Netflix Adds Brother Bear 2

Disney's direct-to-video sequel, Brother Bear 2 has arrived on Netflix.

After the recent flood of great classic Disney animation onto the digital streaming service, today's addition certainly seems anticlimactic all by its lonesome, but it's better than nothing. At least I hope it is...I haven't seen it yet. But--hey--It's gotta be better than Cinderella 2.

Beware of Gloating Wildlife

Could this be the most blunt sign in Disneyland? Once you've hiked all the way to Critter Country to see Splash Mountain, odds are good you're going to find yourself tired, hot and thinking of snacks. There aren't a lot of dining options in this remote cul-de-sac, and as you head up the ramp to the Hungry Bear Restaurant, the first thing you see is this smug little tree muncher rubbing your predicament in your face, as if envisioning his share of the profits.

I  like the concept of the animals finding ways to profit from human visitors. Disney should install related carvings throughout Critter Country; A troupe of opportunity-seizing entrepreneurial  critters could be a great way to tie the whole area together.

DCA's Brother Bear Tribute

Can you name these two? Kenai and Koda, from the strange, moose-infested Disney animated film Brother Bear, stand watch near the entrance to DCA's Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. The outdoor play/adventure zone, full of rope bridges and rock climbs, has shifted its focus to Dug and Russell from Up, but this life-size statue still stands as a silent tribute to Disney's moderately successful and somewhat forgotten animated tale of the hunter who gets turned into a bear.

With the release of Pixar's Brave (I film I love), the Walt Disney Company made history by becoming the only studio on Earth to have released two animated films -- within a decade of each other -- about a human turning into a bear. Thankfully, both movies turned out pretty great.

Pooh Corner: One Wonderfully Strange Candy Shop

If your New Year's resolutions include cutting back on chocolate and sugar, Pooh's not going to be much help in that department, especially inside the doors of the Pooh Corner candy shop. Located diabolica -- I mean, conveniently adjacent to the exit to Pooh's dark ride in Critter Country, it carries the surreal theme of the ride's Heffalumps and Woozles nightmare over into a much sunnier interpretation. Here, the bear and some mischievous heffa-bees turn treat shopping into one big, giddy avalanche of Hunny Pot Krispy Treats, Marshmallow Tigger Tails, season-themed fudge and more cookies and candy choices than you can shake a thistle at.

This spot used to be the Mile Long Bar. I miss seeing Max, Buff and Melvin on the wall, but I do love this shop's crazy decor.

A Feral Cat Christmas (with Fish Heads & Crumbs)

The Hungry Bear Restaurant marks the farthest point of guest access along Disneyland's riverbank. From there on, it's pure Anaheim wilderness, full of mecha-moose, electric elk, and some for-real wildlife, such as the park's hidden feral cat colony, which we've visited before.

If you spot feral cats in the park in real life, it's best to leave the cute critters alone. In a comic strip world, however...well...Happy Holidays, and here's Fish Heads & Crumbs...

Pooh's Pots Perfectly Posed

It's a bright afternoon in Critter Country, a land where frontier legends, southern folklore and British literature share the same bit of real estate. It's also a place where little creek-dwelling critters probably step out through their tiny front doors to pick up the morning paper, glance across the creek, and curse about a certain bear who never cleans up after himself.

The creek in 2012

Speaking of the creek, if we compare the above photo with a shot I took in 1975...

The creek in 1975 during the Bear Country era

...we can see two very different approaches to theming. When the land was called Bear Country, guests entered a naturalistic, rustic setting. Fantasy existed there, but folks had to seek it out by crossing a covered bridge to enter the Country Bears' domain.

Both approaches have their advantages. Although I loved the Pre-Pooh days when the area felt like an outpost village with a backstory, I have to admit that A.A. Milne's little bear certainly makes a lot of families very, very happy.

I do miss the Country Bears a lot, but at least I can still grab a peaceful riverside table at the Hungry Bear Restaurant (where the food's better than ever). And, before I leave the area, I can still visit that little steadfast creek that's flowed past so many changes...

Disneyland's Mysterious Feral Cats (and Fish Heads & Crumbs)

They're elusive, they're quick, and they know a good home when they see it! They're the Feral Cats of Disneyland.

It's always a nice surprise to spot one of the park's uninvited-but-tolerated feline residents. The lower level of the Hungry Bear restaurant, near the river, is one of the more reliable places to see one of Figaro's wild relatives. Remember, though; look, don't touch. 'Cause, y'know, they're feral.

As it turns out, today's comic strip is -- for once -- in tune with the post. It's Feral Cat Day! 

Click to Enlarge

Grizzly River's Bear With No Name

This gigantic bear, all geared up for white water escapades, silently guards the entry to Grizzly River Run at Disney California Adventure.

It's an impressive sculpture, and a puzzling one; considering all the time, effort and talent that went into its creation, it's odd that the bear has no name, no backstory (beyond his gear), no merchandising presence, and -- as a result -- little impact on guests' memories of DCA.

Then again, when DCA first opened, the 2001 powers-that-be aimed for the park to be as unlike Disneyland as possible, and that extended to a lack of Disney characters or traditional storytelling. Our grizzly friend here might have fallen victim to that somewhat pixie-dust-free approach to park design.

Today's DCA bursts with charm, personality and Disney/Pixar characters. I say it's time to give this wonderful statue a name, a backstory, and some more visibility as a character on the ride itself and on the park merchandise. He's a white-water-rafting grizzly bear in a Disney park! Someone in charge needs to let the Imagineers and product designers go wild with the concept.

The Pooh Effect: Why Disneyland Needs a New Audioanimatronic Show

Critter Country's dark ride, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, features one of Disneyland's best attraction entries. To long-time fans, the structure's also a bit heartbreaking, for this lovely covered bridge once led to the Country Bear Jamboree.

Walt Disney World lost its Mr. Toad ride to Pooh. Disneyland lost the Country Bears.

For many Disneyland fans, the decision to gut two technologically miraculous audioanimatronic theaters (Disneyland had two identical Country Bear theaters for double capacity) to build a C-ticket dark ride seemed -- to put it nicely -- short-sighted. And, no, hiding Max, Buff and Melvin in the ride as an Easter egg for fans didn't help things...well, okay, maybe it helped a little.

That's all DL history now, and nothing's going to bring the Country Bears back to Disneyland. Pooh's a cute dark ride with a (usually) very short line and a lovely inherited covered bridge.

Looking forward, however, I hope the powers-that-be at Disneyland address a certain issue: since the Bear's departure, the park completely lacks the magic of a large-scale audioanimatronic stage show. The Bears, Carousel of Progress and the later America Sings used to be a huge part of the Disneyland experience -- a special layer of wonderment that now only exists on a smaller scale in the excellent Enchanted Tiki Room and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Disneyland Resort could use a big new audioanimatronic show; it's the type of attraction that only Disney can pull off at that level of excellence, and younger west coast fans have never seen one.

And now I'm suddenly looking across the Esplanade toward Cars Land, and picturing how awesome it would be to have a musical automobile review with the Radiator Springs crew performing hits from the 50's and 60's....I'd be first in line.

WDW 1993: Splash Mountain Signage & Statues

We're temporarily moving from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom for this bit of our 1993 tour, to check out a few wonderful exterior details around Splash Mountain. All these elements are still present in 2012, but fans may be able to spot the differences between then and now.

Here's the statue of Brer Fox, Brer Bear and Brer Rabbit as it appeared in '93, with a natural-looking finish.

And Brer Rabbit looks for adventure atop one of the best signposts on earth.

We've discussed before which resort's Splash Mountain we find superior (Spoiler: It's WDW's). More focused storytelling was one factor that swung the vote.

I wish we'd spent more time in the Magic Kingdom back in '93. In our defense, though, this group of Disneyland regulars just couldn't stay away from Epcot for more than half a day!

More from 1993 WDW soon!

Time Machine: The Mark Twain Dressed for the 50th

We're hopping back to 2005 this time, just to sit at the Hungry Bear Restaurant and watch the Mark Twain chug by in its Fiftieth Birthday finery.

This picture was taken well into Disneyland's celebration year, and the bunting on the Twain's prow looks a bit rumpled, but that's all right.  It's still a beautiful, steam-powered marvel.