Critter Country at Disneyland California
You'll find Splash Mountain, plus Winnie Pooh & friends in this shady, rustic area of Disneyland!
In the slide show above, you're looking at pictures of Critter Country at Disneyland Park! As you can tell from the photos, Critter Country is Disneyland's home of Winnie the Pooh and his friends. You'll also see pictures of Splash Mountain in the slides. Splash Mountain's log flume is one of the most popular rides in the entire park! On the rest of this page, you'll get details about both Splash Mountain and Winnie Pooh & Friends, as well as other attractions you'll enjoy in the Critter Country themed area of Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Back in the farthest corner of Disneyland Park, you'll discover the enchanting, "animal and nature" oriented Critter Country themed area.Critter Country is the home of Winnie the Pooh---and you'll find several activities featuring Pooh and his friends here. You can ride Winnie the Pooh's indoor dark ride...in your own "beehive" shaped car. You can shop for Winnie the Pooh-and-friends themed merchandise in a store devoted to shirts, hats, jackets, mugs, and other souvenirs bearing their images. And---very popular with toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids---is the area of Critter Country where you'll be able to meet 'n' greet your favorite Pooh characters!
Critter Country is also the home of the extremely popular Disneyland ride, Splash Mountain. Come early for this attraction---it's so popular that the daily allotment of Fast Passes often run out by mid-afternoon!
Discover information about these attractions, and more as you read through this page. Enjoy your visit to Disneyland Park's "Critter Country!"
Splash Mountain ride: Critter Country's most popular attraction
Both fun AND scenic, Splash Mountain is easily the most popular ride in Critter Country at Disneyland California.The Splash Mountain ride is themed around the little-known Disney movie, "Song of the South," which was based on the Uncle Remus stories from days gone by.
This water flume ride winds through a beautiful man-made mountain as riders float past scenes from stories featuring Brer Bear, Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and their friends. First, you'll be hoisted up into the mountain, and then gravity takes over...and down you go! For the most part, you'll feel a gentle "bobbing" action as your "log" ride car lets you float downstream. But then...there ARE a few steep drops that'll set you screaming---and THAT'S why the Splash Mountain ride is so popular!
In fact, at the end of the ride you'll take a final plunge into a splashdown pool below---and THAT drop will take your breath away! (It's ALSO where the camera takes your photo as you scream! You can look at your gaping mouth afterwards in the photo shop at the end of the ride.)
The queuing area for this ride winds through the interior of the man-made mountain that you see in these photos. It's scenic inside, and it's air-cooled to help you feel more comfortable on warm summer days.
This ride also has a Fast Pass option...although, the passes can run out on a busy summer day. Once, I tried getting a Fast Pass on a busy summer day around 3 p.m. only to find out that they were already gone---THAT EARLY in the day!
Fortunately, this ride often allows Single Riders a front-of-line privilege. This is a great idea because the "log" ride cars used to leave the boarding area half-full sometimes---because the next party in line didn't want to "split up" between 2 logs. With the Single Rider feature, empty spaces don't go unfilled, and the entire line moves along faster.
The log ride cars themselves are a bit tricky to board---because they're floating and bobbing around, even while sitting still at the dock. Two persons sit together in each section of the car, and these 2 people had better know each other pretty well, because the rider in front sits "nested" in the open legs of the rider behind!
There is a minimum height requirement of 40" to board Splash Mountain. Children under the age of 8 years must be accompanied by an adult. Guests in wheelchairs should enter via the exit. Note: a transfer into the wobbly "log" ride vehicle is required.
Critter Country Attractions: Davy Crockett Canoes
In front of the Splash Mountain ride sits the whimsical sign that you see in the photo to your right, welcoming you to this rustic, "nature and her creatures" themed area of the park.When you enter Critter Country at Disneyland California, this sign will be on your LEFT. Let that be a clue for you to start looking for the Davy Crockett Canoes, which will soon be on your RIGHT.
The canoes themselves sit down on the water of the man-made river---and they're hidden from the path by an embankment. Many people don't find the canoes because of this.
The Davy Crockett Canoes have been at the park since the early days---back when burro trains, stage coaches, and Conestoga wagons gave rides to the visitors, as well. Only the Davy Crockett Canoes have survived.
In fact, it's the only ride at Disneyland Park to have been in 3 different "lands"---without ever having moved from its spot! When the park opened, it was in Frontierland. In the '70's, New Orleans Square debuted, and the canoes then got a new "home." Finally, when "Critter Country" opened, the canoes found themselves in still another section of the park!
The attendants at this attraction help to make this a funny as well as memorable experience. They're a fun-loving bunch, apt to crack a joke or two. And, never have attendants been so needed on a ride! They have to train the guests how to use the paddles, then get them all working together to propel the craft forward.
Yes indeed---this ride works on muscle power alone! And, if you're out of shape, like I am, your muscles will really "feel" this ride! But, try the canoes anyway. It's a really great experience that touches the heart. You'll realize that the pioneers before us actually traveled this way---and it helps you to feel a connection with the past.
The Davy Crockett Canoes close at dusk. Guest in wheelchairs enter via the exit; a transfer into the canoe is required.
Critter Country at Disneyland California: Home of Winnie the Pooh!
After leaving the Davy Crockett Canoes and heading further into Critter Country at Disneyland California, you'll next come to the Hungry Bear Restaurant. On the top level, you'll find the service counter and a selection of hamburgers and sandwiches from which you can order.On the lower level of the restaurant, you'll find the "overflow" seating area for the Hungry Bear Restaurant...which is often empty. This shaded area makes a nice place to stop and rest. You can sit at water-level and watch the canoes take off from their dock...which is exactly where I shot the canoe photos that you saw above.
Critter Country's large restrooms are also on the Hungry Bear Restaurant's lower level...so large that you'll never be waiting, even on a busy summer day!
The newest ride in Critter Country at Disneyland California centers around the Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Children adore this indoor dark ride. Families board ride cars shaped like beehives...because, of course, Winnie the Pooh is famous for liking honey.
As you ride along, you'll see scenes of Winnie the Pooh and his friends going about their various antics.
The thing that I, personally, don't like about this ride is that Winnie the Pooh is an ENDEARING sort of character....and yet, the artwork in this ride is often garish and loudly painted. In other words, the artwork is gaudy and NOT endearing.
Hopefully, you'll enjoy the ride and won't get the same, negative impression that I do. Kids will enjoy the ride, nevertheless.
Costumed Disney Characters you can meet in Critter Country
Critter Country in Disneyland California is "Character Central" for Winnie the Pooh and his friends. You will ALWAYS get to meet and greet either Winnie the Pooh, Tigger or Eeyore...and often all three!In this first photo, of course, you see that lovable, melancholy character, Eeyore, as he greets my daughter and granddaughter in Critter Country.
And on your right is a picture of the endearing, huggable Winnie the Pooh himself, as he gives my granddaughter a big hug.
And, in the image on your left, here's the bubbly Tigger, clowning around for the camera...just as his effervescent character in the Pooh movies and A.A. Milne books might have done!
Here's a photo tip: Tall, mature shade trees abound in Critter Country at Disneyland California. Be sure to have batteries on hand, because you'll need to use FLASH for most of your photos here. If you don't have a flash unit on your camera, the best lighting in this section of the park occurs around mid-morning to early afternoon, when the position of the sun lets a few beams filter through the trees. The natural lighting in the later afternoon and early evening is abysmal for photo taking in this area.
Shopping in Critter Country at Disneyland California
Critter Country at Disneyland California is certainly the place to get your Winnie the Pooh merchandise! A large store adjacent to the exit of the Winnie-the-Pooh ride features clothing, toys and sundries emblazoned with images of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit, Kanga and their friends.
You'll also find a selection of tast-tempting sweet treats here. They're made before your very eyes by costumed employees.
On your right, you see a colorful selection of candy-covered apples and pretzel sticks---but the selection at the store is certainly much wider than this.
Throughout the Pooh store, you'll see adorable themed decorations featuring Winnie and all his friends, such as this cute decoration in the photo on your left.
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