While there are TONS of dining options at Disney World, it needs to catch up regarding its total number of dinner shows. Fortunately, this makes it much easier to sift through the shows to pick the best ones to watch.
Here, we’ll have a look at the best dinner shows you should not miss when visiting Walt Disney World.
Despite the limited options, the dinner shows you can get at Disney World are magical. Each offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience, featuring unique themes and experiences to complete your dinners.
For reference, these are the best Disney World dinner shows worth watching:
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
- Fantasmic!
- Festival of the Lion King
- Celebration at the Top – Savor, Sip, and Sparkle
- Raglan Road
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show and Mickey’s Backyard BBQ are two of the best and most well-known dinner shows at Disney World. Unfortunately, both of them were permanently closed due to certain reasons.
Some of the shows in this list are part of a dining package where you buy your meals in advance to get a reservation.
5 Disney World Dinner Shows You Shouldn’t Miss
One thing that makes Disney World’s dinner shows special is that they provide fun family entertainment for everyone. Depending on which show you attend, you can expect Disney to bring out the kid in you.
Without further ado, here are the 5 best dinner shows in Disney World that you need to experience at least once.
1. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Hoop-Dee-Doo is undoubtedly one of the best Disney dinners shows you could ever experience. It features incredible and entertaining performances that you can’t find in most places, especially regarding energy levels.
The show goes on for 90 minutes straight, featuring an incredibly talented cast with tons of singing, dancing, and even singing along with the crowd. Even the wait staff get to join in on the fun as well!
While attending the show, you can picture yourself in the Wild West era with fun and lively entertainment to get people in high spirits. Despite the seemingly adult theme, it’s a family-friendly show that you and your kids will love.
That said, the show is a little bit expensive for most people, so we recommend visiting it at least once during your visit to Disney World if you haven’t yet. If you’re planning to stay in the Wilderness campground anyway, you should try this.
Not only is the show fun and entertaining, but their range of dining options is also fantastic. There’s the strawberry shortcake and the honey butter on cornbread, which are both a must-try.
2. Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is a dinner show you shouldn’t miss while at Hollywood Studios. Located in Echo Lake, Fantasmic! is part of the Fantasmic! Dinner Package, where you can choose from one of the three dining options in the park. These are the Hollywood Brown Derby, Hollywood & Wine, and Ristorante Italiano.
What makes it one of the best Disney World dinner shows is that it features an incredible performance of Mickey Mouse alongside other favorite Disney characters. It also comes with tons of fireworks that are unlike any traditional fireworks show you’ve ever seen. Instead, you can expect a fireworks show of epic proportions, complete with jaw-dropping visuals and performances.
3. Festival of the Lion King
Similar to Fantasmic!, Festival of the Lion King is also part of a dining package. This time, however, the package will take you to the Animal Kingdom safari and allow you to watch the Festival of the Lion King show.
The Festival of the Lion King show lets you enjoy amazing songs and your favorite Lion King characters. It’s a retelling of the life of Simba paired with puppetry, beautiful dances, and more. At the end of the dinner show, you’ll then be taken on a private VIP tour to the safari.
When it comes to its dining options, you can either go for lunch or dinner at Tiffins. This is a restaurant that showcases cuisines that are a mix of Asian, African, and Latin recipes. Overall, it’s a fun and exciting experience for families, especially kids. It’s great for couples as well.
4. Celebration at the Top – Savor, Sip, and Sparkle
Celebration at the Top might just be the best Disney World dinner show if you’re looking for something romantic for you and your partner. As its name implies, you can expect fine dining alongside fun beverages and an incredible fireworks display.
This is hosted during the Happily Ever After show at Magic Kingdom. Despite its romantic setting, kids can enjoy the delectable foods and the fireworks display. However, it’s a bit more expensive than the other shows on this list.
Aside from that, it’s only available on Saturdays and Sundays, so you’ll have to book in advance if you want to attend it.
5. Raglan Road Entertainment
The Raglan Road Entertainment allows you to enjoy fun performances outside the popular Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant daily. As you can expect, it features traditional Irish dances and songs, one way to enjoy entertainment from other cultures.
This, paired with traditional Irish recipes such as Fish & Chips, makes it one of the best dinner shows in Disney World. It’s not that expensive either, and you can enjoy specialty cocktails and Irish brews anytime you like!
Conclusion
Disney World does its best to ensure you’re fully entertained during your stay. This is apparent in the addition of dinner shows to provide an incredible dining experience to everyone. With these dinner shows, you will only spend a moment of boredom even when enjoying a meal in one of their many restaurants.
However, if you’re planning to attend any of these dinner shows we mentioned, we highly suggest you make a reservation at least 2-3 months in advance. After all, these specialty dining experiences are booked up pretty quickly with the influx of people who frequent Disney World.
This way, you can have guaranteed seating in any of these shows and enjoy their once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show Come Back?
Unfortunately, Spirit of Aloha has been permanently closed, meaning it won’t have any chance of returning. The good news is that there have been plans to construct a new building that will feature new dining options and activities within Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
This new replacement is scheduled to open in 2024, so we can only wait until then.
Are Disney Dinner Shows Worth It?
Absolutely. Each dinner show has unique entertainment, and most of them also feature your favorite Disney characters. They’re one good way of enjoying Disney’s dining options and watching fun, memorable shows all at once.
Aside from that, they’re not that expensive either. However, make sure you make a reservation in advance as these dinner shows can get booked up really fast.
