The Fabulous Disney Babe
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So now the attraction is closed. What's coming in? Pooh, of course. I've ridden the Pooh ride in Florida, and, after boarding with crossed arms and a frown, wanting so much to hate the ride, bounded off at the end, demanding to go again. It's wonderful: you bob in the flood when the rain rain rain came down down down, bounce with Tigger, and get sucked up by a Heffalump...or is it a Woozle? There's a fantastically seamless pepper's ghost effect with Pooh leaving his sleeping body, and a freaky acid-trip of a nightmare room, full of patterns, mirrors, and a Woozle blowing perfect smoke rings at you. I hope we get this version.
So, what happens to the Country Bears? Do they go to DCA? How about to Paris? No, not Perris. Paris, France. One set of bears is on their way to France, and should arrive there by Easter. If they do move the show there, it's nothing they haven't done before: The Mickey Mouse Revue started out at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and was moved to Tokyo Disneyland when the park opened. Disneyland's own Carousel of Progress arrived secondhand from the New York World's Fair, then got moved to Walt Disney World with a groovy new ending in the early seventies. Hm...Grand Al? Your Emcee, Henri? Sammy le Chapeau? No, no, it's just too weird, and yes, I did steal the Al and Henri jokes from Jim. Thanks Jim.
France is getting a Pooh ride - it's confirmed by someone very high up that each and every Disney Magic Kingdom will have the ride running by 2003. Splash Mountain is also probablement coming to France. Maybe the bear shells, which are being sent to France, sans fur, will be used for the Splash Mountain over there, with new fur and features, continuing the Disneyland tradition of recycling Marc Davis characters started with Splash Mountain at Disneyland and continuing with the salvation of the discarded World of Motion characters from Epcot in the revamped Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square. Splash Mountain is slated, so far, to open in Disneyland Paris in 2004. Whether or not this will be part of a Critter Country as it is in Tokyo is so far not clear. If there is a Critter Country, will they have a Theatre des Ours de Pays? So far, my sources say "non", that the bear shells will be used for Splash Mountain.
There is a caveat, however, and that is if the film is an International hit. If "Disney's The Country Bears" scores huge box office receipts in Europe, there may be some call for the Bears to make a live appearance in France. My source says that if the Country Bears do come to France as Country Bears, they will most likely find their new home in Disney Studios Paris, not in the Magic Kingdom, as Disney will want to make great hay of their hit movie tie-in.
Speaking of great movie tie-ins, I hear that the Goldilocks Teaser Trailers for the Country Bears film will finally start to appear in front of "Monsters, Inc.". If you didn't all ready have enough reason to see that film, here's another.
-- Fab
Discuss It
-- Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith can be reached using the Talkback form below or by emailing her at [email protected].
The Fabulous Disney Babe's column is posted every Friday and when ever else she has something to say. For more on Michelle's background, see her first column. She also offers The Fabulous Tour: Disneyland Secrets and Stories. Click here for more information.
The opinions expressed by our Michelle Smith, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted October 5, 2001