Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue: A First-Timers Experience [VIDEO]

This was another classic experience at Disney World that I was happy to finally be experiencing. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a Disney World staple that has been playing in Disney World for over 40 years.

This dinner show is one of those experiences everyone should have at least once. It’s hysterical and the music is fun. The cast members were fantastic and they put on a great show! Plus, Pioneer Hall is decorated to fit the theme of the show, which adds to the entertainment. The food is very good too and it’s all-you-care-to-enjoy!

Getting To Pioneer Hall

Since Hoop-Dee-Doo takes place at Fort Wilderness it can be a bit of a hike to get there, unless you are staying at Fort Wilderness or Wilderness Lodge. We took the boat from the Contemporary and it let us off at the dock at Fort Wilderness. Pioneer Hall was a short walk from the dock. There is also bus transportation to Fort Wilderness, if you are coming from other areas. Check out the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue’s page on Disney’s website to see the transportation options.

Checking In

When you get close to Pioneer Hall you will probably see a long line. People get there early to line up and check-in. Don’t worry about the line though, it moves pretty fast once they start checking people in. 

There are lots of fun things to look at around Pioneer Hall, Fort Wilderness is themed very well. I had never been to Fort Wilderness, so I didn’t mind waiting in line and checking out our surroundings. I finally got to see where Trails End is located (right next to Pioneer Hall). I’ve heard such great things about Trails End, it’s another place that I need to try.

After you check-in you will be given a piece of paper with your table number on it, this is what you will give the cast member at the door. You will also have the option to take PhotoPass pictures in front of some props right after you check-in. After having pictures taken, most people line up and wait for the doors to open, but we opted to wait off to the side. Just like the check-in line, this line moves quickly too. 

When they are ready to start seating people, a cast member will come outside, ring the triangle, and exclaim “Come and get it!” When it’s your turn to be seated, the cast member will bring you to your table. 

Inside Pioneer Hall

Once you are seated you can look around and take in the surroundings. This was my first time there, so I was definitely looking all around at the details. The style of the hall fits very well with the Wild West theme of the show. It didn’t hurt that the Christmas decorations were already up in the hall. It looked really festive and pretty.

We were seated right in the middle on the main floor. There are three different categories of seating available when you book your reservation. The main floor is category one (most expensive), the balcony looking directly at the stage and off to the sides of the main floor are category two (mid-level price), and the sides of the balcony are category three (least expensive). 

I liked our position on the main floor, because we could see the stage with no problem. We were pretty much right in the middle of the main floor, but I honestly don’t think there is a bad seat in the house. You can see the stage from anywhere and you will be able to hear the cast members from any of the seats.

The Food

The restaurant is all-you-care-to-enjoy and family style. That means you share the food with everyone at the table and you can get as much as you want of each item served. On the menu is cornbread, salad, fried chicken, ribs, seasonal vegetables (corn for us), mashed potatoes, and baked beans for dinner and strawberry shortcake for dessert. The chicken and ribs came in fun buckets that our waiter liked to slam on the table. The place settings fit the theme of the restaurant too.

The food was delicious. That cornbread was some of the best I’ve had and I think we all could have eaten an entire plate of the cornbread alone. We all had seconds of the salad, which was good. The chicken and ribs were good too, I preferred the chicken over the ribs. Loved the corn and mashed potatoes as well. Everything was really good!

By the time dessert came to the table we were all kind of full already. I was a little sad about that because strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts, but I couldn’t eat much more than a taste because of all the food that had come before the shortcake. It was delicious though. The dessert is shared as well, so you will get your own plate for your piece.

Overall, I would give the food high marks. I’d definitely be excited to have more of that cornbread!

The Show

All I can say is…wow! After seeing the show, I understand how it has survived all these years and why it is a favorite among a lot of guests. The characters are hysterical, the songs are fun, and the cast members interact with each other so well. They also come out into the audience for some parts of the show, which leads to some hilarious moments.

The Pioneer Hall Players are: Flora Long, Jim Handy, Claire de Lune, Johnny Ringo, Dolly Drew and Six Bits Slocum. All the characters were great, but my two favorites were Claire de Lune and Six Bits Slocum. The cast member who played Six Bits was hysterical and one of the best according to people who have seen the show multiple times.

The show is two hours, but it certainly doesn’t feel like two hours. The cast keep the laughs coming and definitely entertain you. There are a some breaks in the show to allow for the food to come out and for you to start eating, but the cast will be back on stage before you know it.

Here are some clips from the show:

Info to Know Before You Book

There is no elevator in Pioneer Hall, so you need to be able to walk up stairs to sit in the balcony.

If you are staying on Disney property, but at a different resort, allow at least 90 minutes for travel time to assure you get there on time.

You must prepay at the time of booking.

The times available are 4 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. They begin seating at these times immediately and the show begins 20 minutes later. So make sure you are there on time.

Your table is preselected for you.

You may end up being a part of the show. You’ve been warned.

Conclusion

The whole experience was fantastic and I’m glad I was finally able to see it in person. From check-in to the show, every cast member was fantastic. Our waiter didn’t seem all that happy, but I’m pretty sure it was an act, because we made him crack a smile here and there. 

So, I would give high marks all around for food, service, ambiance, and definitely for entertainment. This classic Disney experience is now on my list of “must dos” for future trips. 

Have you ever seen Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue?

Thanks for reading!

*Liz*

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Liz

I love all things Disney, but my main love is for Disney World and I'm always planning for the next trip. Before becoming a Disney blogger, I was a radio DJ, so I guess I'm just continuing in the communication industry, just in a different form. I love talking Disney and I could talk about Disney all day. That's why I started blogging and created the Facebook group. The Disney community is full of friendly, helpful, and happy people...and I love being a part of it! If there is any Disney subject you would like to see covered just let me know! Need help planning your Disney vacation. Feel free to contact myself or Melissa at Never Stop Dreaming Travel Co. We love helping people plan their trips! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to check out our Countdown to Disney app! Feel free to email me with suggestions of things you would like to see in the app :-)