The Nation Bear Christmas Particular was an annual vacation overlay to Nation Bear Jamboree in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland that has been retired. This tribute options information & images from the Jingle Bell Jamboree model at Tokyo Disneyland. (Up to date September 15, 2024.)
Let’s begin with the most recent replace. The unhealthy information is that Jingle Bell Jamboree has been on hiatus for the final 4 years, and was final proven in 2019. It was quickly suspended in 2020 for apparent causes, and didn’t return the final two years when OLC introduced again Haunted Mansion Vacation Nightmare. Often, when one thing is gone for thus lengthy, it’s simply been quietly retired. Nonetheless, very like Walt Disney World and Disneyland, albeit on a much more delayed timeline, Tokyo Disney Resort is nonetheless within the glacially sluggish strategy of getting again to regular. Which brings us to the excellent information.
Tokyo Disney Resort introduced that the particular vacation model of Nation Bear Theater, often called Jingle Bell Jamboree, shall be proven for the primary time in 5 years at Christmas 2024. Whereas the vacation season at TDR will run from November 15 by way of December 25–shorter than regular–Nation Bear Christmas is getting the reverse therapy. The Jingle Bell Jamboree seasonal overlay will begin on November 8, 2024 and proceed by way of January 13, 2025 at Tokyo Disneyland.
Phrases can not categorical how excited we’re for this. We’re additionally not fully stunned. Nation Bear Trip Jamboree returned this summer time for the primary time after a comparable hiatus, and we hoped Jingle Bell Jamboree would comply with go well with. Nonetheless, it wasn’t fully clear, because the Christmas season is being condensed and Trip Jamboree has had a number of months to run–so it’d make extra sense to try this overlay however skip Christmas.
We spent a number of weeks in Japan this spring and summer time, catching Trip Jamboree many, many occasions. Simply one-dozen. It was the primary model of Nation Bear Jamboree that our daughter, Megatron, noticed. (She cherished it–should run within the household.) It was incredible seeing the seasonal overlay once more, and the bears appeared and sounded incredible.
One factor that basically stood out to us was that Trip Jamboree was much more in style than earlier than–and it had turn out to be very, highly regarded even pre-closure. Exhibits have been routinely full, and the brand new line of merchandise bought out in a single day. This, alone, made me much more bullish that Jingle Bell Jamboree would return. And hopefully, with much more merchandise. (It additionally makes me optimistic that possibly OLC will reject Imagineering’s inevitable pitch of the brand new Nation Bear Musical Jamboree present that just lately debuted at Magic Kingdom.)
Now, we simply must discover a technique to return to Japan for the autumn colours and Christmas season to see Jingle Bell Jamboree. As a lot as we take pleasure in Trip Jamboree and the common present, this our #1 model of Nation Bear Jamboree. Actually, it’s on our listing of Sarah & Tom’s Prime 10 Disney Sights within the World.
The primary time we visited Tokyo Disneyland for Christmas, we looped Jingle Bell Jamboree a minimum of a dozen occasions (looping it’s whenever you exit one present, and instantly rush round and re-enter the theater for the following present). We’ve performed precisely that many occasions since, and I’ve hundreds of images of Jingle Bell Jamboree taken from just about each perspective and each seat in the home. That’s how a lot we love the vacation present!
With this incredible information out of the best way, let’s check out what makes Nation Bear Christmas so particular…
I’ve lengthy been a fan of this Christmas overlay, having first seen it within the late Nineteen Eighties and listening to its soundtrack every Christmas season since discovering it on the Musical Historical past of Disneyland. Sadly, I don’t keep in mind my childhood visits to the present and the Magic Kingdom stopped doing the overlay earlier than we began visiting as adults, so I didn’t have any firsthand reminiscence of really seeing the present…till this yr.
To say I used to be excited to lastly see it might be an understatement. I like Christmas and Nation Bear Jamboree. To me, Nation Bear Jamboree represents Disney at its greatest: a mixture of quirkiness, wry humor, charming characters, and even edginess. It’s an attraction that works on a number of ranges. Superficially, Nation Bear Jamboree is a bunch of lovable bears singing.
Upon nearer examination, Nation Bear Jamboree is an clever tribute to nation music and southern tradition, with a little bit of a satirical twist. As a fan of Disney historical past, I admire its historic significance, too. (This sequence of articles is an effective in-depth examination of Nation Bear Jamboree, and a rewarding learn for anybody who’s within the subject.)
I’ve stated quite a few occasions that I view whether or not somebody likes Nation Bear Jamboree as an excellent barometer of how properly I’ll get together with them. (I deal with Calvin & Hobbes and Sports activities Night time the identical means.) Nation Bear Christmas has garnered a blended response from followers, and even Marc Davis supposedly thought that Disney ought to have left the unique alone.
With all due respect to Mr. Davis, I disagree. I feel Nation Bear Christmas is a enjoyable and well-executed overlay in line with the spirit and path of the common present. It’s not simply Nation Bear Jamboree with Santa hats and completely different songs, it’s a wholly new present carried out by the identical characters. It’s their Christmas musical revue, performed with integrity and humor within the spirit of the unique.
Furthermore, not like a portray, theme park points of interest have a sure fluidity to them because the parks change and evolve to cater to visitors. Theme park points of interest additionally often lack a singular determine to whom ‘authorship’ is attributed. However, it’s comprehensible that the artist who put a lot artistic vitality into bringing the bears to life can be a bit protecting of them and apprehensive in direction of what others would do to vary them.
However I digress. This text isn’t meant as an examination of theme parks as artwork. As an alternative, it’s meant as a enjoyable have a look at the Nation Bear Christmas Particular together with some tidbits concerning the reveals.
Because of the overlay nonetheless present and operating yearly at Tokyo Disneyland, we’ve been capable of expertise it for every of the final a number of years. We’ve been visiting Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan throughout fall colours season nearly yearly since 2013, and are all the time certain to drop in to Tokyo Disney Resort for a “few” showings of Nation Bear Christmas/Jingle Bell Jamboree.
At Tokyo Disneyland, Jingle Bell Jamboree is a part of the park’s Christmas choices, however it often begins earlier than the printed date of every part else–proper on or round November 1st. That’s as a result of the park goes instantly from Nation Bear Trip Hoedown to this overlay. (See our Nation Bear Trip Hoedown Tribute for extra images and information on that.)
One in every of my large targets is all the time to seize a variety of good, attention-grabbing images of Nation Bear Christmas. The overlay stopped operating in each Magic Kingdom and Disneyland earlier than digicam know-how turned advanced-enough for good low gentle darkish experience/attraction images.
Which means the one good images of it operating in america are publicity pictures by Disney, and there aren’t a lot of people who’ve been publicly launched.
I now replace this publish yearly so as to add a few of my trophies from the most recent hunt, so to talk. The images right here simply barely scratch the floor of my Nation Bear Christmas assortment. Suffice to say, I’m now pretty assured that I’ve one of many world’s largest personal collections of Nation Bear Christmas images. If that isn’t prime braggin’ rights, I don’t know what’s!
Hope you take pleasure in. Merry Christmas to you and your households from Sarah and me! What higher of a ‘reward’ can we offer you then just a few Nation Bear Christmas images from my information?!
Indicators exterior promote the Jingle Bell Jamboree Christmas present.
Whatever the season, the foyer of Nation Bear Theater in Tokyo Disneyland options considerably extra to set the stage than the Magic Kingdom. There are clippings from the Nation Bears’ excursions, awards, images, and artwork. For Christmas, new items of artwork are added, plus this Christmas tree and some different particulars.
In Tokyo Disneyland, like the conventional present, Jingle Bell Jamboree jumps backwards and forwards between Japanese and English, with some songs in every language.
Melvin begins out the present by singing Rudolph the Pink-Nosed Reindeer (in Japanese), till Max objects, because it’s his music. Henry then interjects and begins the present.
Costumes and particulars are well-done for Jingle Bell Jamboree.
Gomer has his stocking hung from his piano, plus a pleasant winter coat and a Christmas tree on his piano.
Henry and Gomer do “Jingle Bells” to start the principle present.
That is the primary distinction within the present between the American and Japanese variations, because the retired US variations featured the duo singing a fast model of “It’s Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas” right here.
The 5 Bear Rugs seem for my favourite music within the present, “Tracks within the Snow.”
Even in Japanese, this can be a foot-tapper.
Oscar obtained a brand new teddy bear for Christmas.
He seems…blissful?
Subsequent, Wendell comes out together with his squirrel gun and sings the “12 Days of Christmas” earlier than taking pictures out the lights.
This is similar in each variations.
Here’s what I’d contemplate the primary attention-grabbing distinction. Trixie sings “Hibernating Blues” within the US model, which is a music about her love not being round for the vacations, and her wanting spring to return quickly.
Within the Japanese model, Trixie sings an indignant model of “Have Your self a Merry Little Christmas,” with strains about her having caught her lover sharing honey with another person, amongst different issues.
If Trixie’s music for Tokyo Disneyland was going to be in English, why not simply use “Hibernating Blues”? I can’t think about that it’s a matter of the viewers, as each songs are comparable in nature, though the Japanese model has a a lot harsher tone. Attention-grabbing, nonetheless.
In each variations, the 5 Bear Rugs comply with with “Deck the Halls.”
Liver Lips McGrowl sing Elvis’ “Rock and Roll Santa” in English subsequent (one other music that’s the identical in each variations).
Henry additionally offers some vocals on this.
That is adopted by Shaker, with a white coat of fur and looking out a bit like a polar bear, and his penguin singing “Blue Christmas.”
Tokyo Disneyland’s model is in Japanese, and the penguin performs a extra vital function. That is in all probability as a result of he’s an precise Audio Animatronics determine and isn’t caught in ice within the Tokyo Disneyland model. He interjects regular dialogue between verses, however I do not know what he’s saying.
The Solar Bonnets then sing “Sleigh Trip” in English, identical in each variations. That is accompanied by a cute little on-screen sleigh experience slide present.
“Hungry as a Bear” follows in each variations, in Japanese at Tokyo Disneyland. That is carried out by Ernest and the 5 Bear Rugs. It’s one other favourite of mine, and one other music that sounds good even in Japanese.
Subsequent is “The Christmas Tune” by Teddi Barra and Henry, sung in English in each variations. In a present that’s in any other case grounded in humor, this scene romanticizes Christmas, with moody lighting a snowfall in the course of the slow-paced music.
We’ve discovered the response of the Japanese viewers considerably humorous, as there’s generally a little bit of an audible response to Teddi Barra’s barely risque dialogue.
Huge Al’s efficiency is subsequent. Each variations function Huge Al in English; within the US he sings “One other New Yr,” and in Japan it’s “Auld Lang Syne.” The concept of Huge Al being bitter in direction of his spouse is the driving pressure behind each songs. Like Trixie, he’s extra unfavourable within the Japanese model.
Once more, I’m unsure why this variation was made. Each of those variations have much less to do with the brand new yr, and extra to do with Huge Al issues (#BigAlProblems ought to completely be a factor on Twitter). Enjoyable reality: the bottles of champagne scattered round Huge Al are labeled “Bear Mountain Bubbly.”
The complete solid (minus Ernest and Trixie who share the stage with different performers) finale concludes the present. Within the US, this was a “Let It Snow/Rudolph the Pink-Nosed Reindeer/Winter Wonderland” medley.
In Tokyo Disneyland, “Santa Claus is Coming to City” replaces “Let It Snow” within the medley. It’s in each English and Japanese.
Hope you loved this picture tribute to Nation Bear Christmas! I feel it actually is a superb present that provides the significantly under-appreciated Nation Bear Jamboree a pleasant bump for the vacations, and I’d like to see it return to Walt Disney World. Sadly, I don’t ever see that occuring, however you by no means know.
In case you have any details, information, or anecdotes about Nation Bear Christmas to share, I’d love to listen to them. Regardless of this exhibiting lasting into the 2000s, evidently not a complete lot is thought about past superficial stuff, and concrete legends about why it ended.
Planning a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort? For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea Journey Planning Information! For extra specifics, our TDR Resort Rankings & Evaluations web page covers lodging. Our Restaurant Evaluations element the place to dine & snack. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash publish. Our What to Pack for Disney publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. Venturing elsewhere in Japan? Seek the advice of our Final Information to Kyoto, Japan and Metropolis Information to Tokyo, Japan.
Your Ideas
Did you ever see Nation Bear Christmas in Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Does it nonetheless taking part in in Tokyo Disneyland make you need to take a Christmas journey there? Do you agree or disagree with our ideas on Jingle Bell Jamboree? Different ideas concerning the Nation Bears? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
