As was announced in February, the Magic Kingdom’s central Plaza (aka the hub) is undergoing a major improvement project. It will increase walk-ability and flow from a guest perspective and give Disney a few areas that they can use for dedicated parade or fireworks viewing.… Read More »Magic Kingdom Plaza / Hub Improvement – September 2014 Construction Update
1974 Cast of Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue
It is a special day for one of Walt Disney World’s real treasures. The original Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue had its first performance 40 years ago today. For 10s of thousands of performances, guests have been coming to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to be entertained by some of Disney’s best performers.
Recently, Disney assembled the original cast of Pioneer Hall Players. They were all college students when the show begun but look at them up on stage as if hardly a day has passed.
The Disney Blog recently had the opportunity to see the Hoop Dee Doo Revue and meet with Show Director Tom Vazzana. In the video below, Tom shares with us his passion for the show and bit of his vision for why it is still a success after all these years. I also added some highlights of the performance we saw at the end of the video:Read More »Hoop Dee Doo Revue Celebrates 40 Years of Entertainment Excellence
If you’re a long time fan of Disney’s Contemporary Resort you probably have been wondering what happened to all that fascinating modern art the original design team installed throughout the hotel and grounds? Well, wonder no longer. Walt Disney World Resort recently donated 52 pieces… Read More »Art from Disney’s Contemporary Art Donated to Local Nonprofit
As part of a media event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Walt Disney World we had the opportunity to interview Bruce Miller, the Zoo or Ranch manager at Tri-Circle-D Ranch in Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness and take… Read More »Disney’s Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Fort Wilderness is an overlooked gem
The Disney Parks Moms Panel is both an army of expert parents that Disney has united to help other families plan their Disney experience and a focus group for executives big Disney family. Each year around two dozen moms and dads are chosen to join… Read More »Applications Accepted for Disney Parks Moms Panel beginning Tuesday
Two weeks ago, we wrote about our invitation to help celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Walt Disney World’s original dinner show “Hoop Dee Doo Revue.” Courtesy of Disney, we now have more information about the show, it’s history, and some fun facts you can share at the dinner table to annoy your friends who just don’t get your Disney obsession.
When Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue launched on June 30, 1974, the high-energy dinner show at Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground was created in the heyday of dinner theaters for Walt Disney World guests with a summer college intern cast. The foot-stompin’, hand-clappin’ musical starred six young actors and offered endless buckets of fried chicken and ribs.
“Hoop-Dee-Doo was upbeat, and guests came for the corny jokes, good food and lots of fun,” said Forrest Bahruth, show director, Disney Parks & Resorts Creative Entertainment and the original choreographer for the dinner show. “Forty years later, the heart is still in it, the energy is still there.”
As that first summer ended and guests were clamoring for more, Walt Disney World Entertainment already was auditioning a full-time cast, and Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue opened as a permanent show on Sept. 5, 1974. Today, it’s one of the country’s longest-running dinner shows and has presented more than 37,000 performances. More than 10.5 million guests have seen the high-spirited show.
Read More »Celebrating 40 Years of Food and Fun at Hoop Dee Doo Revue
The Magic Kingdom’s Plaza / Hub area is getting some upgraded viewing areas and extra walking paths. Here’s a look at the status of construction through August 2014.
The project is expected to be completed in phases with the new fireworks viewing areas to the left and right of main street opening first then they’ll add additional pathways around the hub and more landscaping. The eventual goal will add a very garden like feel to the Plaza.
Related to this improvement is a project to upgrade the frequently used backstage alley on the Tomorrowland sideo of Main Street. They’ve been doing some tests backstage where cameras aren’t allowed, but you can start to see some of the changes form on stage now too. I hope they enclose it into a beautiful arcade, but I’ll be happy with some decent theming and an alternate route.
Photos from around the hub and the backstage arcade below the jump:
Read More »Magic Kingdom Plaza / Hub Improvement – August 2014 Construction Update
One of my favorite new video series from Disney is “Learn to Draw” where a Disney animator or character artist takes you through the steps of creating one of Disney’s iconic animated characters. Up next is everybody’s favorite Firefly from Disney’s “The Princess and the… Read More »Learn to Draw series: Ray the Firefly from “Princess and the Frog”