Though much of the emphasis when visiting Walt Disney World’s four amazing theme parks is on thrill rides, attractions and meeting much-loved Disney characters,  visitors planning out their Disney days will not want to miss their chance to see one of Disney’s spectacular stage shows. So which ones are worth sticking around for? To give you a bit of an introduction to Disney’s live entertainment options, here are 6 of our favorite stage shows  at Disney.

1.Festival of the Lion King  

This is Disney performance at its best. If you only have time to take in one of the amazing shows on our list make it this one. Festival of the Lion King rivals anything you’ll see on Broadway. Elements of circus, musical theater, and parades combine in a production so rich, vibrant and stimulating that its hard to take it all in. During the production the cast takes you through many of the key scenes from The Lion King film with musical highlights including The Circle of Life, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, and I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.  Performances take place daily at 11:00 AM,  12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, and 7:00 PM. Due to the popularity of this stage show, stand-by lines can be quite  long. Arriving early is essential or consider using one of your FastPasses to attend. 

2. Finding Nemo – The Musical

We can’t say enough good things about this often overlooked Animal Kingdom stage show. Its remote location near DinoLand USA means many families don’t give it a go. But, if you have time during your next visit, seek it out. You won’t be sorry. What you’ll find is a delightful re-telling of the story of Nemo and his father set to music with a wonderful original score. What also makes this production truly unique is that puppets are used to recreate Nemo, Marlin, Dory and other much-loved characters from the film. The puppetry used in the production is so incredible you’ll spend most of the show smiling at the ingenuity. Performances take place daily at 11:00 AM,  12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.   

3. For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration  

The perfect stage show for fans to get their Frozen fix, this Sing-along production is a lot of fun and provides the perfect way to cool off and rest those weary feet while at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The show is narrated by a pair of ad-libbing Royal Historians who take visitors through a history of Arendelle including key scenes from the Frozen movie.  Fans are encouraged to sing along which can be a wonderfully emotional experience for moms and dads. Favorite Frozen characters make an appearance including Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. Queen Elsa also uses her magical ice powers to make it snow in the theater which culminates in a magical moment you won’t soon forget. Performances are daily at:  10:30,  11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. 

4. Flights of Wonder 

If there’s one thing Animal Kingdom does really well, its the amazing array of spectacular live shows available to visitors. One of our favorites is Flights of Wonder. During this spectacular and educational production, guests are introduced to the fascinating behaviors and incredible talents of over 20 species of exotic birds including: Blue and Gold Macaws, Great Horned Owls, Harris Hawks and more. The show takes place daily in the Asia section of the theme park at 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM.

5. Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue

Rumor has it that this spectacular bit of Disney theater actually holds the title of the longest running show in America. Whether its true or not, guests looking for a fun and original evening out will not want to miss this fun-filled dinner complete with Vaudeville-style entertainment. Held at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, guests get to enjoy two hours of Wild West-themed dancing and singing while tucking into wonderful southern home-cooking like all-you-can eat fried chicken and smoked BBQ ribs. Unlimited draft beer and sangria are also included for guests over the age of 21. The cost of this event ranges in price from $64- 72 for adults and $38-43 for children (ages 3-9). Guests on the Dining Plan can also use 2 table service credits to attend. There are performances daily at 4:00 PM, 6:15 PM and 8:30 PM. 

6. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

What we love most about this live-action stunt show is that many parents have fond memories of seeing Indy and friends on stage during their childhood and are now able to pass this memory on to their children. Lucky for us, it is just as exciting now as it was then. Not only do guests get to see Indy make a grand entrance with the temple ruins as his backdrop, watch Marian make a dangerous escape and see a phenomenal ending complete with airplane; the show also charms us its funny audience participation and let’s us in on some behind the scenes secrets. You’ll definitely want to make it a part of your Hollywood Studios visit. Performances happen daily at 12 PM, 1:15 PM, 3:15 PM, 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM.

Honorable Mention – The Music of Pixar Live 

This 40 minute orchestral concert is only around for a few more weeks and will close on August 27th. But for those heading to the parks before then, be sure to catch one of its evening performances at either 5:00 PM , 6:45 PM or 8:00 PM at Theater of the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The production is nothing short of delightful as the orchestra takes guests through a rousing program of much loved Pixar movie soundtracks.  Many of the characters also take to the stage adding and extra little bit of Disney magic.  Movies featured include: Up,  The Incredibles, Toy Story, and Monsters Inc. just to name a few.  This is definitely a production that we here at Disney Addicts will be sad to see go.