In case you missed it, Disney announced a TON of changes and additions to its theme parks and Disney Cruise Line at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event.
We’re STILL sorting through all the announcements for Disney Parks, but one thing we did learn is that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is opening in Disneyland SOON. Beyond that, though, we also learned that once it opens, the land the ride is in, Critter Country, will be renamed to Bayou Country. That’s a HUGE change, and it will affect a few other things in that land, too. So let’s look at the timeline of these changes.
So Bayou Country is actually absorbing everything that was previously part of Critter Country, which is pretty much closed right now to make room for all the construction. Of course, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been under construction for some time and will open in Disneyland on November 15th, 2024. But there are some other things going on in the newly-renamed land, too.
The new ride will also be getting a few new shops themed after The Princess and the Frog. Ray’s Berets will replace the current location of The Briar Patch and feature headwear, apparel, accessories, toys, and more.
The second shop is Louis’ Critter Club, which will take over the left side of Pooh Corner. However, the rest of Pooh Corner will remain as is. Disney has not yet revealed an opening date for the stores, but we can imagine the timeline will be around the same time that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in November.
This part of Disneyland also includes Hungry Bear Restaurant, which is also getting a new Country Bears theme and a new name: Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree. The restaurant will include a brand new menu featuring barbecue, as well as some other Southern-style items. Disney has not yet revealed an opening date for the new restaurant. At the moment, Hungry Bear Restaurant is still open.
Bayou Country will also include the existing The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride, so it looks like Pooh and his buddies are now moving to the bayou. Note that the ride has closed during construction.
Note that this area of Disneyland has gone through several name changes. In 1972, this part of Disneyland opened as Bear Country and included Country Bear Jamboree. In 1988, the area was renamed to Critter Country. Country Bear Jamboree closed in Disneyland in 2001 and was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Now, the area will be Bayou Country.
We’re not sure if Disney has future plans for this part of the park, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for more information and announcements. In the meantime, check back with AllEars again soon for more.
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What do you think of this name change? Let us know in the comments!
I could’ve sworn the idea was to incorporate the former Splash Mountain into New Orleans Square by way of the film that literally took place in New Orleans. Now it looks like they’re putting increasingly too much focus on pushing this one film. While still keeping Pooh in the middle of it because they know people will riot otherwise.