Country Bears need some aural refurbishment


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MiklCraw4d

Member
I just wanted to put this out there...

The soundtrack to the Country Bear show in WDW is atrocious. The hiss and general mono nature of the playback is so bad that you can bearly (get it?) make out what is being said if you're sitting in a bad location in the auditorium. I've noticed this more and more over the last few years, and it was absolutely horrible the last time we were there.

I think the Bears show is great and the songs are a hoot. It's a shame that their enjoyment (and decipherability) are hampered by the fact that it sounds they're being played back off of wax cylinders.

Has there ever been talk of refurbishing the sound in this attraction? I don't know if it's a speaker problem (doubt it) or a source issue. If so, it needs remixing BADLY.

Just a few thoughts from a Bears fan...
 
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dizneydomenic

Member
id say its a problem of the original master recordings they r using. Disneylands ORIGINAL also sounded somewhat hollow...as did the mono soundtrackl lp. What they need to do is go back into the studio and remaster all the recorded elements. With todays digital advances they can bring a fresh sound to a show thats over 30 yrs old.
 
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diegorivera2

Member
I, too, was greatly disappointed by the playback at the CBJ last October; it had greatly deteriorated from just a few months before that. I asked the CM if a speaker had blown but she was pretty much 'No Comment' on the whole subject, even when I persisted. Two words -- It's bad.
 
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Zarpman

Member
Everytime I go see the show I hear a "hiss". Sounds almost as if its raining outside. I assumed this was from the old analog tapes being used to pipe the soundtrack out. I was hoping that in anticipation of the Country Bears movie (I know it sucked, but you would think the synergy juices could have been flowing) that a nice refurb to this location would have been in order.

Keep the show, but please clean it up!
 
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GrizzlyHall

Member
Hey, I'd rather have the original show with a faulty sound system than a movie-tie in or "under new management!" ;)

Over the past few years, the speakers have slowly been fixed. . . for example, Teddi Barra's speaker in 2001 sounded *horrible* - now it is much more decent.

Unfortunately, the sound system is extremely expensive to update, according to Cast Members. Also, the funds for Bears have been recently diverted to Splash and BTMR (both have undergone rehabs), so Bears is left with little.

I await the day to see the original show and characters in an advanced Audio-Animatronics, sound system setup. (Same goes for Carousel of Progress, which deserves a new final scene and a full orchestra!)
 
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SharonKurland

Active Member
> I await the day to see the original show
> and characters in an advanced Audio-
> Animatronics, sound system setup. (Same
> goes for Carousel of Progress, which
> deserves a new final scene and a full
> orchestra!)

Hell, I'd be happy if THAT was at least open year-round....SIGH.

-Sharon-
 
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GrizzlyHall

Member
If all goes to plan, CoP (this October) would have been open for a year straight!

Unfortunately, Disney wants to close it back down when Stitch opens. ::) ::) ::)
 
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Dirk

Member
Ship it to Disneyland Resort Paris ... it would have been perfect for the 50th anniversary of Disneyland as it is a classic, although there is nothing comparable in any European theme park (well the Europapark has a revolving theater but has lately reduced it to showing a laser show). ;D


In earnest: I fear they really plan to bring it back to "seasonal" operation when Stitch opens ... but then then if Stitch is the hoped for success, we can expect long, very loooooong lines forming for it and a way more crowded Tomorrowland. Under these circumstances CoP may reopen again very soon to get guest off the walkways in Tomorrowland.


Yours
Dirk
 
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dizneydomenic

Member
Bring it to DIsneyland!!!!!
Click to expand...

HECK YEA! Talk about a attraction that would be welcomed back with open arms.....not to mention would add some life to a very depressing,static, ghost town known as Disneylands Tommorrowland......bring the Carousel of Progress back before we lose another Disney Classic. Besides retro is always in. We sadly lost our version of Country Bears....now.......talk about a downgrade (enough Winnie the Pooh!)As for all u florida folks.....you better rally round your country bear show if u dont want to lose it....usually a neglected show will get canned........speak up when you visit!(city hall)
 
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GrizzlyHall

Member
We won't let our bears leave. . . and you'll have to pry CoP away! ;)

Disney should just be nice and make 2 brand new CoPs. . . but I wouldn't send it to Paris; the show is very "American."
 
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Dirk

Member
CoP certainly has some American flavour over it, but I think even the current show could be adjusted easily for the European audience.

As far as theme parks and entertainment are concerned differences are not that big between the two continents, especially in this case as CoP does not include any major (US-)patriotic tribute, which certainly would make it a far harder sell to any non-US-audience.


Thinking about it, I don't want your complete CoP shiped over to DLRP, I think we will do fine if you just ship the set pieces and AAs, shipping the actual theater elements would be too expensive ;D

I have to admit though, that it would be rather difficult to find a place for CoP in DLRP, but with a bit of tweaking it could be added into Discoveryland.


Whatever they do with CoP (hopefully operating it year round again) they should release the different soundtracks on CD. I still hope it might be included in the multi-disc-set for the 50th anniversary of DL next year.



Yours
Dirk



Yours
Dirk
 
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GrizzlyHall

Member
Dirk, I'd only like that if the original show is kept here, and duplicates are sent over. . . after all, the CoP is the ONLY attraction Walt said should say in his parks as long as they existed -- and I'm assuming intact. ;)
 
X-S Tech

X-S Tech

Active Member
I last visited WDW in April 2003. My wife had never been and of all the things I wanted her to see CoP was at the top of my list, being of the same era as other favorites (Pirates, HM etc...) and yet something she'd never seen. I was soooo disapointed that it was closed. I sent an email to WDW afterwards saying that I worried that the seasonal operation of CoP was a prelude to it's demise and warning them not to let their Tomorrowland fall apart like our did. I got a call a few days later from a nice woman in Guest Relations assuring me that they "wouldn't get rid of Walt's attraction" (I guess as long as they keep it, operating or not, Walt would be cool with that?), and asking me, "Don't you have Carousel of Progress at Disneyland?" She didn't seem to have time for my CoP History lesson, but she said she hoped we'd return.

What I'm saying is despite what the Public Relations people will tell you, I think it's been proven time and again that Eisner doesn't care what Walt wanted.

ps- when or where did Walt say that about CoP being the only attraction that shouldn't be removed? Sounds atypical of the always forward thinking Walt.
 
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GrizzlyHall

Member
I am not aware of where he said it. . . only that he told it to his Imagineers. I originally heard it from a Cast Member at Bears, later confirmed by an Imagineer and someone quite in-the-know.
 
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brianfreno

Member
I think something must have also been going on with the master for the CBJ since some of the songs in it have been redone.
 
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Disneymagic022

Member
The last time I seen the show the audio wasnt the only thing that needed a reworking, some of the fur on the animals was coming off. At one point I had to leave and get a CM to inform them that the fur was actually so far away from the plastic skeleton you could see the electronics. I wish (as do we all) the would go in and just clean these things up and PRESERVE them better.
 
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brianfreno

Member
When I went in March, the show was in such bad shape that I never made it a point to see it a second time during that visit.
 
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