Country Bear escapes, terrorizes Magic Kingdom guests

The Jamboree will be closed for the near future as the bear restraints are inspected and upgraded.

WALT DISNEY WORLD, FL — The Magic Kingdom’s beloved Country Bear Jamboree will be closed after one of the bears got loose, frightening guests and causing much of the park to close for several hours on Monday.

The Jamboree, a musical revue featuring singing and instrument-playing by live bears (and which recently added an adults-only nighttime show), has often come under criticism. Animal rights activists protest the use of live animals in entertainment; family groups have objected to the adult theming and danger to small children; and average guests complain because the show, while cute, hasn’t been entertaining since the late 1970’s.

Fortunately, the escaped bear was captured within a few hours on Monday, and only mauled two or three guests. Sources say they were annual passholders who had just reupped their passes, so thankfully the company isn’t out too much money.

Are there any other guests you’d like to have mauled by a bear? Let us know in the comments below!

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Cover photo: It was Little Buford, wasn’t it? We bet it was Little Buford. Photo by Loren Javier [CC BY-ND 2.0] via Flickr..