Daniel and The Dixie Diggers (Rusutsu Resort)
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For more information about the show itself, see Daniel and the Dixie Diggers.
The Dixie Diggers show as of 2023. (PC takeo_the_ride)
13 Izumikawa, Rusutsu-mura, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1711 is a resort complex in Hokkaido, Japan that opened in 1981 that is best known for it's variety of different Sally Corporation animatronic shows.
Background
The show was installed in 1987, with it's first documentation being in 1993, and while not the show itself, they had mascots of all 5 characters (Daniel T. Bones, Huck L. Berry, Scratchmo, Sir Percival and Colonel Beauregard).
The show's first online documentation was in 2002, with a picture of the show with the 1980's masks on.[1] The show itself resided on "Daniell Street" (later renamed "Daniel Street") in their hotel's entrance.
Alongside the Dixie Diggers, Rusutsu also had a Bubba Bear and the Badland Band show (which currently resides in their amusement park area) and Ursula and the Oompapas (made exclusively for Rusutsu and currently resides in their Octoberfest buffet.
In 2003, the show received a mask upgrade. All of the characters had received cosmetic upgrades, such as Sir Percival sporting a yellow scarf. The show mechanically was getting into rough shape.
2004 Mascot Upgrade
Between 2003-2004, Rusutsu made new mascots of the characters, this time designed to be more basic and Disney-like. The biggest changes made to the characters were of Scratchmo and Colonel Beauregard, as Scratchmo had been redesigned to look like a regular bulldog instead of having his regular Louis Armstrong persona. He was also given more circular ears instead of triangular ones. Colonel Beauregard had all traces of confederacy removed from him, and now had pants that match the stripes on his jacket. He was also given long, floppy ears. In addition, custom descriptions were made by Rusutsu themselves for the characters.[2] Live shows featuring the characters would debut in 2004, which would have the Dixies encourage the audience watching to get up and dance to different upbeat tunes. These shows would have Japanese voice actors (two of which being female) and would run until 2009-2011.
2006 "Overhaul"
In 2006, Huck received a new mask again, this time a Hank Winter mask from Sally Corporation's Hank and Beau Show. Months later, the resort got new parts to fix the show, and they moved flawlessly for a few years' time until 2012-2013, when the show would start to break down again.
Not much to the show was done after this period cosmetically, but in 2019, a replica of the mascot hat would be put on Sir Percival, and Daniel's hat would be strangely tipped all the way back.
Back to Sally
In 2021, the masks on the show started to rip, specifically Daniel and Sir Percival's, and Huck's started to crack. In 2022, the resort finally ran out of parts needed to fix the show, and the show would be considered irreparable. Because of this, the entire show would be sent back to Sally Dark Rides in Jacksonville, Florida, to be mechanically and cosmetically restored.
The overhaul would include giving the characters new cosmetics that resemble the mascots, as requested by Rusutsu Resort themselves. The show was packed up March 2022 and had arrived at Sally by September of 2022. After a 6-to-7-month process, the show made it back to Japan between May 31st-June 1st, 2023, where it resides and performs today. It is currently unknown whether or not the Bubba and the Badland Band and Ursula and the Oompapas shows will get this same treatment.
Gallery
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The Dixie Show performing on Daniell Street in 2002.
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The Dixie Diggers as it ran in 2011.
