Where to Eat (and Watch a Show): Dinner at Disney's Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

Walt Disney World offers many unique experiences in addition to its famous attractions. Once you’ve explored the parks and worked up an appetite, you can find some “good ol’ family fun” at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The show offers plenty of flavorsome food and enjoyable entertainment for the young and young at heart.

Your experience begins by booking a reservation on the official WDW website or by calling +1-407-WDW-DINE. You can book your reservation up to 180 days in advance, so call as soon as possible to ensure a seat. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue offers three seating categories and the prices vary depending on your proximity to the stage, from $67.99 to $58.99 for adults and $36.99 to $32.99 for children ages 3 to 9. Category 1 is closest to the stage and offers a clear view of the hilarious hijinks. Categories 2 and 3 are farther back and/or upstairs; however, you can still see the stage and performers. The seating in all of the categories doesn’t offer much in the way of personal space, especially upstairs where you’ll find a series of long tables. There’s no need to worry if you’re far from the stage as the cast frequently ventures into the audience to interact with guests.

Give yourself adequate time to travel to Fort Wilderness on the night of the show. You can reach the resort via car, bus, or boat (from certain resorts, the Magic Kingdom, and the Transportation and Ticket Center). There are usually three shows per night and each one lasts approximately two hours. Plan to arrival at least 30-40 minutes early so you can check-in at the host stand next to Pioneer Hall. You will take a family picture while you wait for your table, as well as take some time to visit the nearby shops and horse barn. When it’s time for the show, a cast member rings the dinner bell and announces “come and get it” as they open the doors. The seating process went smoothly and everyone was seated quickly.

The meal is served family style and starts with salad, cornbread, and butter, which are already on the table when you arrive. A variety of unlimited beverages, including beer, wine, and sangria, are included with dinner. You can also purchase other items such as bottled water and margaritas. Shortly after being seated, the band fires up the banjo and piano and the stars of the show make their energetic entrance. Claire de Lune, Johnny Ringo, Dolly Drew, Six Bits Slocum, Flora Long, and Jim Handy take the stage and introduce each other. As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of audience participation, so the show isn’t for those looking for a quiet dinner. However, it’s all in good fun as they sing several numbers and finish the first part of the show with a musical introduction to the main course.

The food is also noteworthy. Offerings include all-you-can-eat fried chicken and smoked BBQ pork ribs, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and a seasonal vegetable (on the day we visited, it was buttery corn kernels). The server was also accommodating with bringing a big bowl of macaroni and cheese for our toddler. We found everything fresh and delicious. The chicken was moist and flavorful and the rib meat melted off the bones. The mashed potatoes were loaded with butter and the baked beans featured pork. In between bites, the cast performs several musical numbers. During the penultimate performance, they’re joined by the servers as they enthusiastically introduce dessert – strawberry shortcake topped with whipped cream and surrounded with strawberries. During dessert, the cast also asks if anyone in the audience is celebrating a special occasion and they aren’t shy about adding a playful spin to the details.

After the celebrations, the cast selects four volunteers from the audience to take part in the finale, which is a rousing rendition of The Ballad of Davy Crockett. I don’t want to give away any spoilers; however, I will recommend that families and/or friends of the volunteers have their cameras ready to capture the moment. There is also a stream of bear-centric humor that brings about some groaning and eye-rolling.

Overall, the show is an enjoyable experience that is worth the price. So come on down and clap your hands, stomp your feet, and shout hooray for Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue!

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