Get ready for a fun show with Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl, Bullseye the Horse, Stinky Pete the Prospector, and, of course, Woody himself.

The Golden Horseshoe Saloon is a music hall from the days of the Wild West. Today it’s also a TV studio—but not a modern studio. You’ve gone back in time to the early days of television, when children were glued to their big televisions with tiny black-and-white-screens, watching shows like Howdy Doody and Time for Beany.

You’re just in time for the live broadcast of Woody’s Roundup. Your announcer and stage manager is Wilson Netherspoon, who introduces you to the cast of characters. There’s also Tex Tumbleweed, who provides music and sound effects.

Pay attention while Mr. Netherspoon instructs you how to respond to the applause sign—you’re supposed to applaud and cheer.

Here’s the story: Jessie was chasing evil cattle rustlers, and now finds herself trapped in a cave by an avalanche. Who will rescue Jessie? Sheriff Woody and his trusty horse Bullseye, of course.

But it’s not so easy. No matter how hard Woody tries, he can’t clear the boulders that have trapped Jessie. The story needs a happy ending, but time is running out.

A backstage arm—belonging to Buzz Lightyear—hands a jackhammer to Woody. With this useful though incongruous tool, Woody is able to free Jessie. Hey Howdy Hey!

Do you want to see more of Woody and Buzz? Then head over to Yester-Tomorrowland for the Toy Story Funhouse.

Cowboy Crunchies—they’re better than a bale of hay!

In November 1999, The All-New Woody’s Roundup stage show opened at Disneyland’s venerable Golden Horseshoe Saloon. Also in November 1999, the Disney/Pixar release Toy Story 2 opened in movie theaters throughout the United States.

In Toy Story 2, Woody discovers that he was the star of a 1950s TV show, Woody’s Roundup. The movie included a partial episode from this fictional TV show. The show at Disneyland was based on Woody’s TV show. A particularly clever touch was that the characters on stage were in black and white while performing the black-and-white TV episode.

Although there were, of course, no television studios in the real Wild West, the show didn’t seem out-of-place in Frontierland. Sheriff Woody and the other Woody’s Roundup characters were a 1950s interpretation of the Old West—just like Disneyland’s Frontierland.

The final performance of The All-New Woody’s Roundup was on July 17, 2000, the 45th anniversary of the televised opening event of Disneyland—and, surprisingly, exactly three months before the scheduled October 17 video and DVD release of Toy Story 2.

When The All-New Woody’s Roundup left, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, a talented, comedic bluegrass band returned to the Golden Horseshoe. Billy Hill had been relegated to an outdoor stage at the Big Thunder Barbecue during Woody’s 8-month gig. The Golden Horseshoe Variety Show (not to be confused with the classic Golden Horseshoe Revue) also returned. In comparison to Woody’s short stay at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, the original Golden Horseshoe Revue ran for over 31 years—1955 until 1986.

Halloween Carnival McDonald’s in Frontierland Home

© 2009-2017 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks

Updated May 20, 2017.

Photograph of the line for Woody’s Roundup: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of the Woody’s Roundup poster: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of announcer and Jessie: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of Woody’s Roundup with “Applause” sign: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of the Woody and Bullseye: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of Woody’s Roundup with “Hey Howdy Hey” sign: 2000 by Werner Weiss.
Photograph of the Billy Hill & the Hillbillies: 2006 by Werner Weiss.