From Bear Country to Critter Country, Disney's Opening of Splash Mountain

Disneyland California endured roaring successes and catastrophic failures during its first several years since the opening on July 17, 1955. From the infamous “Black Sunday” opening day with undried cement, unfinished rides and a clunky broadcast, to setting attendance records every year and cementing Disneyland as a major United States tourist attraction. Disney executives worked to ensure each part of the park was receiving an equal amount of attention by guests, and when that wasn’t happening, changes would occur. Disneyland would really begin to receive upgrades and new attractions through the 1960s, with electric cars on Main Street USA, the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and the Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland, the additions from the 1964 New York World’s Fair such as Greatest Moments with Mr. Lincoln and the Carousel of Progress, and topping the decade off with the Haunted Mansion. The 1970s would see even more changes as they attempted to appeal to the interests of all ages.

Disneyland in the 1970s. Image from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/388013324121955450/

The 1970s in Disneyland

Disneyland added 4 new major elements to their park during the early 1970s. In 1972, they added Bear Country to their map, replacing the Indian Village and officially sectioning that portion of the park off from Frontierland. Bear Country included the Country Bear Jamboree, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, the Mile Long Bar, and Teddi Barra’s Swingin’ Arcade.

Just a few months later, they added the Main Street Electrical Parade, which would be held close to guests hearts for decades, even after it’s closure in 1996. In 1973, Greatest Moments with Mr. Lincoln was converted into The Walt Disney Story, to honour Walt after his passing a few years earlier. This change only lasted 2 years, but was significant at the time. And finally, in 1974, America Sings opened at Disneyland to replace the Carousel of Progress, which was moved to Walt Disney World. America Sings would be a part of the celebrations of the United States Bicentennial.

1972 Disneyland map. Image from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/527061962626103787/

bear country in disneyland

In 1956, Frontierland had an area designated to Native American culture, called Indian Village. Though it seemed like a good idea at the time, the permanently closed land has since resurfaced as a topic of the numerous problems Disneyland had, as it depicted Indigenous peoples in one light. That part of Frontierland officially closed for renovation in 1971, to continue the pattern of changes the park was seeing during that decade.

On March 4, 1972, Bear Country opened, and would be its own dedicated land on the map. With an $8 million dollar price tag, the land was an immersive experience for guests to travel to the Pacific Northwest. Bear Country was complete with the Mile Long Bar Refreshment Centre, where you could step up to the bar and order a drink, and look left and right to see mirrors that create the illusion that the bar was never-ending. At the Golden Bear Lodge, overlooking the Rivers of America with a beautiful 2-story patio to enjoy the view and your food at. You could head over to Teddi Barra’s Swingin’ Arcade, and play racing, shooting, and other interactive arcade games. For an adventurous attraction, you could hop aboard the Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, which are still in operation today. This is the only lasting attraction that carries the full memory of Bear Country.

The Mile Long Bar. Image from: https://davelandweb.com/crittercountry/

The country bear jamboree (1972)

The beginnings of the creation The Country Bear Jamboree show was significant, as it was the last project Walt Disney ever personally assigned. It was assigned to esteemed designer and Imagineer Marc Davis, who played around with several versions of a bear-themed entertainment piece. He worked through different character designs for each bandmate, and had the opportunity to show them to Walt. Walt left the studio that day for the very last time.

Davis and the team worked full steam ahead to ensure this vision came to life. It was originally intended for a Disney ski resort that never came to be, so it was redesignated to the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. X Atencio, who is also known for writing “Grim Grinning Ghosts” for the Haunted Mansion, worked alongside George Bruns to create the songs for the group of bears. 18 audio-animatronics bears were made for the show, all with unique personalities and looks. The combination of the artistry that went into it resulted in massive success at the Magic Kingdom. It did so well that executives decided to open it in Disneyland too, and it did, just 3 weeks after the opening of Bear Country. It would be the center focus of the land and would bring in great attention to that part of the theme park. A version was also opened in Tokyo Disneyland about a decade later. For special occasions and holidays, the musical numbers and theme of the show would change to cater to a wider audience.

America sings (1974)

In 1974, Marc Davis’s genius brain was put to work once again, creating another audio-animatronic show, but this time for Tomorrowland. It was the time of the United States Bicentennial, and the park decided that an American-themed attraction would be better suited in the Carousel Theater. It replaced the Carousel of Progress, but kept the same formatting of the rotating stage with 6 different stages within it, divided by walls. 4 of the stages depicted a particular era in American history, and the whole attraction was hosted by Eagle Sam and Ollie the owl. The attraction saw devastation and disappointment regularly, beginning with the tragic death of Deborah Gail Stone on July 8, 1974, who got caught between the revolving stage walls. The whole attraction saw a safety review and overhaul to ensure no other Disney staff member or guest would be harmed ever again. On top of this terrible incident, the attraction gradually became less and less relevant, with its placement in Tomorrowland brought to question. America Sings officially closed on April 10, 1988.

America Sings characters. Image from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awo1207l2L0

Disney was now faced with over 25 audio-animatronics that would just go into the recycling bin unless they could find another use for these animals. Included in the list were 2 singing geese, who were stripped of their feathers right down to their robotic frame, and were repurposed as G2 droids, seen in the queue of Star Tours. The “Rattle and Roll” stork is used as a demonstration piece for new Imagineers to learn and experiment on. Most of the other animatronics from America Sings, including The Swamp Boys (alligators), foxes, hens, frogs, and dancing geese were repurposed for the newest attraction in development: Splash Mountain.

One of the G2 droids that was made of the skeleton of the geese. Image from: https://www.endorexpress.net/database/g2-9t/

the opening of splash mountain (1989)

A thrilling water ride was something Disneyland did not possess yet in the 1980s, and it started to make its way to the top of the priority list to design and build. A river raft concept and a log flume ride was tossed around for a while, but Imagineer Tony Baxter ended up coming up with a better idea, drawing inspiration from the characters and music of Song of the South. It originally went by the name The Zip-A-Dee River Run, but Michael Eisner fought against the name, as he also wanted the water ride to act as a marketing strategy for the all-new Disney film Splash. In the end, it was decided that the word “Mountain” would be added to the name so the ride would be grouped together with other favorites, such as Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.

The construction of the mountain, beginning on April 24, 1987, would end up being the most expensive part of the process, ensuring it would be built in a way that would accommodate audio animatronics, a steel rollercoaster track, and 950,000 gallons of water. When they started to realize the ride was becoming way more costly than planned, they decided to use their own resources and use the animatronics inhabiting America Sings. They removed over 100 audio animatronics and placed them into the new attraction, in ways that would fit the storyline. It was fitting that these animals were used for this particular ride too, as Marc Davis had a hand in designing both the America Sings animatronics and the Song of the South characters.

Splash Mountain officially opened on July 17, 1989, exactly 34 years after Disneyland first opened. After the grand opening, the ride was closed down for further construction as the amount of water the first guests and executives endured as they experienced the ride was a little too aggressive.

Since then, the Splash Mountain in Anaheim Disneyland has become one of the most iconic and loved attractions to date. Versions of the ride opened in both the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland within a day apart, on October 1st and 2nd, 1992.

critter country opens

With all of the changes the land endured and the addition of even more creatures to the roster with the opening of Splash Mountain, it no longer made sense for Disneyland to called the land “Bear Country”. Along with the opening of Splash Mountain, Bear Country was changed to Critter Country.

The Mile Long Bar refreshment center was converted into the Brer Bar and the Golden Bear Lodge into the Hungry Bear Restaurant. Teddi Barra’s Swingin’ Arcade transformed into Pooh Corner, which was inevitable, as this land’s arcade was not nearly as popular as the other land’s arcades.

The Country Bear Jamboree would operate in Critter Country until September 9, 2001. It would be replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction, which is still open today. One of Disney’s hidden secrets is that some of the artificial taxidermy from The Country Bear Jamboree, such as Melvin the moose, Buff the buffalo, and Max the buck deer is hung up on a wall inside the Winnie the Pooh attraction. Right as you exit the Hefflumps and Woozles scene, take a look back, and you’ll see all 3 of them watching over you.

Melvin, Buff, and Max. Image from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/365917538446723191/

the 2023 update: tiana’s bayou adventure

In 2020, California’s Splash Mountain was nearing 31 years old, and was becoming severely outdated. It was pointed out over several years that the fact that Song of the South was receiving such a large platform in the Disney parks was problematic, given the film’s racist background and undertones. The storyline and characters of the ride were no longer relevant and kept the memory of the film alive despite Disney’s efforts to bury it in everything else they did. In June 2020, during the parks closure due to COVID-19, the company announced that a full renovation and redesign was coming to Splash Mountain, removing the parts that were related to Song of the South, but keeping the track the exact same. They released early designs and concept art, which would feature the characters of Princess and the Frog. It would be a way to tie in the neighbouring land of New Orleans Square, and give Disney’s black princess a platform to shine on. Not only that, but the scenes from the bayou were the perfect setting to draw inspiration from for this rustic ride.

In January 23, 2023, Splash Mountain officially closed in The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. A date for closure of the Disneyland California and Tokyo Disneyland versions has not yet been announced, but fans are expecting the official rollover and unveiling to be in late 2024.

“I’m lookin’ for a little more adventure
I’m headin’ for a little bit of fun now
I’m hopin’ for a little more excitement
Time to be movin’ along!”
— Splash Mountain Medley
You May Also Like:
From Bear Country to Critter Country, Disney's Opening of Splash Mountain
From Bear Country to Critter Country, Disney's Opening of Splash Mountain
Tomorrowland and Frontierland Disneyland Restaurants in 1955
Tomorrowland and Frontierland Disneyland Restaurants in 1955
The Most Expensive Disneyland Mountain
The Most Expensive Disneyland Mountain
HealthKyle Balladventureland, frontierland, splashmountain, bigthundermountain, 1970, openingday, disneyland, crittercountry, bearcountry, americasingsComment