Originally Posted By ImgineerBob So one of the former rides I've always been curious about is CBJ, I only saw it live once, although I have seen it on video many times, but one area I'm curious about is the inner workings. Does anyone have pictures,drawings, or inside knowledge with the back stage workings of the Disneyland version?? While it was a clone, there was a lot of uniqueness with the DL version and I was just wondering if anyone had any info on it. I would love to learn more about it.
Originally Posted By ImgineerBob So one of the former rides I've always been curious about is CBJ, I only saw it live once, although I have seen it on video many times, but one area I'm curious about is the inner workings. Does anyone have pictures,drawings, or inside knowledge with the back stage workings of the Disneyland version?? While it was a clone, there was a lot of uniqueness with the DL version and I was just wondering if anyone had any info on it. I would love to learn more about it.
Originally Posted By Bellella I'm afraid I can't help you. All I know is that the bears probably weighed at least a ton apiece, and that their wherabouts are largely unknown. Most likely the show was run on the same type of computer/tape AA system that powers the Tiki Room. Since it was a show where you'd just sit, listen, and observe, the system was probably very similar. I REALLY miss that show. I do have the complete audio to all three Country Bear shows, as well as a video DVD I bought off the Net, but I still think if only, if only...........
Originally Posted By dznydad //All I know is that the bears probably weighed at least a ton apiece, and that their wherabouts are largely unknown.// I may not be much help either, but I read/heard that the Bears are gone, used as spare parts for parks that deemed it worthy to keep the show. As for the workings of the actual show, I would like to know more. There were at least 2 bears per side curtains - I would guess the easiest change of setting would have been to rotate them (same backdrop board with different bears and scenes on opposite sides), but as a kid I remember thinking they must come from below, but that was probably because the "stage" bears did that.
Originally Posted By teddibubbles I Wish they would do a diner show at DCA. it would so fit with the wilderness area
Originally Posted By dznydad You mean under a bear mountain? That would make no sense . . . That has been brought up by fans a lot, but I do not think they are going to re-build it from scratch. Not now.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros They could take out a chunk of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail to fit it in. The under-utilized stage area and surrounding trails (does anybody actually ever go on that trail that goes through the log...and out to nothing?) could easily be removed for something like this. I don't know if they would have the right shape of a footprint for it (they might, if they had built it in conjunction with the Little Mermaid, in a single building), but it seems like they could move some things around a little and make it work.
Originally Posted By SuperDry I think a fundamental problem with bringing back CBJ is that a great many people that would want such a thing already have APs. That is, it's not going to generate additional gate revenue like CarsLand or WoC.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: And, yet, Florida intends to bring back the original Tiki Room show at the Magic Kingdom, which won't affect attendance at that park, either. The whole reason it was replaced by a new show was because the original failed to attact guests. Taking a step backwards isn't the answer, in this witch's humble opinion. What they need is new shows. They could still use the same bears and birds--just different jokes and songs.
Originally Posted By ImgineerBob with the recent sure in popularity with country music, I'm surprised they aren't updating bears already.
Originally Posted By dznydad At this point in themepark history, some rides are classics - like classic songs. I just can't see imagineers re-creating from scratch an old attraction. A Country Bear show would be excellent in that area, but I think they would be unable to resist doing something new (hopefully with the same characters, but not a 3D movie). A small, scaled down version would be great - with state of the art animatronics.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 No - they're waiting for the popularity to crest and then wane off. Right THEN is when Disney will announce plans to bring them back. Just like they did with Millionaire. Disney can't do it at the PEAK of popularity or, GOD FORBID, actually CREATE something that will be a new trend(PoTC).
Originally Posted By hbquikcomjamesl Many years ago, when DL was still doing "passholder nights," I went to one that had a backstage tour of the Bears. I can confirm that each side-stage had exactly two A/A performers on it, mounted on a turntable. The fore-stage of the main stage had no floor; the acts that appeared on it were all on separate lifts. If they were still running the timeless original show, it would have been a tragedy, but that loss had happened years earlier. As far as I'm concerned, replacing "Vacation Hoedown" with the West Coast version of Winnie the Pooh was just a matter of Winnie replacing another, more malodorous, kind of . . .
Originally Posted By Dave IB, I sent a note to reader Paul (not sure what his name was on here) He is the expert on CBL
Originally Posted By hbquikcomjamesl Uh, no, "backstage tours," with the possible exception of those at zoos and aquariums (and maybe, MAYBE the Steam Trains tour at WDW-MK, but I have my doubts), are camera-free zones by definition. And backstage at an A/A attraction is doubly so.
Originally Posted By crapshoot << are camera-free zones by definition. And backstage at an A/A attraction is doubly so.>> That's very true. When I worked for Imagineering at DL I had to take a couple of classes in order to be approved to use a camera backstage. And many, many times I had to pull out my "Geewhillicker" I.D. card to show security that was wondering what I was doing backstage with a camera.
Originally Posted By DBitz2 <<Uh, no, "backstage tours," with the possible exception of those at zoos and aquariums (and maybe, MAYBE the Steam Trains tour at WDW-MK, but I have my doubts), are camera-free zones by definition. And backstage at an A/A attraction is doubly so.<< I was at that AP event and we were allowed to take some photos backstage at CBJ, at least when we were up on the stage at the back of the stage area. As to the WDW Railroad backstage tour, when I did it in 2007, we were asked not to take pics on the route between the park and the roundhouse, but, we could take photos once we got to the roundhouse area.
Originally Posted By ImgineerBob what did the backstage area look like, did each theatre have its own space or was it one big backstage area with passage ways
Originally Posted By DBitz2 That event was 15 or more years ago, and it has been years since I looked at the pictures and video I took that night, so I don't remember too much of what it looked like. I sort of remember the part we saw being kind of close quarters. I remember being at the back of the stage looking out towards where the audience would normally be and thinking "how many times in your life do you get that point of view?" (if you are not a CM, of course). And, I remember taking a photo with one of the bears. I don't think we saw the area where the show control equipment is. I seem to remember hearing or reading that that is kind of in a basement or lower level from the theaters. Maybe a CM can answer that for sure.
