Overnight, Country Bear Jamboree Structure Removed From Magic Kingdom Florida

As of May 13, a piece of Country Bear Jamboree history is gone from Magic Kingdom Park.

Big Al Vanishes From the Skyline

Guests arriving at Magic Kingdom Park on Wednesday, May 13, found something missing from the streetscape of Frontierland.

The sign above Big Al’s merchandise kiosk — including the sculptural likeness of the Country Bear Jamboree’s most endearing underachiever — had been removed from above the construction walls surrounding the site overnight. WDW News Today documented the change, sharing this photo of the construction area where the sign once presided over one of Frontierland’s most trafficked corners:

The chimney of the original structure is still visible for now, but it won’t be for long. The full building is slated for demolition as construction on Piston Peak National Park continues to accelerate through Frontierland. Walt Disney World Resort has moved quickly to erase any digital trace of the location as well. Big Al’s has been removed from the resort’s official website, the My Disney Experience app, and the paper maps handed out at Magic Kingdom Park’s entrance.

Demolition at the site had already begun on Tuesday, just one day after the kiosk served its final Magic Kingdom Park guests following 55 years in continuous operation.

From Ticket Booth to Country Bear Jamboree Staple

The structure being dismantled this week has been part of the fabric of Magic Kingdom since the very beginning. When the original Central Florida Disney park opened in 1971, the building functioned as a ticket booth.

Over the decades, it shifted purposes before landing on its most recent identity in 1989, when it was converted into a merchandise location themed to the Country Bear Jamboree next door and christened Big Al’s in honor of the show’s perpetually flat-noted bear.

Big Al himself isn’t going anywhere; the character remains a fixture of the Frontierland entertainment lineup. In 2024, the audio-animatronic show was reimagined and relaunched as Country Bear Musical Jamboree, with Big Al and his bandmates now performing country-Western reinterpretations of classic Disney songs.

Frontierland’s Biggest Transformation Ever

The loss of Big Al’s kiosk is one piece of a demolition and construction effort that has been reshaping Frontierland on a scale the park has never seen before. The project traces back to the summer of 2025, when Walt Disney World Resort permanently closed Tom Sawyer Island, the Rivers of America, and the Liberty Square Riverboat, clearing enormous swaths of Frontierland and Liberty Square to make room for Piston Peak National Park.

The Cars (2006)-inspired area is designed around the visual identity of America’s national park system and will bring two brand-new experiences to Magic Kingdom Park’s Frontierland: a rally race thrill ride and a family-friendly attraction introducing Park Ranger J. Autobahn Woodlore, a character created specifically for the expansion. Both are distinct from anything currently offered at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park.

Tom Sawyer Island has already been leveled, the Rivers of America drained and cleared, and active construction is well underway across the footprint. The Westward Ho snack kiosk near the former Big Al’s location is also expected to come down as the project continues to claim more of the surrounding area.

Have you noticed any other changes at Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort? Share your story with Disney Tips in the comments!