Disneyland to rename Critter Country after 35 years

(NEXSTAR) – Disneyland is giving Critter Country a new name this holiday season.

Coinciding with the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure on Nov. 15, the area formerly known as Critter Country will be renamed Bayou Country in keeping with the theme of the ride, according to Disneyland.

“Bayou Country is situated on the edge of New Orleans Square with shady trees, mesmerizing music and a vast collection of enchanting surprises. Guests will discover a land filled with friendly woodland animals, from a trumpet-playing gator and an adorable bear who craves honey to a musical cast of bears, frogs, and other critters,” a Disney Parks Blog said.

Critter Country at Disneyland had temporarily closed on May 1, 2024, to make way for updates to restaurants and attractions within the area. Among them, Disneyland had announced plans to overhaul The Hungry Bear Restaurant, transform a store called The Briar Patch into Ray’s Berets, and, most notably, prepare for the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in the former space where Splash Mountain operated.

“While some areas may open earlier, we look forward to welcoming you officially to Bayou Country when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens on Nov. 15,” reads a message posted to the Disney Parks Blog.

Critter Country itself was previously known as Bear Country upon opening in 1972, when it was home to the Country Bear Jamboree at the Anaheim resort. The area was renamed “Critter Country” just ahead of Splash Mountain’s opening in 1989.

Bear Country, meanwhile, was a replacement for an area once known as Indian Village, which operated in the early years of the park and throughout the ’60s, as previously reported by The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.

“From 1955 to 1970, the Frontierland Indian Village was staffed by living, breathing Native Americans; after a labor dispute, they were replaced with Audio-Animatronic animals singing country music,” the L.A. Times noted in 1986, during a look back at the park’s first three decades in operation.

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