The area now known as Critter Country was originally named Indian Village. From 1956–1971, this section of Frontierland featured Native American shows and attractions, including the Indian War Canoes. The area was rebuilt as Disneyland's seventh themed land, Bear Country, which opened on March 4, 1972. The new four-acre land, Disneyland's first major expansion since the 1969 opening of The Haunted Mansion, cost $8 million to build. Located in the northwest quadrant of the park, Bear Country was themed to the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Country Bear Jamboree, which opened three weeks later, was the new land's centerpiece attraction.. Bear Country was also home to the Golden Bear Lodge, an eatery which was renamed Hungry Bear Restaurant in 1977, the Mile Long Bar refreshment center, Teddi Barra's Swingin' Arcade, and Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes. Bear Country was renamed Critter Country in 1988 in anticipation of Splash Mountain's January 1989 opening. Critter Country was inspired by a quote from the 1946 film Song of the South: "Where the folks are closer to the critters and the critters are closer to the folks." The land maintained some of its bear themes while incorporating other critters with their huts, nests, and burrows scattered throughout. Some of the land's shops were renamed to de-emphasize the bear presence; for example, Ursus H. Bear's Wilderness Outpost became Crocodile Mercantile. The Country Bear Jamboreeclosed in 2001 and was replaced two years later by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. On roofs of buildings, such as the Briar Patch Store, there are small-scale critter houses of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. Various types of trees have been planted to create a forestry atmosphere. Critter Country is somewhat small when compared to Disneyland's larger lands. This westernmost area features a single pathway that wraps around the footprint of Splash Mountain, starting near the Haunted Mansion and terminating in a series of shops nestled against the Splash Mountain show building. In October 2016, the area closed temporarily. Critter Country reopened on November 4, 2016. On June 25 2020, Disney announced that they will be reworking Splash Mountain to a new ride based on the 2009 animated filmThe Princess and the Frog. The project had been in discussion since 2019 and is being overseen by Walt Disney Imagineer Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter with help from Splash Mountain's original creator, Tony Baxter.
When Splash Mountain opened at Tokyo Disneyland, Critter Country was specifically created for it. The only other attraction in this area is Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes. Because of the land's small size and the popularity of Splash Mountain, Critter Country is extremely crowded throughout the day. The Country Bear Jamboree is located in Westernland.
