Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood...

Christopher Robin invites you to take a seat, deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, as he remembers a magical story from the world of Winnie the Pooh and friends!

A colourful rainbow arcs across the Hundred Acre Wood, and the whole team set off on another grand adventure - a brave expedition to the end of the rainbow, where anyone's wishes can come true!  After stumbling into the Heffalump forest, however, the sky turns dark and Winnie is left alone in the forest on his own...

Thanks to the courage and help of Piglet, however, Winnie is reunited with the rest of the gang and they're reminded by Christopher Robin that they already have everything they could ever wish for, together, as friends.

The Show

The cosy interior of Fantasyland Festival Stage has been transformed into a leafy grove of the Hundred Acre Wood.

Once upon a time...

...when Christopher Robin was a young boy, he spent hours reading and dreaming of life in the Hundred Acre Wood.  It was here that he shared many adventures with all of his friends, but most of all a silly old bear named... Winnie the Pooh!  Christopher Robin's dreams burst into life, and in the cloud of dreams Winnie the Pooh and all his friends dance and sing together the classic theme song.

Today, Christopher Robin is telling one of his most favourite tales.  It all begins early one morning in the Hundred Acre Wood, as Pooh tries and tries to think of what he should be doing.  Gopher pops up out of the ground to see what's going on. "Think! Think! Think!" says Winnie.  That's it - it's exercise time!  Up, down, touch the ground - everyone is invited to join in the exercises and prepare themselves for a feast of honey!

Piglet runs into the clearing, alarmed by the giant, multicoloured arch soaring up into the sky behind Winnie.  It seems to be some sort of rainbow-y thing, says Winnie.  He recounts a tale told to him by Christopher Robin once upon a time that described how, if you find the end of a rainbow, all your dreams come true!  Piglet launches into a lively musical dance, dreaming of being brave and strong, with Christopher Robin getting all the audience involved.  And then it's decided - they should go on an expedition to the end of the rainbow!  Winnie and Piglet run off into the forest to gather their friends...

Adventure is a wonderful thing!

Rabbit leaves his wheelbarrow and gets everyone organised right away.  Tigger bounces on stage in his trouncy, flouncy, pouncy way and springs around the woodland upon hearing of the expedition.  With a spring in his step and a special top hat, he gathers the whole group (even Rabbit!) in a foot-kicking, hat-tipping musical number about being the only Tigger and his dream of finding his family.

Is someone missing?  Always the last to hear of any grand adventure, Eeyore ambles into the clearing and placidly accepts the invitation to join the expedition.  With everyone together, they head off on their grand adventure, singing "Adventurrrre, is a wonderful thing!" and marching through the woods without a care in the world...

Be a very wary bear!

Suddenly, everything gets darker.  The trees turn a ghostly blue and Rabbit isn't sure which way to go!  Through the Heffalump forest, the map says?  If you're sure...

Fog swirls around, the spiny trees grab towards them and the brightly coloured, confusing Heffalump Forest envelops them all.  Before they know it, the Heffalumps have taken hold!  All the friends are being pulled and grabbed by Hefflump trunks, as the chanting of their eerie song echoes through the forest!  With all the panic over, the friends run home right away, without realising that they've left someone behind...

Wherever you are...

Cold and alone, lonely and lost, Winnie the Pooh hides in a safe corner of the forest and wishes to be found by his friends.  "Wherever you are, come and find me" he sings, as he slowly drifts off to sleep in the blue moonlight of the deserted forest.

As the other characters search in vain around the edge of the forest, Christopher Robin helps Piglet to have the courage to explore further, with a second triumphant performance of his new, heroic song.  With a little bit of courage, Pooh is found in a few short seconds!  As they all return home to enjoy a lavish tea party and a spot of Tiggerific bouncing, they all realise they have everything they could ever wish for right there, with their friends.  Winnie even gets his dream honey pot!

And all the friends lived happily ever after, in the Hundred Acre Wood.

The Music

This brand new show, partly adapted from the previous Royal Castle Stage version, features an almost entirely altered musical score.  New songs have been introduced such as Pooh's solo "Wherever You Are" and the Heffalump theme, and it has all been joined together with brand new soundtrack pieces by Vasile Sirli (Disneyland Resort Paris Musical Director) and the Disneyland Resort Paris music studio.

The show even features an entirely new Winnie the Pooh song, sung by Piglet.  His theme, where he describes how he dreams of being big and strong, was created by Vasile Sirli just for this show and was first released on the 15th Anniversary CD Album in several alternate versions.

History

This version of Winnie the Pooh and Friends, Too premiered in 2006, put together by Disneyland Resort Paris Creative Entertainment as a fulltime replacement for the old, outdoor Royal Castle Stage version.  Rumours had been circulating for a number of years that the "silly old bear" could make a move between the Fantasyland theatres to allow him to enjoy adventures independent of the weather, and January 2006 saw show directory Katy Harris confirm that she was working on an adaptation of the show in Annual Passport magazine, Envie de +.

The old show at Le Théâtre du Château premiered in Spring 1998 as part of the park's 'Year of Disney Classics'. It replaced the former show, Le Livre Magique de Mickey, which had been presented since the park's inauguration. Following Winnie's departure, the stage is now used for Princess meetings.

The Fantasy Festival Stage show proved to be far more than a simple indoor adaptation, with a brand new storyline featuring new sets, musical numbers, lighting, puppetry and special effects.

The show returned in December 2006 for Disney's Christmas Season, the Hundred Acre Wood being given a dusting of Christmas magic for the occasion with snow, blue fairylights and a special themed storyline which sees the friends hunt for Santa Clause rather than the end of a rainbow.