Please don't spend money on this.

Better Late Then Never

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Blistering performances.

This said, I don't really consider Welcome to Pooh Corner as just a "kids" show. It is just a wonderful show, that appeals to both kids and adults.I loved the colourful settings/sceneries, and all the characters apart from perhaps Roo occasionally all look convincing. The songs are simply fabulous, the melodies are inspired are the lyrics are relate-able and delightfully droll.Welcome to Pooh Corner was also superbly written, with original thoughtfully-written story lines with interesting and important lessons and the dialogue humorous and charming.All the characters are engaging and have distinct personalities, and the voice acting is consistently good particularly Hal Smith(for me the best Pooh voice after Sterling Holloway) as Pooh.Overall, a wonderful show and one of the best "kids"(though adults will find much to like about it too) shows there ever was. 10/10 Bethany Cox

When Disney was blazing the trails of the relatively new cable market, "WELCOME TO POOH CORNER" was the cornerstone on which the young channel survived. The show itself is borrowed from a 1930s Americanized version of Pooh stories which were first performed by the then famous, Sue Hastings Marionettes, at Radio City Music Hall, in New York. That was when audiences heard Pooh's voice for the very first time. newly adapted from Milne's text. For the next twenty years or so, Ms. Hastings and her marionettes, under license from Stephen Slesinger, Inc., performed Winnie the Pooh at Children's Theatres around the country and for many prominent children's charitable events. In 1946 a filmed version of the marionette shows was aired on experimental television in New York City. Slesinger chose marionettes to dramatize Milne's stories and verses, principally because animation was too costly. Apparently Disney chose this medium for the same reason when launching the Disney Channel. The rights to perform Pooh on television was licensed to Disney in 1961 and in 1983 by Stephen Slesinger, Inc. who still owns those underlying rights, among other media and trade rights.Evident within the textural composition of each episode of "Welcome to Pooh Corner" is a younger and more comfortable Disney Company as well. These shows were produced just before the company was propelled to the front lines of the mega media conglomerates. But their charm still shows right through, even though much slicker technologies flood our senses today.Enjoy these early Disney Channel shows. They aren't making them like this any more.

Just to add a few comments to what's already been written...I, too, really loved this show when I was a kid. It aired on The Disney Channel back in the days when the entire channel was built around Disney characters (now it seems aimed at young teenagers and tries to compete with Nickelodeon).This show used full-bodied costumes with animatronic heads for all of the Pooh characters except Roo (who was sometimes a sophisticated puppet, and at other times was played by a dwarf in a small body costume).The show did not use traditional sets in most cases but instead was filmed against blue-screen. However, unlike most mid-80s use of blue screen technology, this actually looked quite realistic and did not have the awkward or fake look that most blue-screen of the era exhibited. This show had a companion show called "Dumbo's Circus" that was made a few years later and used the same technology very effectively (that show had Dumbo and a bunch of new characters that were never seen outside this series).The show had an interesting structure. Each episode opened with an older-British-guy host (not Sebastian Cabot, though) who would begin reading from a Pooh story book and then you would go into the story. The main story lasted about 20 minutes, and then there were two more segments. The first was a music video for one of about ten or so songs they used over and over. The last segment was usually some sort of game, educational segment, or craft demonstration with one of the Pooh characters would speak directly to the camera and interact with the voice-over of the narrator. This was supposed to be a "practical" segment that taught something kids could learn and use, as opposed to just entertainment. Then there was a very catchy closing song that was used every day (the lyrics went something like "Toodle-oo, So Long, and Goodbye," and it was the best kids' closing song I can think of besides "The Song That Doesn't End" from Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop).Unlike most of the other Disney-produced Pooh shows, this one had original stories that did not come directly from the A. A. Milne books. It was really well-written and could entertain adults as well as children. It was not a baby-ish show. There were numerous holiday-themed episodes - I have specific memories of watching this show on Christmas morning.This show is really unique, original, and timeless. It has a visual sense unlike anything I've seen before or since (except it's sister show "Dumbo's Circus"). I'm not sure why Disney doesn't use this technology anymore becuase it doesn't look dated at all. What was so impressive about this show's look was that the colors were so vibrant and sparkled so brightly. As others have suggested, I wish Disney would re-run it or at least put it out on DVD.

The ending credits music to this show is running through my head as I type. It's amazing that you can remember something so well from years ago. I remember all the songs, a lot of episodes, and it was a lot better than the 'Book of Pooh' (that show is just too cutesy).The characters were people in full body costumes with remote controlled facial features. It was sort of like a Sid and Marty Krofft show from the '70s in that sense, sans the psychedelic campy quality. I believe that the host/narrator was none other than Sebastian Cabbot, who did indeed narrate the first Pooh cartoons.Now let me pour out the memories (tiny spoilers ahead, matey).I loved this song that Pooh sang about getting up on the right side of the bed, and one about Rabbit singing about trying new things (it had a magic act motif going on), and of course Piglet's song about what to do when you're scared ("I hum to myself, hm-hm-h-hm, and laugh to myself, ha-ha-ha-ha, and say 'everything's okay' to myself..."). Then there was a weird one with Owl singing about eyes. Tigger had a neat one; I remember the tune, but not the lyrics.As for the episodes, I remember one about a marching band, and since Tigger played the guitar and not a marching band instrument, he did the baton twirling/leading. And then there was one where Tigger did this trick on a swing and ended up hurting himself pretty badly. There was also one where Rabbit gave the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood gang some carrot seeds. While the others didn't take care of their sprouts properly, Piglet did it just right and ended up growing one big carrot.I also remember little things about certain episodes. Like Eeyore singing Tigger a song about taking your time, and Kanga singing Roo a song about what things were like when she was his age. In fact, I think throughout the whole episode the characters sang songs about what it was like when they were Roo's age.But one thing that stands out the most is the "Too Smart For Strangers" special. (I remember back in the '80s and early '90s the 'don't talk to strangers' thing was quite big in public service announcements and specials.) It was a special in which Pooh and Piglet explained the dangers of someone offering you candy or a ride out of the blue. And for me, it worked... perhaps a little too well. I remember after seeing that I wouldn't talk to ANYONE I didn't know. Pooh (or Piglet, or one of the live action actors) stated that if a stranger talks to you, scream "NO!" at them and run off. (I actually remember doing this on more than one occasion, one of which taking place in some store where a girl about my age at the time asked me if I liked these toys that were displayed, and I screamed "NO!" and darted off. It's kind of funny now that I think about it.)This show was on Disney channel for years, and I really miss it. In fact, if it was still on I'd probably watch it. I hope Disney airs it again, or at least put it on video/DVD. Kids today really need to see this.