Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
We try to do something a little different every time we visit Disney World. Thought I’d start sharing some of those things here with brief “good for” reviews. Not a deep dive. Just enough information to help you to decide if it’s something your group might be interested in and how it could fit into your Disney World vacation.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a dinner show in Pioneer Hall at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds, a Disney resort location with cabins and campsites in the Magic Kingdom area near Wilderness Lodge. Dinner is served family style (all you care to eat): bbq ribs, fried chicken, cornbread, baked beans, slaw, mac and cheese, strawberry shortcake, and unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, beer, wine and pretty tasty sangria. The courses are served in between and during parts of the show.
Reservations are recommended.
We recommend booking this when reservations open for you at 60 days out. It tends to fill up pretty fast since there are usually only 3 seatings: 4, 6:15 and 8:30 a day.
There are different seating tiers.
- Most expensive are the Category 1 tables in the front and closest to the stage.
- Next are Category 2 tables behind category 1 or under the balcony.
- The cheapest are Category 3 tables lining the upstairs balcony.
It’s a VERY interactive situation so if you aren’t into audience participation, we highly recommend the balcony seating. The floor seats get all of the the attention and honestly, the balcony seats have great views since they only line tables right around the perimeter. You won’t have to try to look over the heads of the people seated in front of you like you would on the floor, and they are a bit cheaper. However, if you are game for shenanigans, by all means, book a table on the floor.
One special note: we recommend checking in at the booth outside of the entrance of Pioneer Hall rather than doing it in the My Disney Experience app. The Cast Members will give you a little golden ticket to hand in as you enter the theater. We had read reports that they were no longer doing that, but as of our trip in December 2022, they were definitely using the gold ticket system.
How do you get there?
This is an out-of-the-way location. Fort Wilderness is HUGE, even by Disney property standards. We were shocked at how long it took to get from the main entrance to Pioneer Hall. We suggest splurging on a Minnie Van. It’s costly but it drops you off right by Pioneer Hall. No other rideshares can get you that close. If you can’t justify the price of a Minnie Van, you can also catch a boat at the dock outside of Magic Kingdom and take a nice little ride over to the Fort Wilderness dock. It is just about a 5-minute walk to Pioneer Hall from the docks. We always recommend budgeting at least 60 minutes to get from point A to point B at Disney World, in most instances, and that applies here. Just remember, if you are going the free boat route, consider that you will have to get to Magic Kingdom, wait for a boat, take the boat over, and then walk a bit.
What about the food?
The show and the service were great. The food was just okay. It wasn’t bad but nothing to get too excited about. Here, you go for the entertainment not the food. Except maybe the sangria. The sangria was pretty tasty. If you are really into bbq, Regal Eagle Smokehouse in Epcot and Flame Tree Barbecue are better bets.
Good for:
- Regular Disney World goers that are looking for something different to do.
- Family celebrations especially for those who aren’t shy. They make a big fuss over birthdays and anniversaries in particular.
- Folks looking for something to do on a “rest day” from the parks.
- A pre-evening meal and activity before a late night at Magic Kingdom.
Some other stuff you can do.
Visit the Tri Circle D Ranch where the Disney World horses are kept. Great idea for little kids. Disney history buffs will also appreciate it. It’s just a neat place to visit that costs you nothing extra. If you want, you can also book a carriage ride at a reasonable price that will wind around part of the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. It’s a particularly fun thing to do during Halloween and Christmas when the campers go crazy with the lights and decorations. We did this in December and had the horse that Gaston and the Headless Horseman ride in parades. Highly recommend making this an outing with the dinner/show & carriage ride combo.
