The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh

April 2003 – present

LOCATION

Critter Country – When you reach the Hungry Bear Restaurant, take a left and continue on the main path. You will see the entrance to The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh on the right, across from the fast pass return for Splash Mountain.

BACKGROUND

Disneyland first considered adding Winnie the Pooh to the park in the 1970’s, but he never made an appearance, even after the big Fantasyland expansion in 1983. When Mickey’s Toontown began construction, Imagineers designed a Pooh-themed ride similar to the Mad Tea Party, with spinning honey pots, but the plan was ultimately scrapped in favor of Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin. For the next ten years, there was no further mention of Winnie the Pooh, and it seemed as though he would never find a home in Disneyland.

Ultimately, when Walt Disney World and Disneyland Tokyo opened Winnie the Pooh rides, the pressure was on for Disneyland to follow suit. Since there was no room for Pooh in Fantasyland, Disney decided to put him in Critter Country, replacing the Country Bear Jamboree. Today Winnie the Pooh and friends have found a home in Critter Country, and often join Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox for character meet and greets.

EXPERIENCE

Details:

• Single Rider Line – no
• Fast Pass – no
• Height Requirement – none
• Duration – 3:20

Guests joining Pooh on his adventures begin their journey by loading into a beehive, taking off for Hundred Acre Wood. It’s a blistery day in the Wood, and Pooh and friends float and blow in the wind until it starts to rain. Pooh snuggles up in the rain and eats too much honey, and when he falls asleep, guests are swept away into his dream. The next scenes features extremely bright colors and loud music, until Piglet wakes Pooh up from his dream so everyone can celebrate his birthday. The ride ends with the characters throwing Pooh a party, and everyone cheers as guests leave the ride and return to the loading area.

MY RATING: ★☆☆☆☆

There’s something off with the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t really have that feeling of Disney magic like its fellow dark rides. Little kids will definitely enjoy it, as the ride features the whole gang: Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Owl, and Rabbit. But unlike the other dark rides in the park, Winnie the Pooh isn’t really enjoyable for older audiences. If you plan on taking photos with the characters, Winnie the Pooh is worth seeing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t worry about skipping it.

VISITING TIPS

There is never a bad time to visit this ride, because there is almost never anyone in line. The longest I have waited to board, even during the peak holiday season, is five minutes. I like to stop by while I am drying off after Splash Mountain, but it’s also fun to go right before meeting Pooh, Tigger, or Eeyore, who are usually hanging out in Critter Country. If The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a must-see for your family, visit before sunset. On lighter crowd days, this ride sometimes closes early.

TRIVIA

Winnie the Pooh sits on the original site of the Country Bear Jamboree, and you can still see a few critters from the Jamboree hidden inside. As you are leaving the room with the Heffalumps and entering the birthday room, turn around and look up. You will see the busts of Max, Buff, and Melvin.

This ride consistently has the lowest attendance of any ride in the park. Some Disney enthusiasts blame its location, and others don’t think it measures up to the other dark rides in Disneyland.

The scene where Pooh floats away into his dream uses the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect, a reflective projection technique most frequently used in the Haunted Mansion.