in ages and it was quite a treat. Wendel now carries his own little camera and takes pictures for himself. I found two of them in a spot by the entrance to the Playhouse and went up and told them how sad it was that they were leaving and how upset I was about it all. They both hugged me and we all just stood there hugging and crying. It was very emotional. We stayed in the theater through 2 full shows and clapped and cheered and cried at the end. It suddenly hit me while watching the second show that this was it. I would never see my friends perform again.
I think most people forget that this attraction has more of an emotional pull than most other attractions at the Park. Skyway, Rocketrods, and others are just rides. But with the Country Bears there is 30 years of watching them perform. They have become much loved characters at the Park for a lot of us and we now have to say Goodbye to them. For us, and I think for a lot of people who just are too chicken to admit it, that they will be missed.
Goodbye to all our tried and true friends who for 30 years have given us much happiness and joy. From this fanboy anyway, you will be missed more than any other show that has closed in recent years.
Goodbye.
At around 2pm we all meanered over to the Playhouse. Much to our suprise (and delight) the Bears are really pulling in the crowds for there final week. (The Park Map handout now includes a notice at the top left corner of the map to come see the Henry, Teddy Bera and all the bears as they are leaving permanenly soon - so they have finally acknowledged that the Bears are leaving Disneyland forever). The cast members that we talked to all seemed sad that the Bears are leaving. We had a group photo taken in front of the Playhouse. Then, also much to our surprise and delgiht, the Bears were out and walking around Critter Country. Haven't seen the costumed bears in ages and it was quite a treat. Wendel now carries his own little camera and takes pictures for himself. I found two of them in a spot by the entrance to the Playhouse and went up and told them how sad it was that they were leaving and how upset I was about it all. They both hugged me and we all just stood there hugging and crying. It was very emotional. We stayed in the theater through 2 full shows and clapped and cheered and cried at the end. It suddenly hit me while watching the second show that this was it. I would never see my friends perform again.
I think most people forget that this attraction has more of an emotional pull than most other attractions at the Park. Skyway, Rocketrods, and others are just rides. But with the Country Bears there is 30 years of watching them perform. They have become much loved characters at the Park for a lot of us and we now have to say Goodbye to them. For us, and I think for a lot of people who just are too chicken to admit it, that they will be missed.
Goodbye to all our tried and true friends who for 30 years have given us much happiness and joy. From this fanboy anyway, you will be missed more than any other show that has closed in recent years.
Goodbye.