Pooh Destined to Close or be Refurbished?

[Walt Jr.]

Yes, the faliure of all E-Ticket Killers might be destined for a Permanent Closure or at least a serious Rehab.

Why? It's not being announced anywhere! And it isn't on any sites!

The fact is unpopularity may be weighing it down. The new YOAMD Vacation Planning Video didn't even mention a trace of Pooh in any segment of the Disneyland Resort Sections! If it goes forgotten for a long amount of time. The imagineers may be closing it or rehabing it! Think About It! Which would you rather have? An forgotten, unpopular attraction, or space that could be turned into a much better attraction?

[Wendygirl]

I would have the Bears back home, and I mean the Country Bears, not that insipid yellow thing. I can't stand Pooh. I have many reasons, not the least of which he got the other bears kicked out.

[merlinjones]

The Country Bears should be put back where they belong - without a doubt!!!

The cool Tokyo version of Pooh could then be built in Fantasyland - where Videopolis is now.

[aimster]

I love the Pooh characters (esp. Tigger who is my all-time fave), but the ride in DL sounds absolutely awful... even worse than WDW's (and I think our version sucks like a Hoover).

[Jerm]

So not happeneing any time soon. Pooh will be around for a while, it might not do much of a draw but kids love it and love pooh still. Also just cause something is not talked about on the video means NOTHING!!!! Trust me I have videos going back for many years and the things that are not listed out weigh those that are each year. Pooh was never supposed to be a E-ticket attraction, more like a C but that is pushing it. I think anything they put in that location would have that problem just due to its location.

To everyone that wants the CBJ back join the line of people. If they were to ever show up again I doubt a 18 minute show will ever be done again, maybe doing something in DCA but that is a HUGE IF. Think about it how many of us....the 30 of us that post here.... actually would make the treck back to see the show each visit? If you did that is great but that was us, the public could care less about the Bears. Sure some of them might remember from a visit when they were kids, but really other then a core group of us CBJ/ATIS/America Sings/PeopleMover are just things they did once and liked.

Most people that throw down the "Walt would never..." are us geeks that go on message boards to see pictures of walls around an attraction that will not be open for years. Disneyland is not built for us, the C.O.W. members, the die hard AP holders, or the web masters that show us what is wrong or right with things. It is built for families from some place else that have saved there money for years to try to make it here once in their lifetime. The people that spend the money on hotel stays, air, food, mouse ears, ice cream, plush mickey, and all the other stuff.

I would love to see CBJ come back some how, but that is why we have WDW.

J

[figment1986]

they can always plus pooh... change stuff around and upgrade...

[Coheteboy]

I guess I'll be the odd man out but I never cared for the Country Bear Jamboree. I don't hate it, I don't love it... I was always just kind of indifferent about it. I did my share of visiting the attraction when it was around but I skipped it most of the time. I guess it's kinda like the Enchanted Tiki Room... though I have a softer spot for that one because it used to scare me when I was a kid, and I liked that.

I'd prefer if they update it with a BETTER Pooh ride. The kids love Pooh and friends and so do the grown ups who watched the original compilation film from the 60s. It deserves a lot better than the ride that was installed.

As it is now, Country Bear fans aren't pleased and neither are many Pooh fans... and that's too bad. It needs to be 90-100% from one side or the other for it to be successful.

[BrerRabit77]

Bring Back The Country Bears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[merlinjones]

>>Most people that throw down the "Walt would never..." are us geeks that go on message boards to see pictures of walls around an attraction that will not be open for years. Disneyland is not built for us, the C.O.W. members, the die hard AP holders, or the web masters that show us what is wrong or right with things. It is built for families from some place else that have saved there money for years to try to make it here once in their lifetime. <<

No, that's Walt Disney World (zzz). Historic Disneyland gets more money from locals.

Besides, I'm convinced the general audiences prefer the Country Bears to this version of the Pooh ride - - it's mostly Disney execs, business administration grads and their PR flacks that don't get the difference or people that buy into their views. Proof? Virtually nobody from any group rides Pooh at DL - not because of the beloved characters, but because it's no good. This isn't about branding and strategy but Imagineering and entertainment.

By the way, you shouldn't use the term "us" - as your spin doesn't sound anything like the Walt Disney enthusiasts, employees, artists and cast I know. I guess we are all unique even in admiration for the park...

[Jerm]

Bring Back The Country Bears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh ok I will get right on that;-)

If you want to hear something great go to iTUNES and suscribe to Window To the Magic (surround yourself with the magic) and get last weeks show from Patrick about his "perfect day at Disneyland"

J

[pineapplewhipaddict]

The cool Tokyo version of Pooh could then be built...

We should have gotten this version in the first place...if we did I think the ride would be far more appreciated than it is, even though it replaced the attraction that it did.

I haven't been to Tokyo myself, but I watched a video of the version of Pooh they have, and it makes me so angry. Tokyo Disney does everything in terms of quality, and their Pooh is no exception...it puts all of the others to absolute shame.

The sad part is, most of the scenes that are in Tokyo, we have ourselves...what truly makes the difference is in the amount of money that was spent. Take the spot where Pooh is eating all of that honey, for example...here, we have this static, plasticy, unrealistic Pooh just moving his arms and head back and forth in one motion. Tokyo has a full-out audio animatronic Pooh, his mouth moving, his movement and expressions realistic and fluid. And that's the real difference for both rides throughout it's entirety (though the vehicle system in itself over there is absolutely amazing as well...no track!).

I think ours could totally be refurbished...I don't think management would totally rip out the thing just top bring the Country Bears back. If anything, I'd expect that they'll eventually show up somewhere in DCA, possibly Grizzly River Rapids or something. It would be much more cost-efficient but also would make the visuals on that ride more interesting. Or they could at least put in some realistic-looking bears.

[Jerm]

By the way, you shouldn't use the term "us" - as your spin doesn't sound anything like the Walt Disney enthusiasts, employees, artists and cast I know. I guess we are all unique even in admiration for the park...

You have no idea who you are talking to about this one trust me. No, I love disney more then most considering I drive every day for atleast an hour to be there each way. I believe that Disneyland should be just like Walt said ever changing. If you would like to talk more about this please feel free to PM me, but I am more of a realist. Sorry if I live in Tomorrowland not Yesterdayland.

J

[cellarhound]

it's only Disney execs, business administration grads and their PR flacks that don't get the difference.

There you go again, Merlin... If it wasn't for his brother, Roy, Walt wouldn't have built the park or had an animation studio...

You ought to not bash all MBA's, PR folk, and business execs... Not all are cut from the same cloth...

The big question one must ask is why are they working for Disney? Is it shrewd business accumin, is it because they are at the right place at the right time and know how to play a political hand, or is it that they really know what they are doing?

The point you should be making is just because you have an MBA, are a PR wiz, or can play corporate politics, doesn't make you qualified to be good for a position at Disney. That is a subtle truth that has been ignored for far too long.

[pineapplewhipaddict]

There you go again, Merlin... If it wasn't for his brother, Roy, Walt wouldn't have built the park or had an animation studio...

You ought to not bash all MBA's, PR folk, and business execs... Not all are cut from the same cloth...

The big question one must ask is why are they working for Disney? Is it shrewd business accumin, is it because they are at the right place at the right time and know how to play a political hand, or is it that they really know what they are doing?

The point you should be making is just because you have an MBA, are a PR wiz, or can play corporate politics, doesn't make you qualified to be good for a position at Disney. That is a subtle truth that has been ignored for far too long.

Those that shouldn't really be in the position that they are don't care about those facts...it just looks good on their resume and they'll get a heck of a lot of money.

You are right though, not all of those business-type people are bad. We had Matt as yet another example, and he came from that same set of people. The difference was that he cared what the public thought. Bah! Why'd he have to leave...

[Coheteboy]

The sad truth is that every employee of the Disney company SHOULD work at Disneyland in the parks to fully understand what it is they're doing. John Lasseter used to work there and he gets it. Tony Baxter used to work there and he gets it too (most of the time).

Walt would always tell his employees to go to the park as often as they can. Find out what people are saying. How they like things, what don't they like etc.

If all of the management types went to Disneyland more often, I think the improvements would be quite huge and very different.