Your favourite Disney characters come to life on stage at Disney World!

The stage is set over at Disney World for these shows featuring all of your favourite Disney heroes and villains!

Although Disney World is famous around the globe for its thrilling rides, you should definitely put aside time in your hectic schedule to check out some of the amazing shows that are held across the parks, where all of your favourite Disney characters are lovingly brought to life through actors, puppetry and animation.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Hollywood Studios)

If you are in Hollywood Studios then head to Animation Courtyard to get on board with the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. This 17-minute show makes great use of puppetry, live actors, clips from the 1989 animated film and special effects to recount key moments from the tale as Ariel yearns to be a part of the human world. As you listen to songs from the award-winning soundtrack you’ll be over the moon as Sebastian the Crab sings the classic Under the Sea accompanied by a chorus of dancing fish and snails, before the fearsome Ursula the Sea Witch takes to the stage for a rendition of Poor Unfortunate Souls!

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage (Hollywood Studios)

Another Hollywood Studios show you should try to catch is Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. Like The Little Mermaid, this classic film is considered an early player in the Disney Renaissance of the 80s and 90s, and as such, is an important part of the studio’s history.

The performers from the stage show at the 1500-seat Theater of the Stars in Sunset Boulevard invite you to be to be their guest and relive this tale as old as time! Back in 1991 this stage show had its premier on the same day as the film opened in cinemas across the USA, and 27 years later is still going strong. You are bound to be enchanted by the magical story of Belle and the Beast unfolding before your eyes with this 25-minute Broadway-style stage musical, which features the original vocal performances by the film’s cast.

For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration (Hollywood Studios)

More Disney magic is on display in the Hyperion Theater at Echo Lake as you warm-up your vocal cords and join in the fun with For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. Listen as two historians recount the tale of Elsa and Anna as memorable scenes from the film are shown on a large screen, as well as songs from the hit movie accompanied by their lyrics, so that there are no excuses for not singing along with some of Frozen’s most popular songs! Be captivated as our heroines and Kristoff appear on the stage, and if you see the show this Christmas, you’ll be in for a special treat, as Olaf becomes a part of the action accompanied by songs from the animated Disney short Olaf’s Frozen Adventure!

Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire (Magic Kingdom)

You’ll hear more Frozen songs over at Magic Kingdom as you head along Main Street USA to the Castle Forecourt Stage in front of the iconic Cinderella’s Castle. Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire is a new stage show featuring a vast array of your Disney favourites – from both the classic and modern era – as Mickey and the gang have gathered various other Disney characters, including Tiana, Rapunzel, Anna and Elsa for a royal spectacular of dance, fun and music!

Finding Nemo – The Musical (Animal Kingdom)

Over in Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand USA, Finding Nemo – The Musical is bound to be a splash hit with both adults and children alike! This colourful 40-minute musical adaptation of the award-winning film features 14 songs that perfectly complement the film’s story, composed by the Tony Award winner Robert Lopez. Through the use of music, special effects and some fantastic puppetry you’ll find yourself at home beneath the sea as you follow the travels of Marlin, Dory and Nemo to meet with the surfer turtle Crush – a massive car-sized puppet – and Nigel the pelican, another puppet, whose head nearly reaches the roof of the theatre!

This is the first time that Disney has ever adapted one of their non-musical films into an original musical production, and this extraordinary show is well-worth catching to experience a new take on a much-loved story.

Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom)

In the Africa area of the park, more spectacular puppets are on display in the Harambe Theatre’s 30-minute show, Festival of the Lion King. Look on in wonder as four costumed vocalists lead an entourage of talented dancers, stilt walkers, gigantic puppets and more in bringing to life the spectacular Pride Lands setting of The Lion King. Take your seat in one of the four sections – Elephant, Giraffe, Lion or Warthog, where at times throughout the performance you will be asked to make a noise according to your animal! You’ll be dazzled by the acrobatic high jinks of the Tumble Monkeys, who swing on the trapeze, bars and rings, and the performance skills of a fire knife wielding dancer! Celebrate the music from The Lion King as characters from the film take their place on the stage for renditions of songs such as Hakuna Matata and Be Prepared, before a rousing finale of the Elton John and Tim Rice-penned Circle of Life.

Special dining packages are available which provide priority reserved seating for this show. For a limited time until 21st November, Tiffins Restaurant are serving up a three-course gourmet meal – either lunch or dinner – which is inspired by world cuisine and includes mains such as Alaskan halibut and Waygu rib-eye steak. If you want to extend your experience, there is also an option for the above package with an additional special guided safari tour of the site, where you can see animals roaming in their habitats.

For all of the shows please check the park’s Times Guide or My Disney Experience app† for their schedule, as some only run on select days. Outside shows especially are liable to change in bad weather! As such, it might be worth trying to get into the shows that you are keen to catch earlier, to make sure you optimise your chance of seeing at least one of their performances. In addition, it is likely that the parks (and theatres) will get busier as the day goes on, so take this into account when working out which shows you want to see and when, especially if there is limited seating.

† This can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store

Do you think that we have missed out any must-see shows, or are there any hidden gems that you would like to recommend? We’d love to hear your thoughts so get in touch!