Changes
==History==
Although the Country Bear Jamboree opened with the park on October 1 , 1971, the plans for the attraction date back to 1966 and Walt Disney himself. In 1966, Walt decided that he would need some sort of attraction for his planned Disney’s Mineral King Ski Resort. He tasked Imagineer Marc Davis with creating a show based on Audio Animatronic bears. Davis, and fellow Imagineer Al Bertino came up with many ideas including, marching band bears, mariachi bears, and Dixieland bears. Walt Disney was said to have like Marc Davis' drawings of the bears so much that they actually made him laugh (thus the attraction would eventually be known as Walt’s last laugh). The Country Bears would be one of the last attractions that Walt had a direct involvement with.
After Walt Disney’s death on December 15 , 1966, plans for the bear show carried on. During its development, Disney decided that the bears would perform it the Bar Band Restaurant Show. Furthermore, Disney decided that the bears would sing with a “country twang” and Imagineer X Atencio and musical director George Bruns were brought in to write songs for the attraction. Although the development of the show continued to go well, Disney’s Mineral Kingdom Resort seemed to be in jeopardy. When it became clear that the resort would not be built in the foreseeable future, Disney decided to move the attraction to the soon to be opened Walt Disney World. The attraction opened as the Country Bear Jamboree with the rest of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1972.
When the Country Bear Jamboree opened in the Magic Kingdom, it proved to be so popular that a copy of the attraction was built for Disneyland. Disney World’s Country Bear Jamboree remained unchanged until 1982 when the attraction was given a new show during the holiday season called the Country Bear Christmas Special. The show would return annually around Christmastime until 2005. In 1986, due to the Country Bear’s popularity, Disney decided to create a new show for the attraction, The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown. The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown featured the bears in their vacation outfits, singing new songs such as Ghost Riders in the Sky and On the Road Again. Due to attendance struggles however the new show only lasted for six years. In 1992 as part of the Magic Kingdom's 20th anniversary celebrations, the Country Bear Jamboree was reverted back to its original form.
On August 21 , 2012, the Country Bear Jamboree was closed for a two moth refurbishment. When the attraction reopened on October 17, the show as was noticeably shorter, and the bears had all received new “fur”. The songs "Pretty Little Devilish Mary" and "Fractured Folk Song" were removed during the refurbishment, and much of the attractions dialogue was cut. In total the current version of the Country Bear Jamboree is about 1/3 shorter than the original.
==Preshow==
The Country Bear Jamboree takes place inside Grizzly Hall; here guests can see caricatures of the bears that they will soon meet. Drawings of Henry, Wendell, Trixie, and the Five Bear Rugs can all be seen here. Guests can also find a souvenir penny machine which will make Frontierland themed pennies for 51 cents.
[[Image:CountryBearPic.jpg|thumb|150px| A caricature of the Five Bear Rugs in Grizzly Hall]]
==Show Plot==
The Country Bear Jamboree is a "hoedown" style show that features almost constant singing. The show begins with Buff, Melvin and Max (mostly Buff) Telling telling Henry that it’s time to start the show. The show then takes place on five stages: a far right, a center right, a center, a center left and a far left.
===Bear Band Serenade===
Pianjo leads directly into the Bear Band Serenade, in which . Henry introduces the 5 Five Bear Rugs who are then perform on the center stage. The Five Bear Rugs consist of:
*Zeek- The lead singer of the bears. He is a grey bear with glasses who wears a tan top hat. Zeek plays the banjo and dishpan.
===Fractured Folk Song===
After the Bear Band Serenade, the curtain closes on the Five Bear Rugs and Gomer. Then, Wendell , a golden brown bear , emerges on the center stage. Wendell wears a blue bandanna around his neck and has a light brown hat. He is also easily recognizable because of his large overbite and buck teeth.
Wendell begins to pick his mandolin before telling Henry (who is now on the right-center stage) to hurry up and play, which Henry does.
'''Wendell:''' We wrote these lousy lyrics, and we also wrote the words.
'''Henry:''' The chords are very simple. In fact, there's only three. First there's G, then C then D.And and then you go on back to G.
'''Wendell:''' But you got to be quick!
She's kinda heavy, don't weigh a ton.
She's my woman, through and through.
I lover love her only 'cause my heart is true.
===Mamma, Don't Whip Little Buford===
When Liver Lips is finished with his song, Wendell and Henry come back on stage to sing another song, “Mamma, Don’t Whip Little Buford”Buford.”
====Song Lyrics====
===How Long Will My Baby Be Gone===
Following the end of the song, the curtain once again closes on the Five Bear Rugs. Shaker (also known as Terrance) then appears on the left-center stage. Shaker is a tall, tan bear who wears a minor miner’s cap and plays guitar.
====Song Lyrics====
She said "If you ain't gonna steal,
You better not prowl."
"He's a born loser."
Don't do-si-do with a go-go.
If you can't bite, don't growl.
===The Ballad of Davy Crockett===
As Big Al finishes his song with a laugh, Henry appears on the far right stage. On his head, is Sammy, a raccoon who actually makes up Henry's hat. Together they begin to sing “The Ballad of Davy Crockett”.
====Song Lyrics====
'''Teddi Barra'''- Teddi Barra is the only Country Bear that does not appear on stage. Instead she comes down from the ceiling on her swing, which is decorated with pink roses. Teddi is a brown bear and wears a blue hat with a pink feather as well as a long pink bow around her neck. She is voiced by Roni Stoneman. Teddi Sings "Heart We Did All That We Could" and also joins the bears to sing "Ole Slew-Foot".
'''Shaker (aka Terrance)'''- Shaker is a tall bear with tan fur who plays the guitar and wears a miner's cap. He is voiced by Van Stoneman and he appears on the left-center stage. Shaker sings "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone Gone” and also appears with the rest of the bears to sing "Ole Slew-Foot".
'''Trixie'''- Trixie is a very large brown bear who wears a blue bow on her head and a blue tutu around her waist. She appears on the far right stage, and holds a blue handkerchief and wine glass in her hands. Trixie is one of the few bears that does not appear in the finale of the show, however she does sing "Tears Will Be The Chaser For My Wine". Trixie is voiced by Cheryl Poole.
* '''Zeke'''- The Five Bear Rugs lead singer, Zeke plays a banjo and taps on the dishpan with "a real ol' country beat". He is a grey bear with glasses who wears a tan top hat. He was voiced by Dallas McKennon from October 1971 until July 1975, when Randy Sparks rerecorded his vocals. Zeke is located in the center of the band.
* '''Zeb'''- Zeb is brown bear with a light brown stomach, who plays the fiddle. Zeb wears a miner's hat and a bandanna around his neck and ge he is voiced by a member of the Stoneman family. Zeb sits on Zeke's left.
* '''Ted'''- Ted is a tall, skinny bear who blows on the corn jug and plays the washboard. His fur is brown, and he wears a vest with a brown hat. Ted is located behind Zeb.
* '''Tennessee'''- Tennessee plays the One String Thang, which sounds like a guitar but only has one string. He is brown and wears a red bandanna around his neck.
* '''Baby Oscar'''- Unlike the other bears in the Five Bear Rugs, Baby Oscar plays no instrument. He does carry a teddy bear however, which he squeaks from time to time. He is brown, and on the 1971 Country Bear Jamboree Album, it is mentioned that he is Zeb's son.
'''Buff'''- Buff is considered the leader of the animal heads and is also the first animal to talk in the show. He is the head portion of an American Bison and is voiced by Disney legend Legend Thurl Ravenscroft. Buff is located between Melvin and Max and all three heads are located on the left wall of the theater. Throughout the show the animal heads talk both amongst themselves, and to the performers. The only song that Buff sings in is "Come Again (Come On In)" which he sings as guests leave the hall.
'''Max'''- Max is the head portion of a stag who is voiced by Pete Renaday. Max talks with Melvin and Buff, as well as Henry periodically throughout the show. He is located to the right of Buff and performs the song "Come Again (Come On In).”
'''Melvin'''- Melvin is a moose head who is voiced by Bill Lee. Melvin is good natured and is located on the left side of Buff. He performs the song "Come Again (Come On In) ” as guests leave the hall.
'''Sammy'''- Sammy is Henry's raccoon pal who cuddles around Henry's top hat, acting like a coonskin cap for Henry. Voiced by Bill Cole, Sammy performs on the final three songs of the attraction, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett", "Ole Slaw-Foot", and "Come Again (Come On In)"
==Fun Facts and Trivia==
* Grizzly Hall, the home of the Country Bear Jamboree , was built in 1898.
* The attraction was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola and Frito Lay from 1971 until 1981.
