For a lot of people (myself included!) WDW is all about the RIDES – and they have lots of great ones! But I know that not everyone loves rides, or can ride them, but fear not – there is still PLENTY for you non-riders to do at Disney World. You will definitely want to take in some shows, and there are tons to choose from at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park – so I suggest you waste no time in heading to these Can’t Miss Hollywood Studios Shows:
Beauty And The Beast – Check out this “Tale As Old As Time” – a 20 minute stage show that brings the movie to life in a 1,500 seat amphitheater. With the familiar songs and characters from the movie that we all know and love, this is a must see for those of all ages! Fun fact – the live stage show opened on November 22, 1991 – the same day that the animated movie hit theaters for the first time. Note that this is an outdoor show, so as long as the Florida weather cooperates, the show will go on!
Voyage Of The Little Mermaid – You’ll find this unique 17-minute show over in the Animation Courtyard section of Hollywood Studios. It combines puppets, live actors, film clips, and special effects to help re-tell the story of Ariel’s voyage as she longs to become human. The theater is set “underwater” and the bubbles and mist you feel further enhance this feeling of being “Part of Ariel’s World”. If you see a big crowd waiting as you go to queue up for the show, don’t be discouraged! It’s a big theater and can handle a lot of guests, and it’s worth the wait!
The Magic of Disney Animation – head over to Animation Court and you’ll find this overlooked attraction – where you sit in an audience and watch a live artist interact with an animated version of Mushu (the adorably sassy dragon from Mulan) while you learn about character development and animation. It’s a pretty amusing little 10 minute show, and once you exit the theater you enter an area with a ton of interactive drawing and character modules – and you can even head over to “animation academy” where you can learn to draw a Disney character
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show – This open air theater is home to a show that centers around the filming of a spy thriller, where you watch a director, stunt people, and crew members on a “live” set. You get to watch different stunts be setup and “filmed” – like high speed car chases, watercraft stunts, and more! It’s one of Disney’s largest “stages” – measuring at 177,000 square feet! The audience features bleacher style seating for 5,000 – where basically every seat is a good seat and gives you a great view of the action!
Muppet Vision 3D – You’ll see plenty of slapstick jokes and pranks as the Muppets take the stage to perform for you in 3D! You move from the queue into a big waiting area, where you can grab your glasses and watch the “preshow” on the TV monitors up above as the Muppets scurry around to get ready for their performances, and there’s tons of fun props and decorations to check out in this area too. Then you enter the theater itself for your 13 minute trip through “Muppet Laboratories” – where they have “perfected” the art of 3D vision! The show itself is mostly a movie presented on a big screen, but Sweetums does come through the theater at one point, which is pretty cool, and of course Statler and Waldorf are on hand in the balcony and just *thrilled* to be there as usual!
Hollywood Studios is a Park that celebrates the movies and the joy and art of acting and creating magic for the masses – so it makes sense that they have some of the best shows around! I highly suggest you take some time out from the thrill rides and enjoy some of these family friendly and entertaining attractions!
