Dispatch From Disneyland
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The Circle of Life Hits Critter Country

Act I.
Two old men sitting in a room Reminiscing over shepherd’s pie and a pint.
“What was the last thing we worked on together,” he asks.
“That Mountain Spring Resort or something like that. Remember the bears?”
“Oh yes. That was funny. I would have laughed harder if I could’ve.
Some of your best stuff I’d seen in years. Did that ever get built?”
“Well, after you left they turned it into an attraction at Disneyworld.”
“Disneyworld?”
“Yeah, Walt Disney World. Your Florida project. Roy’s tribute to you.”
“Wasn’t that supposed to be EPCOT? You know, new homes, baseball parks, and work all designed to function together?”
“Yeah. It was. Instead, it took twenty years but we got Celebration. A nice town, but no EPCOT.”
“I thought I’d heard they built EPCOT.”
“You heard right, but what they built was more like a clean world’s fair and the United Nations graphed together. It had a few rough years, but it’s done pretty well for itself.”
“You know what? I wish I could go back and enjoy it all again for the first time. See it through the eyes of a kid.”
“Yeah, Walt. It would be good to go and not have to worry about putting on a show for folks. Just to be ourselves. And so on….”
“And so on, old friend.”

Act II
“It’s fall and leaves have begun their journey to the ground. Eventually they’ll end up as rich soil; enabling the tree from which they came to grow stronger. So goes the cycle of life.” John told this story to his son. He hoped it would explain in part why the Country Bears had to go.
“You mean circle of life, papa.” Timmy responded.
“It’s the same thing, son,” said John.
“Not at Disney!” Insisted Timmy. He drew a big circle in the air with his hands. “Here it’s a circle. Like for Simba.”

John knew better than to argue with the logic of a 5 year old. So he just listened to his son while they stood in queue to see their final showing of The Country Bears. For various reasons they couldn’t make it on the ninth, so this was it. One final hurrah.

Fifteen minutes ago they had been finishing dinner at the Hungry Bear restaurant. As usual they sat upstairs against the railing. John always liked those seats. His kids were easily entertained by the river traffic, and he could reflect on the simpler times of Sternwheelers and Davy Crockett. Okay, maybe not simpler at all but they were the fantasies of his childhood.

Today’s childhood fantasies were space pirates, ninjas, and pocket monsters. His kid was no exception. However, when his more cynical wife wasn’t looking, he had indoctrinated Timmy to the joys of classic Disney. When the Disney Channel showed old Disneyland episodes, they watched together. When they went to Disneyland, Timmy enjoyed all the rides with the same spirit and gusto that he remembered as a child in the 70s. Go have some quality father and son time, his wife said. So they always went to Disneyland.

At the Hungry Bear, Timmy had been making up stories about how the Country Bears had opened up this new restaurant and were so successful at it, they didn’t need to perform their show for a living anymore. Timmy mused how Henry had gone on to be a famous movie star, and how little Oscar had lost his teddy bear, but found a really nice pocket knife, with a spoon, and fork and everything. Timmy spun wild stories about all the bears. John thought it was interesting how close some of those ideas were to what he had heard about the upcoming Country Bear movie.

John had decided not to tell Timmy about the movie. He’d let that be a surprise, or something Timmy could discover and get excited about after the bears were gone. He also made a point of reminding Timmy that they could still visit the bears at Walt Disney World, their first home.

They finally made it into the air-conditioned lobby of the Country Bear Playhouse. John looked around at all the theming. He had forgotten how much detail went into this place. From floor to ceiling guests were surrounded with the world of the bears. It was as if the bears really were back in their dressing rooms getting ready to put on the show.