Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Full Review

When you’re thinking about dining experiences, nothing screams more to me: “Disney World” than the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, it’s absolutely one of the most quintessential Walt Disney World experiences you’ll find.  I mean it’s been around more more than 40 years and even if you’ve seen it already a bunch of times, you can’t help but to keep coming back to see it again.

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue is a Dinner Show located at the Fort Wilderness Campground which combines an all-you can eat meal of Home Style Comfort Food with a fantastic Musical Show you can enjoy as you eat.  It’s delicious and entertaining both at the same time!  It’s also one of the only remaining restaurants in Walt Disney World that Walt Disney himself actually had a hand in creating which makes it extra special imo.

There are 3 Showtimes: 4:00, 6:15, 8:30, each seating lasts about 2 hours.

Buying Tickets:

The first thing you need to know is since it’s a Dinner/Show you need to purchase tickets.  There are 3 types of tickets with 3 different seating locations throughout Pioneer Hall: Tier 1, 2 and 3.

• Tier 1: On the Main Floor.  Here you will have the best view in the house and be the most involved in the show as the performers come down off the stage and mingle with the guests. ($72 Adults, $43 Ages 3-9)
• Tier 2: Here you will be either on the floor to the sides or back or up on the Balcony in the middle.  You probably will be able to see the stage but it’s possible someone at your table will have an obstructed view and you won’t feel as included in the show. ($69 Adults, $39 Ages 3-9)
• Tier 3: Here you’re up on the side of the Balcony but the seats are facing away from the stage.  This means not only are you far from the action but you have to turn around anytime you want to see the show.  Not worth it imo. ($64 Adults, $38 Ages 3-9)

In my opinion where you sit has a big impact on how much you will enjoy the show.  Take my advice and book the Tier 1 Seats.  The price difference between Tier 1 and 3 is minimal, only $6.  Trust me on this one, even though they are a little more expensive you want to be down where the action is as you will get into the show much more.

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue accepts the Disney Dining Plan and costs 2 Table Dining Credits.  It also participates in Tables in Wonderland which gives you a %20 discount on your food and drinks, which is helpful as the price can be rather expensive for some.  Hoop Dee Doo accepts ADR’s 180 Days in advance and I would definitely make one right away as it’s always packed and tables are quite hard to come by.

Payment is required on making your reservation.

• Tip: If you are using Tables in Wonderland you have to pay the full amount upfront, then when you go to the Box Office at Pioneer Hall they will give you a refund for the 20%.

It’s been a long time since I’ve got a chance to be here and some of my readers were asking for a Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Full Review, so for that reason I thought it was about time we head down to Fort Wilderness and see if it’s still as entertaining as before.

Atmosphere:

Getting here is no easy matter, but it’s worth the trip.  It’s recommended to arrive 30 minutes before your showtime, and you should allow for a bit of extra time in getting there as there isn’t a direct public transport from your resort to Fort Wilderness.

• Coming from one of the Parks: you can take a bus directly to Fort Wilderness (or ferry from Magic Kingdom).
• Coming from your Resort: take a bus/monorail to Magic Kingdom, then Ferry to Fort Wilderness
• Coming by Car: you can park in the Fort Wilderness parking lot (allow for an extra 20 min from your car as it isn’t in the area of Pioneer Hall).

We spent the afternoon in the Magic Kingdom and then took the Ferry over.  We hit it just at the right time as there was a beautiful sunset when we arrived:

Here we are:

A short walk from the Docks and you arrive at Pioneer Hall, the location for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue:

Much like the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, the Hoop Dee Doo Revue combines an all-you-can-eat feast, with a very entertaining show.  Outside Pioneer Hall you’ll see the welcome sign:

When you walk in you know right away you are in the old west!  The theming of the hall is fantastic and really sets the mood.  The first thing you notice when entering the big, open Dining Hall are the huge wooden rafters running along the ceiling, and old style lantern chandeliers hanging down:

Look at how beautiful they are:

You’ll notice the collection of animal heads above the stage.  A Deer on the left:

And a Buffalo on the right:

Let’s look at some example views from the different Tier Levels of Seats.

Here is a shot from our table with was a Tier 1 Seat:

As you can see, you are right up close to the action.  As you will see when the show starts, the performers come down into the audience and interact with guests, even inviting some on stage to join in the show.  You have a great view from here and won’t miss anything, which I can’t say about all of the Tier Levels.  This is by far your best option!

Here’s an example of a Tier 2 Ground Level Seat:

Not a bad view, but not as nice as being up the center imo.

Besides the main seating area on the bottom floor, there’s also Upper Level Balcony seating with both Tier 2 and 3.  Let’s go upstairs and see what it’s like:

Once you walk up the stairs you will see some seats situated in the middle with a clear shot of the stage.  These are an example of Tier 2 Balcony Seats:

Here is the view from a Tier 2 Balcony Seat:

As you make your way around the upper level you can get a good view at just how big the dining hall is:

Here’s an example of those Tier 3 seats I was telling you about.  As you can see they aren’t even facing the right way meaning you will have to keep turning around to see the show:

Tier 3 View:

As I was saying it’s just not worth it from here.  For a minimal amount more you can sit on the floor and have the best view while feeling much more part of the show, which is the best part of the experience!

You’ll notice the Old-Style Restroom Signs hanging on the walls back down on the ground level.  Like something from an old west saloon:

And while I usually don’t take pictures in the restrooms, the famous Cowboy Mural was too good not to:

I’m not sure exactly what’s going on in this mural.  Did the cowboys’ camp get infested with fleas and that’s the reason they are itching themselves like crazy??

I don’t know, but it’s pretty funny to watch!!

The Show:

As for the show itself I was surprised I how much I still loved it.  It’s hard for a show to be fresh after 40+ years running, but it still feels that way:

You never know what’s going to happen with Johnny Ringo, Flora Long, Dolly Drew, Claire de Lune, Six Bits Slocum, and Jim Handy up there, but it’s sure to be funny:

All of the performers were outstanding, and the performance by Six Bits Slocum was particularly noteworthy.  They all had tons of energy and got the crowd into it the whole night.  Expect to do a lot of singing, clapping and foot stomping when seeing the show!

I told you there was audience participation.  This guy was eager to help Claire de Lune with whatever she needed…what a gentleman!

At one point in the show the performers get everyone in the audience to wave their napkins around and sing to the music:

At a certain point they bring out the Washboards and everyone in the audience can play along.  Ryan was having a blast:

So was I:

And you know it’s a fun time when even Big Zig is enjoying himself!

Besides participating from your seat, some lucky guests are chosen to play small roles in the show, such as this lovely lady in the pink dress was:

Even our friend Nick was chosen to play the strong Indian:

He had a great time and it was a blast for all of us to watch him on stage!

At the end he was presented with a Pioneer Hall Award for his excellence in the show:

The show itself was a major hit with everyone in our party!  I’d call it a hootin’-hollerin’ success!

Of course you don’t come here for the show alone, but also to eat!  Let’s get into it!

Food:

Of course you don’t come to the Hoop Dee Doo Revue expecting a world-class meal like you can get from a place like California Grill or Jiko, but if you’re looking for some good ole fashion comfort food like Pork Ribs and Fried Chicken, and all-you-can-eat of it, then this is your place!

Everything is served family style in metal buckets that the waiters slap down on the table, it’s quite entertaining!  You share what they put down and if you want more of something you can just ask your waiter/waitress and they’ll be happy to bring you more.

Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic drinks are included which you can order as much as you like.  For Soft-drinks you can choose from a variety of Sodas, Lemonade, Iced Tea, Milk and Juices.  Alcoholic choices include Wine (Chardonnay, Merlot or White Zinfandel), Beer (Bud Light, Yuenglin or Draft Beer), or Sangria.

I love the metal plats and silverware:

As well as the beautiful red and white checked napkins!

I chose the Sangria:

It wasn’t very good.  Too watered down and didn’t have very much taste.  The Wine was a little better but not much.  I think you’re better of going with a beer honestly as you know exactly what you are going to get.

The first things they brought out were the Salad and Cornbread:

The salad was surprisingly good.  It was pretty hearty, full of crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and cheese. The dressing was abundant but didn’t drown the salad, and it had a nice flavor, some kind of Italian dressing:

We tried the Cornbread as well and it was amazing!!  Light and moist, not dried out like you find with some cornbread.  It was my wife’s first time having cornbread and she loved it!

The butter was also very light and smooth, very spreadable.  I don’t know how many loaves we went through, but it was a lot!

When the waiters made their next rounds, they brought out the main course: Smoked Barbecue Pork Ribs and Fried Chicken!  Nothing screams American more than that:

I couldn’t wait to dig into these babies:

I thought the Ribs were good, nothing outstanding, but solid.  I thought they could have been a bit more tender.  They are quite meaty though which is a good thing!  They are also covered in BBQ sauce so keep your napkin handy:

This is basically the same Fried Chicken you’ll find at Trail’s End next door, which is an absolutely good thing!

The Fried Chicken was voted “Best in the Wilderness” and now we know why!  It was really good, moist inside and crisp flavorful outside.  Not quite to the level of 50’s Prime Time which wins the Best Fried Chicken in Walt Disney World Competition.

We couldn’t help ourselves and had plate after plate!

Not to be forgotten were the Sides of Corn, Mashed Potatoes and Baked Beans:

The Mashed potatoes were solid imo.  Creamy and smooth.  I would have liked to see them with the skins like they have at Trail’s End, but these are probably more Kid-friendly:

Corn was standard, what you’d expect:

I’m not a Baked Beans guy, but those that were liked them:

Even after all that food we still had room left for Dessert, and they have a special presentation for you at Hoop De Doo:

It’s time for Straw-Berry-Short-Cake and the performers have a musical number and the waiters even get to be part of the show!

I LOVED this!  I’m a big Fruit-Dessert guy, and Strawberry Shortcake is one of my favorite desserts!

I loved everything about it.  The cake was moist and not dry, there was Whipped Cream everywhere, and there was a TON of Strawberries in the bowl.  The strawberry syrup it created was really tasty too.  I give it 2 thumbs up!!

Summary:

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue is just as fun and entertaining as it was when I was 10 years old.  The performers are awesome and full of energy and the atmosphere during the show is electric at times!  Our whole table and everyone in the place was having a great time and all you saw was laughter everywhere.

The food was great, especially the Cornbread, Fried Chicken and Strawberry Shortcake.  I think for being together with a Dinner Show you can’t really ask for more.  It might seem a little expensive but the fact you are getting all-you-can-eat together also a great show, it’s actually a decent value.

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue is on my list of Must-Do Disney Experiences, not only dining but overall ones.  I think everyone who goes to Walt Disney World needs to come here at least once to experience this uniquely “Disney” event.  While you won’t go every time you go to WDW, you will find yourself wanting to go back more times than you think, and having a great time doing it!

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue has 3 Showtimes (4:00, 6:15 and 8:00) and is open Daily.

The Disney Dining Plan is also accepted, it is a 2 Disney Dining Credit Signature Restaurant.  To make a reservation you can book online or call 407-WDW-DINE.

I love to write Restaurant Reviews of Walt Disney World and I hope you found this one to be informative and helpful.  If you liked this review then please visit my Disney Dining Reviews Page where I have many other Restaurant Reviews. I’m happy sharing with you what I love doing best…eating! ?  I try to bring you the most thorough and unbiased reviews about the food and restaurants at Walt Disney World, so that as you are planning your vacation, you know the “can’t be missed” places, and where you shouldn’t waste your time.  Hope you enjoyed this one and will enjoy many others in the future!!

Your Thoughts:

I want to know what you think about my Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Full Review and if it’s in line with your experiences there.  How many times have you seen the Hoop Dee Doo Revue?  What have been your experiences there?  Let us know in the comments section below!

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