The History of The Hard Luck Bears at Fantasilandia, Chile

 The Hard Luck Bears (Show de Osos) - Fantasilandia (2001-"Now")

In the year 2000, after the closure of the Chilean amusement park Mundo Mágico, many of its attractions and assets were gradually transferred to Fantasilandia, a larger and more financially stable park under the same ownership.

Among the most notable elements relocated was the Hard Luck Bears animatronic show, originally created by Creative Engineering, Inc. (CEI). However, due to priority being placed on rides and major attractions from Mundo Mágico, the animatronics were placed in storage for nearly a year.

Mid-2001: Installation at Fantasilandia

By mid-2001, the Hard Luck Bears were finally installed at Fantasilandia, in a newly built theater located in the park’s Kid’s Zone (Villa Mágica). The show was rebranded with a new name: “Show de Osos” (“Bear Show”), replacing the earlier “Jamboree Show” name used during its run in Mundo Mágico.

While the new name was less imaginative, it marked a "fresh start" for the characters in their new home.

They played a custom show similar to the original IAAPA showtape, with new voices, names, and an overall modernized theme.

2010: Theater Closure and Visual Overhaul

In early 2010, the original theater was closed and converted into a fast food restaurant, offering items like burgers, pizza, and other classic park meals. With this change, the animatronics received a minor visual overhaul—albeit one poorly executed.

New masks were terribly made for the characters. Sadly, this redesign was far from flattering. The result gave the show a visually unpleasant and low-budget aesthetic.

Despite the disappointing visuals, the show remained operational. The performances now featured non-original songs, such as La Torre de Babel by Los Tres, played without any dubbing, only the original audio tracks were used. These songs were manually programmed into the show by the park staff.

2018: Temporary Removal and Retrofit by ManadaFX

In mid-2018, the show was removed for about six months. During this time, all animatronics (except Gooney Bird) were sent to ManadaFX, a Chilean company specializing in animatronics, puppetry, props, and set pieces for commercials and events.

I, (TheCrazy Bear), had the pleasure of speaking with the owner of ManadaFX a few years ago. He confirmed that Gooney Bird was never sent for refurbishment, possibly due to budget limitations or simple disinterest from Fantasilandia.

The remaining characters were given a unique and ambitious retrofit, transforming them from country-style bears into futuristic robots. Their bear-like appearance was discarded in favor of a sci-fi concept: the mechanical components were exposed, and each character was stylized as a cybernetic being. In my opinion, this creative reimagining had great potential—but unfortunately, it wasn’t used to its fullest.

Once the modifications were complete, the robots were reinstalled in the restaurant and continued performing in this new form.

2020–2023: Restaurant Remodel and Show Removal

Between the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023, the restaurant underwent another transformation. This time, it was remodeled and rebranded into a restaurant with an Asian food theme.

As part of this overhaul, the animatronic show was permanently shut down and removed. However, rather than being stored or scrapped, the characters were placed on static display, positioned on a raised platform next to a space-themed food truck inside the park. Though no longer animated, the characters remain visible to visitors (Allegedly not anymore).

A Rare Legacy

This installation holds tremendous historical significance. It is currently:

- The last remaining public Hard Luck Bears show in the world

-The final Hard Luck Bears show ever produced by Creative Engineering, Inc.

Even though the characters are now static and removed from their original context, their continued presence is a rare testament to CEI’s legacy. Few animatronic shows from that era have survived the test of time—let alone remained visible to the public.

To this day, I believe that the original CEI character cosmetics (masks, outfits, and fur) are still preserved by Fantasilandia. Based on information I’ve gathered, they are stored on-site, but the park has no current intention of selling or exhibiting them. I hope to explore this topic further in an upcoming video on TheCrazy Bear channel.

Fantasilandia’s version of the Hard Luck Bears might have changed over the years, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, but their existence today is a powerful reminder of the impact these animatronic characters once had, and still have, on fans of all ages.