Entrance to Critter Country
Critter Country has existed as a themed land at Disneyland Park since 1988, but the site it sits on has been home to one themed area or another since 1956. During the park’s early days, one of the main adventures on the western side of the Rivers of America, which this land borders, was Frontierland’s Indian Village – a quaint area where guests could see teepees, tribal dancing, and hear stories read by Native American actors. In 1971, the Indian Village closed forever to be replaced by an $8 million expansion, Bear Country. The first new land since the 1966 opening of nearby New Orleans Square, Bear Country was themed as an elusive hideaway in the great Pacific Northwest – an effect achieved by bordering this cul-de-sac area with 256 trees in a relatively small space. Including of evergreens, pine trees, and California redwoods, these trees still give plenty of shade and a clean, airy smell to the land. Bear Country was specifically built to house The Country Bear Playhouse, a replica of the popular Walt Disney World attraction. Home to both “The Country Bear Jamboree” and “Country Bear Vacation Hoedown,” visiting guests could grab a bite to eat after the show at the nearby Hungry Bear Restaurant – still known as one of the largest and most scenic eateries in all of Disneyland. Across the way from the Country Bears was the cave to an ever-sleeping and snoring bear named Rufus. In the late 1980’s, though, Rufus was evicted, Bear Country became Critter Country, and the small cave gave way to the rising peaks of Splash Mountain, a lively water flume adventure based on Disney’s 1946 animated feature film Song of the South. Guests who still have energy left after splashing down into the Briar Patch can try their hand at rowing a canoe around Tom Sawyer’s Island upon the Rivers at Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes. The latest change to happen in this corner of the park came on September 9th, 2001, with the final performance of the Country Bears. In April 2003, this space gave way to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Most of the land’s shops and restaurants can be found in the farthest portion of the land, nestled into a series of buildings between the Pooh and Splash Mountain exits. One of the most popular of these is Pooh Corner, but don’t forget to visit Professor Barnaby Owl’s Photographic Art Studio to view a picture of your exciting plunge down Splash Mountain!
Splash Mountain – Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Critter Country Shopping Guide – Critter Country Dining Guide
