 | |
| Theme | Land ofanimals |
|---|---|
| Disneyland | |
| Coordinates | 33°48′44.46″N117°55′22.03″W / 33.8123500°N 117.9227861°W /33.8123500; -117.9227861 |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | November 15, 2024 |
| Replaced | Critter Country (1988–2024) |
Bayou Country is one of the lands atDisneyland. There is a similar land atTokyo Disneyland calledCritter Country. At Disneyland it opened in 1972 asBear Country, with theCountry Bear Jamboree (1972–2001) as its centerpiece. In 1988 it was renamed Critter Country, and in 2024 it was renamed Bayou Country to coincide with the opening ofTiana's Bayou Adventure.[1]
Bayou Country was originally namedIndian Village.[2][3] From 1956–1971, this section ofFrontierland was a showcase ofNative American culture, including the arts and architecture of several regions, a multi tribal dance show, and the Indian War Canoes.[3] The area was rebuilt asDisneyland's seventh themed land, Bear Country, which opened on March 4, 1972.[4][5] The new four-acre land, which cost $8 million to build, was Disneyland's first major expansion since the 1969 opening ofThe Haunted Mansion in the adjacentNew Orleans Square.[5][6] Located in the northwest quadrant of the park, Bear Country was themed to the forests of thePacific Northwest.[4][5]Country Bear Jamboree, which opened three weeks later, was the new land's centerpiece attraction.[5][6]
Bear Country was also home to the Golden Bear Lodge restaurant, which was renamed Hungry Bear Restaurant in 1977[3] (and renamed in 2024 toHungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree),[7][8] the Mile Long Bar refreshment center, Teddi Barra's Swingin' Arcade, andDavy Crockett's Explorer Canoes.[5][6]
Bear Country was renamed Critter Country in 1988 in anticipation ofSplash Mountain's opening in 1989.[9][10] Critter Country was inspired by a quote fromDisney's 1946 filmSong of the South, which Splash Mountain was based on: "Where the folks are closer to the critters and the critters are closer to the folks."[9] The land maintained some of its bear themes while incorporating other critters with their huts, nests, and burrows scattered throughout.[9] Some of the land's shops were renamed; for example, Ursus H. Bear's Wilderness Outpost became Crocodile Mercantile (which itself became Pooh Corner in 1996).[3] Country Bear Jamboree closed in 2001 and was replaced two years later byThe Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
In June 2020, Disney announced that they would be reworking Splash Mountain to a new ride based onDisney Animation's 2009 filmThe Princess and the Frog, which was later revealed to be titledTiana's Bayou Adventure. The project was overseen byWalt Disney Imagineer Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter while Splash Mountain's original creatorTony Baxter returned as a creative adviser.[11][12] Splash Mountain closed on May 31, 2023.[13] On November 15, 2024, Critter Country was renamed Bayou Country to coincide with the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure.[1]
Bayou Country is small in comparison to Disneyland's other lands. The area features a pathway that wraps around the footprint of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, starting near The Haunted Mansion and ending at the Louis' Critter Club and Pooh Corner shops. In addition, there is another pathway alongside Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree that leads toStar Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
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