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Walt Disney died in December of 1966. At the time of his death, he had two of his Imagineers (Marc Davis and Al Bertino) working on project for a ski resort at Mineral King in California, which is now part of the Sequoia National Park (the ski resort was never built). The last time Walt checked in with the two men, it is said he laughed a lot, and then said good bye. After his death the men decided to continue working on the show and when they finished it became one of the opening day attractions in the Magic Kingdom instead. I have stated before that this attraction is my all time favorite in Disney World. Many of you have been to this show, and some people think that it’s good, but one of those things you can skip if you’ve seen it before. I disagree, mainly because of the Magical Experiences you can have if you go to the show. I offer you today, the Unknown Magic of the Country Bear Jamboree.

The Country Bear Jamboree takes place in Grizzly Hall. The theater is large and holds many people, so if the lobby is full and you are waiting on the front porch, don’t worry, you will most likely get a seat. There are some very neat details that can be found before you go into the theater, as long as you look around. On the floor of the lobby and front porch, you can see the claw marks of the other bears that have come to see the show over the years. In the Lobby there is also a picture of the Founder of Grizzly Hall, Ursus H. Bear, which is kind of interesting, because he looks like Henry the M.C, of the show.

Once you get inside, you are instructed to move all the way to the end of the row, so if you hang back a little, don’t rush to get in, you will get a seat more toward the middle of the row, not that it really matters, if you are the first in the row or last in the row, you get to enjoy the antics of Buff, Melvin and Max. If you have never been to the show,
don’t worry, you’ll get to know these three as the show starts. They are one of my favorite Unknowns for first time visitors, to the Country Bear Jamboree.

When the show starts there are little things to look for that you may miss, if you don’t know about them. These Unknown Magics add to the show and make it an even more Magical Experience, especially for the kids, so make sure you point these things out to them. The first Unknown, is whenever Gomer comes up from the stage to play, keep an eye on his piano. There will be a buzzing sound and his “drinking mug” will vibrate. Another takes place when the Five Bear Rugs play with Gomer. As their platform comes forward and they announce all of them, they don’t tell you who the little bear sitting off to the side of the platform is. This is Baby Oscar. He is Zeb’s

son. He is a quiet little bear who never says a word, but keep your eye on him at the end of every Five Bear Rug, song. He’s the best part of their act.

Later in the show, a neat little thing happens that catches some people by surprise. Henry announces the next act to be Teddi Barra; when he does, she doesn’t appear on stage, but performs for the audience in a very special way. As she is leaving she tells Henry to “Come up and see me some time.” To which he makes a comment about finding a ladder.

This Love fest doesn’t last long though as the Biggest star in the show comes on stage next. Big Al sings a song called “Blood on the Saddle,” which he gets through the first couple of lines and then he is done. When you think Big Al is finished and Henry starts singing “The Ballad of Davey Crockett,” Big Al makes an encore appearance. This is when you need to watch Henry, actually Henry’s hat. This is when you will get to see Sami. Sami has a large part in the end of the show, as he makes it possible for you to take your flash photography pictures by calling for help.

As you are leaving be ready to listen to Melvin, Buff and Max again, as they add some commentary to your exit that is quite humorous; also look to the back of the theater you will see the script for the show being projected for the bears. This is very interesting, if you think about it. But point it out to the kids it makes the Magic even more real.

Some people think this attraction is starting to lose its luster or already has, but if you look for the little details and especially share them with your kids, this show is a fun way to take a break in the Magic Kingdom. So, now you know, there are details hidden around the Country Bear Jamboree that can make it even more of a Magical Experience. So next time, don’t just Clap your Hands and Stomp your feet, look around and enjoy the show.