Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a fantastic dinner show at Walt Disney World. This all-time favourite and long-time running show debuted in the summer of 1974 at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. The show takes place in Pioneer Hall where the six Pioneer Hall Players entertain guests during a delicious two-hour dinner of barbecued favourites. The Pioneer Hall Players consist of Claire de Lune, Dolly Drew, Flora Long, Johnny Ringo, Jim Handy, and Six Bits Slocum. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue also showed at Tokyo Disneyland from 1983 to 1995.

The Hoop-Dee-Doo runs three times a day: 4:00 pm, 6:15 pm, and 8:30 pm. The hall is separated into three categories, each with a different price point reflecting the view of the seat.

Category 1: Adult $72, Child $43
Category 2: Adult $67, Child $39
Category 3: Adult $64, Child $38.

Category 1 is closest to the stage on the main level with Category 2 on the outside rim of the hall with some seating on the balcony. Category 3 is entirely on the balcony so if wheelchair accessibility is needed, guests must book Categories 1 or 2. Please note that the chairs do swivel, making it easier to see the stage no matter where you are seated though since the tables and chairs are extremely close together there isn’t a whole lot of swivel room.

Booking can be done online on the Walt Disney World website here or by calling (407) WDW-DINE. Full payment must be made at the time of booking and the sooner you book, the better your seat will be. ASL interpreters can be requested at least 2 weeks prior to the reservation.

Getting to Disney’s Fort Wilderness can be a challenge. If you take nothing else away from this entire blog, take away this: Leave plenty early to get to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue! No matter where you are leaving from. There are multiple ways to get to Pioneer Hall, but the easiest way would be to get to Magic Kingdom via monorail or Disney bus and then take a ferry boat to Fort Wilderness. The ferry dock at Fort Wilderness is very close to Pioneer Hall. If you come from somewhere else on property or are driving yourself, you will arrive at the entrance of Fort Wilderness and have to stop at the main registration building. From here, you will take an internal bus to Pioneer Hall. Please also note that Disney’s Fort Wildness and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are two separate resorts.

Once you have arrived at Pioneer Hall, there is a little check-in desk where you will be handed a ticket with your party’s information. Doors open at the exact reservation time and a Cast Member will come out and ring the dinner triangle; it is time to chow down! Inside you will hand the ticket to a welcoming Cast Member who will show you to your table.

The menu is a set menu and the food is all-you-care-to-enjoy! Dinner begins with delicious freshly baked cornbread with a side of honey butter and tossed salad. A variety of beverages are included in the meal such as pop, ice tea, apple juice, milk, hot tea, coffee, beer, wine, sangria, and my personal favourite, the pomegranate lemonade. The main course brings buckets (yes, actual buckets) of crispy-fried chicken, smoked barbecued pork ribs, mashed potatoes, cowboy beans, and seasonal veggies. And for dessert, delightful strawberry shortcake with tons of whip cream! According to the Disney Parks Blog, the only menu change to occur was in 1979 when dessert changed from apple pie to strawberry shortcake.

The show is incredibly entertaining and has the audience laughing the entire time! The actors take breaks from time to time to let guests eat but there is lovely live music playing during this time. Since the show has not changed much since the early 1970s please be aware some of the jokes might not be quite P.C. by today’s standards.

Overall, the entire experience is one I would highly recommend! It is worth the price to do the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at least once! It is not something I would do every single visit, but experiencing it once in a while with friends or family is a real treat!