Changes
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 in the Bear Band Restaurant Show <ref name="Spence1"/>. 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 <ref> http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-music-of-country-bear-jamboree-part.html </ref>. 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 <ref name= "Spence1"/>. The show opened as the Country Bear Jamboree with the rest of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971 <ref> http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/10/walt-disney-imagineers-talk-the-country-bear-jamboree-reimagining-at-magic-kingdom-park/ </ref>.
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 <Ref name= "Spence1"/>. Disney World’s Country Bear Jamboree remained unchanged until 1984 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 <ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id250.htm </ref>. 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” <ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id60.htm </ref>. Due to attendance struggles however, the new show only lasted for six years <ref name= "Spence1". In 1992 as part of the Magic Kingdom's 20th anniversary celebrations, the Country Bear Jamboree was reverted back to its original form <Ref> http://www.wdwradio.com/2007/09/country-bear-jamboree/ </ref>.
On August 21, 2012, the Country Bear Jamboree was closed for a two moth refurbishment. When the attraction reopened on October 17, the show was noticeably shorter and the bears had all received new “fur” and costumes. The songs "Pretty Little Devilish Mary" and "Fractured Folk Song" were removed during the refurbishment, and much of the attractions dialogue was cut <ref> http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/20/arts/country-bear-jamboree-at-walt-disney-world.html?_r=0 </ref>. In total the current version of the Country Bear Jamboree is about 1/3 shorter than the original <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/2012/10/the_country_bear_jamboree_is_b.html</ref>.
Main Article: [[The Country Bear Christmas Special]]
From 1984 until 2005, the Country Bear Jamboree was given a special show for the Christmas season called the “Country Bear Christmas Special”. The show featured the bears singing such holiday classics as: “Deck the Halls,” “Let It Snow,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, as well as new original songs like “Hungry as a Bear”. The show also featured a previously unknown bear named Rufus who worked the lighting and projection for the show. In 2005 it was announced that the Christmas Special would not return <ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id250.htm</ref>. The Christmas show marked the first time that an Audio Animatronic show became interchangeable during the year<ref name= "Spence1"/>.
==The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown==
Main Article: [[The Country Bear Vacation Hoedown]]
In 1986 due to the overwhelming popularity of the Country Bears, a new show was created for the attraction called the “Country Bear Vacation Hoedown”. The new show featured the Bears wearing their "vacation clothes" and singing new songs. Included in the show were popular songs: “Singing in the Rain”, “On the Road Again”, “Ghost Riders in the Sky”, “Thank God I'm A Country Boy” and the popular opening number “The Great Outdoors”<ref> http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id60.htm </ref>. This version of the Country Bears was the only show not to feature Buff, Melvin and Buck at the start of the show. The Vacation Hoedown proved unpopular with guests and in 1992 the show was reverted to its original form<ref name= "Spence1"/>.
==Fun Facts and Trivia==
