Walt Disney World like a Local

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue

5/5/2018

One of our favorite dinner spots at Walt Disney World is definitely the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue. The food is great. The show is amazing. The ambiance is playful.

Our most recent trip to Disney World was to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday. Perhaps you read about his poopy birthday party already. We had fun celebrating at home. But I am ALWAYS up for any excuse to head to Orlando. And a 40th birthday is nothing to shrug off and let simply pass by. I booked us a room at Coronado Springs Resort and got a table at the Hoop Dee Doo.

*I've written about Coronado Springs before. We stayed there in December 2017. I'll be posting about our experience this time later.

We drove our car from our hotel to the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. From the Outpost we hoped on a Disney bus and rode it down to the settlement. For the first time ever, in our Disney experience, everything went without a hitch and we made it to Pioneer Hall in record time... which meant we had an excess of time to kill before we needed to check in. Luckily, there is a playground.

Reagan on the Disney bus... When did my baby get so old?!

No I did not take any pics of the kids playing on the playground. I was way too busy taking selfies with Stu... trying to rock Reagan's shades.

The downside to showing up way premature is that eventually the kids revolt. They did not appreciate the wait.

This is the hangry, let us in attitude my monsters had. Their playground high crashed and burned around 5:55pm.

How the Hoop Dee Doo Works:

You have to check in about 30-45 minutes before your reservation time. We were going to the 6:15pm show. Our check in began at 5:30pm. You can check in at the ticket place off to the left of Pioneer Hall, or when it's closer to showtime, Disney cast members are waiting just out front to check people in.
After checking in, you just wait. The show before you clears out. The waitstaff turn the restaurant over in record time. Then they ring the dinner bell and shout "Come and get it!"
Don't rush or fight for a place in line. The tables are preassigned. It makes no difference what your place in line is. So be courteous and patient. They will sit you right quick (I hope you read that with a southern twang).
Another thing to know is that this place is on time. Always. If you are there for the 6:15pm show, the doors will open at 6:15.
Once you are seated, your server will come take your drink order. And he/she will drop off some salad and cornbread (yum and yum).
- Our son has a serious egg allergy. If you are traveling with a food allergy, tell the cast member when you make your reservations (true of anywhere on Property). Then tell them again, if you have to at the restaurant. Before our drinks arrived, the chef came out to ask about the allergies. We told him that our son is anaphylactic with eggs. He said, "Ok, he can eat everything EXCEPT the cornbread and the dessert. But I will send out a special dessert for him." Disney will ALWAYS send the chef out to speak to you. Do NOT leave it up to the waitstaff.

As you can see, we sat in the balcony this time. The seating assignments are broken into three sections: the floor, outer edges of the first level (under the balcony) and the balcony. The cast member making your reservation will discuss these options with you. You must decide when you are booking. And of course, they each come with a different price tag. I can't remember exactly why I chose the second floor... it may have been the only thing available for the 6:15 show.

Don't be discouraged if the balcony is all there is. It is really fun. The characters come up and move around the entire restaurant. You have a great view of the stage from up top. And trust me, you are definitely still part of the show. It's wonderful.

The show is excellent. We laugh, clap, sing and dance along. It is fun for the entire family, although the super littles might not care for it as much. My kids are 8 & 10, they LOVE it. The first time we brought them to the Hoop Dee Doo they were 3 & 5. They loved it then too.

The food is served family style. While you are laughing and enjoying the show, your server will slam down buckets of deliciousness. It's all-you-can-eat ribs, chicken, baked beans, corn off the cob and mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Of course, since this was a big birthday dinner for us, we HAD to point out Stu when they asked if there were any birthdays in the crowd.

Riley was THRILLED to get his picture with Dolly. I think that was the highlight of the night for him.