At this moment almost all of the Disney parks have re-opened from the Covid-19 pandemic and have been running with social distancing and for the most part they have been doing a great job. While not many people see Disney opening during a pandemic as a safe thing, Disney still has found a way to keep all their guests safe when they are in the park. Now everything in the parks is running and available except for a couple of huge factors. While meet and greets are not available, you can still take social distancing selfies with your favorite characters. This list isn’t about that though as while the characters play a huge role in the Disney parks, the shows are unfortunately not running at this time. Obviously when you go to Disney you look forward to meeting Mickey or riding Haunted Mansion or Splash Mountain and seeing all the shows, but due to the social distancing protocols Disney has decided to not run shows that include live performers so they could keep them safe. It’s a bit quiet to be honest without hearing Fireworks or seeing performances in the parks. But to make it up for everyone that can’t attend Disney I wanted to rank 10 of the best shows in the Disney parks. Now ground rules apply as I only will be counting shows that include either live performers or outside stage shows so attractions like Muppet Vision, Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor, Country Bear Jamboree and Carousel of Progress will not count. Also this list will consist of current shows. Shows like parades, nighttime performances or musical stage shows will only count on this list. With that said comment below your favorite show in the Disney parks and let’s sit back and relax as we countdown the Top 10 Live Shows in the Disney Parks.
Top 10 Live Shows in the Disney Parks
10. Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade (Magic Kingdom) – Disney parades have been some of the most magical parts of the Disney parks and one of the best current parades can be found in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Festival of Fantasy Parade tells the stories of classic Disney films past and present and brings them to life with spectacular floats. The parade includes Ariel, Belle, Peter Pan, Elsa and of course it wouldn’t be a Disney parade without Mickey Mouse. The parade debuted in the park on March 9th, 2014 as a way to bring the stories of New Fantasyland throughout the park. One of the coolest parts about the parade is the Maleficent Dragon. The dragon is pretty unique as it is able to breathe fire which looks really cool up close. My favorite thing about the parade is the floats as they all look awesome with the film/character they are representing and they look so magical and each one is very unique. Now while the parade isn’t currently running it has been rumored for quite some time that the parade would be ending is run somewhere in 2021 as Disney World heads to its 50th Anniversary so there is a possibility that this parade will soon be retired but you never know it could also only be a hiatus but only time will tell. Until then enjoy the only parade in Disney World that brings fantasy to life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DCxCsISnrM
9. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (Hollywood Studios) –Disney’s MGM Studios showed behind the scenes magic of movies and filmed television shows and films like Mickey Mouse Club and The Lottery starring Bette Midler when it first opened in 1989. Ever since MGM Studios has evolved into Disney’s Hollywood Studios and moved away from movie magic but one thing hasn’t changed from the first year the park opened and that is the only original thing left from Disney MGM Studios. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is the oldest attraction/show in the park as it opened in the park in August 1989 and ever since it has been entertaining the crowds. The show is based on the Indiana Jones films and it includes various stunts and live re-enacted scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark including the iconic Boulder chase scene. The show includes real stunt doubles, cast members, select Disney guests from the crowd and stunts. This show is an icon in the park as it still continues to bring in crowds and stay relevant when new additions like Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge come into the park to bring in the crowds. This show has had a long history with the park and it’s defiantly something you should experience when you go to Disney World because of how legendary the show is and because how awesome it is. It’s the last relic of Disney MGM Studios so defiantly check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=678-NkHhbsY
8. Mickey and the Magical Map (Disneyland) – This stage show parallels to Walt Disney’s vision towards Disneyland and how it will never be complete. Disney’s vision of Disneyland is huge as he said that it will continue to grow as long as there is imagination in the world. That vision can be said with Mickey and the Magical Map. The show debuted in Disneyland on May 25th, 2013 and it casts Mickey Mouse in his classical role as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Now while the show is centered on Mickey and the map it includes classic Disney films and songs. The characters used in this show include Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel, Stitch, etc. The show main focus is for Mickey to put the finishing touches on the map for the Sorcerer Yen Sid and to do so he has to use a paintbrush. We then meet an unfinished part of the map that we later find out represents the Disney vision as Yen Sid tells Mickey that this map will never be complete as it will continue to change and grow. This show is pretty cool and deserves to be mentioned in this list as it can use some more love as I never really see Disney fans and Disney YouTube channels mention it ever. So I will do the justice of spotlighting this awesome show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eowOoPCwHcs
7. Disneyland Magic Happens Parade (Disneyland) – The youngest show in this list, Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade, opened up in Disneyland in February 2020 and even though it hasn’t been open for long the parade itself is amazing and needs to be mentioned. The parade has some amazing floats as well that tell the stories of the films being represented in the parade. The music in the parade as well has a very present beat for this generation and while it doesn’t have the full Disney vibe, it actually is pretty lit and could become iconic throughout the years. I defiantly think this parade can be up there with some of the best parades of all time in Disney within the next 5 years so I have high hopes for this parade. There not much to say with the parade as it is brand new and has only around for a month before the parks closed due to the pandemic. But I was able to find a video of the opening day of the parade that has great interactions from the crowd so check it out if you want to see a lit brand new parade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CujrdZQESU
6. Disney Illuminations (Disneyland Paris) – Disney Illuminations is based off of the Shanghai Disneyland nighttime spectacular Ignite the Dream. The show seems like a love child between Fantasmic and Happily Ever After as the show includes water effects, fireworks, lasers and projection mapping on the park’s castle. This show is amazing as the special effects in this show are out of this world as the technology used for this show is insane. The show uses audio visuals, lighting, pyrotechnics, pretty much the same stuff we see in Disney shows today, but for this show it also uses hydrotechnic technology, a branch of science and technology concerned with the study of water resources and their use of economic purposes. This show is beyond amazing, it’s phenomenal and it’s crazy to believe that it’s only been around since 2017 as the show’s technology looks fresh and new. Now the best part about this show is the fact that the music and dialogue in the show is in English and French. The nighttime spectacular is in Disney Paris so it’s only fitting that they have half the show in French. The show opened in March 2017 to celebrate the park’s 25th Anniversary so this show might be around for a long time to come. The show is defiantly a must see when you go to Disneyland Paris and I can’t wait to hopefully see it one day in person if I ever go to Disneyland Paris. Until then we have this YouTube video that was posted by Disney Parks due to the Covid- 19 Pandemic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTjnO9EQwOw&t=77s
5. Disneyland’s Fantasmic or Fantasmic 2.0 – Okay this one might be cheating but there are two different Fantasmics and both are a bit different from each other so I will be separating the shows. Now that we covered that let’s talk about Fantasmic in the place where it originated. Disneyland’s Fantasmic went through a refurbishment in 2016 as it went through a technical refurbishment because of escalating maintenance costs. Plus it freshened up the nighttime show a bit and in the end it worked well as the show is still beyond amazing. New scenes were also added into the show that included Lion King, Aladdin, Tangled and Pirates of the Caribbean. Mickey Mouse also is a part of more scenes throughout the show. Now these additions are just a few differences from Disney World’s version but a big difference that gives Disneyland a point is Murphy the Dragon. Murphy the Dragon is an audio animatronic that comes out during Maleficent’s transformation scene and the coolest part of this huge animatronic is the fact that it can shoot fire out of its mouth. Other than that Fantasmic 2.0 is an incredible nighttime spectacular that is beyond amazing and it really can bring out the kid in you for sure. Who am I kidding if I saw this show up close like I have done for Disney World’s I would probably be crying and happy at the same time. There is no other nighttime show like this show in Disneyland so I highly recommend seeing it live and in person when this whole pandemic is over. Until then enjoy this video so you can see how amazing this spectacular really is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3OCCP-DPc&t=423s
4. Disney World’s Fanstasmic (Hollywood Studios) – Yeah it’s hard to rank them from each other so I guess we can say it’s a two way tie. There is no doubt that the 2.0 version is incredible but the original wins my heart on this one and gets a higher ranking. It’s my list I can have my opinion and my reasoning’s for this choice. Every time I watch Disney World’s Fantasmic I end up tearing up and getting emotional because I grew up watching the show since I was three years old and each time it I see it up close I get emotional because I know that my trip is over and I have to go back to New York and my miserable life. Okay my life isn’t miserable but in reality I realize as soon as I’m watching the show that this could be the last time in a long time I will be experiencing Disney World and I get upset about it. Disney World’s Fantasmic is the original version of the show and unlike 2.0 it has a longer scene of the villains and includes a scene from Pocohantas. Also I think the setting is a bit better in Disney World as you get a 50 foot mountain compared to Disneyland’s Tom Sawyer’s Island. Also instead of the finale having the Mark Twain Riverboat, the finale is done on Steamboat Willie’s. Unfortunately this version does not include Murphy the Dragon but it does include a cool puppeteer dragon that is pretty huge in person. I would never want to replace the original version in Disney World as it is my favorite version of Fantasmic. This show is also my favorite show in the park and my favorite thing to do in Disney World. It’s not a trip to Disney World without attending Fantasmic and believe me you don’t ever want to lose an opportunity to see this show if you ever have the chance to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyAHU0_rCqc&t=725s
3. Paint the Night Parade (Hong Kong Disneyland) – The Paint the Night Parade is a nighttime parade in Hong Hong’s Disneyland and it has spawned a big fan base and is very popular with guests. The parade began running in Fall 2014 and has been a main stay for the park for a long time. The parade is based off of its successor The Main Street Electrical Parade, which is considered the greatest parade in Disney history. Now unlike The Main Street Electrical Parade, this parade uses LED lights instead of the old fashioned lights the Electrical Parade and Spectromagic used. In total there are over 740,000 individual lights used in this parade. Paint the Night Parade also uses a newly arranged Baroque Hoedown, the theme song to the Electrical Parade, and a Cantonese version of Owl City’s When Can I See You Again from the film Wreck it Ralph. It also uses songs from classical films that are represented in the parade. These films include Peter Pan, Monster’s Inc, Cars, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story. Another cool part about this parade is the fact that it is interactive with the guests. Guests can purchase a Mickey Mouse Paintbrush and it will allow guests to change the colors of the performer’s costumes when the brushes are activated. Now my favorite part of the parade is the floats as each float is extremely impressive with how they are designed. Also the details used in the floats to represent the film are amazing as well and I cannot forget the amazing LED lights. This parade was so popular when it first arrived that in 2015 a new version of the parade came to Disneyland to celebrate its 60th Anniversary and it stayed for a couple of years as it was moved to California Adventure when The Main Street Electrical Parade returned for a limited time. Disneyland’s version however ended its run in 2018 sadly but hopefully it makes its return in the future. Without a doubt this parade is an amazing parade and has become so phenomenal that within the next 10 years it could be as legendary as its successor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIu8v7_sPvg
2. Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom) – Disney World has some of the most unique live stage shows in all of the Disney parks; however the best stage show that has been going strong since the park opened is The Festival of The Lion King. This live stage show is a musical that tells the story of The Lion King with songs, dance, puppetry and visual effects. The show also uses a tribal celebration in an African Savanna setting filled with many animals including elephants, gazelles, giraffes and of course lions. The show is nothing like the Broadway musical as it is more of a show to interact with guests. The show was first located in Camp Minnie-Mickey back in 1998 until 2014 when it was relocated due to the construction of Pandora – The World of Avatar. It took a 5 month hiatus and found its home in the Harambe Theater. Now there is also a version of the show in Hong Kong but I have to choose the original show for this list as it by far represents the show better knowing that it is located in Animal Kingdom while Hong Kong’s version is located in Adventureland. The show is the best show in Animal Kingdom as let’s face it Animal Kingdom’s weakness is the lack of shows and there qualities of being a good show but Festival of the Lion King makes up for that as the show is a strong representation of Animal Kingdom but also Africa. As for stage shows in Disney World, it defiantly is the best one as it interacts with the guests, has amazing performers, gets the job done in 30 minutes and it has such an amazing vibe. While I am also a stan for Lion King, I have seen almost every live stage show in Disney World and for what it’s worth this stage show entertained me and left me satisfied from beginning to end. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgk-LhNnluI
1. Happily Ever After (Magic Kingdom) – “Each of us has a dream, a heart’s desire. It calls to us. And when we’re brave enough to listen, and bold enough to pursue, that dream will lead us on a journey to discover who we’re meant to be. All we have to do is look inside our hearts and unlock the magic within”. Happily Ever After is a firework spectacular that includes projection mapping on Cinderella’s castle, lasers and searchlights. The show debuted in the park in May 2017 and since then has become the most popular firework show in Disney World’s history. Many Disney and Pixar films and songs are included in this show but the main song used is “Happily Ever After” performed by Jordan Fischer and Angie Keilhauer. The show has 6 themes that center’s the shows story. These themes are Dreams, Journey, Friendship, Love, Adversity and Triumph. Also the show has an amazing finale that includes Tinker Bell flying over Cinderella’s Castle. Now there have been some great firework spectacular shows in the Disney parks in the last couple of years but none of them touch the mantle like this show does. Happily Ever After will make a Disney guest cry each time they see the show. It could be your first time or hundredth time watching the show, there something about the show that makes them cry. I think it’s the powerful message the show puts out as it tells us to hold on to our dreams and make them come true and to always find your happily ever after. During the pandemic Disney had one goal, make dreams come true and they decided to post the full show on YouTube and ever since it has gained over 4 million views. Now I’m not a big firework guy but when I go to Disney I am because they are able to make something amazing out of fireworks and put on amazing shows and by far this show in particular proves that point. Our journey might be done on this list but just like this show, I hope you all find your happily ever after, hold onto your dreams and make them come true. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bN5b11H4_s&t=2s
Now as I said last week Disney is doing a great job with the whole social distancing guidelines and so far there hasn’t been one case of coronavirus in the Disney Parks. Is Disney a bit different without their stage shows, nighttime spectaculars and of course there amazing parades, most defiantly but they have been doing there best with making something out of nothing. They technically do have a mini parade but it’s just a bunch of characters in trolleys saying hello to the crowd. It’s nothing big but it’s something for now as soon everything will be normal again and there will be shows running in the Disney Parks. The same can be said within the world as soon everything will be normal and soon everything will open up again and we can all feel normal. But until then continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance from others and stay safe. Let’s finish this list with honorable mentions and be able to bring the magic into your homes as that was my main goals these last couple of lists was to bring the Disney magic into your homes.
Honorable Mentions:
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage (Hollywood Studios) – This classic stage show is the oldest stage show in Disney World as it has been around since 1991, the same year the film came out. It’s a Broadway style musical that tells the story of Beauty and the Beast in 25 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmc38je4iIA
Disney Stars on Parade (Disneyland Paris) – The parade debuted in 2017 for the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris. It’s a very cool parade with some awesome parade floats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Yp-_CW5vg
Voyage of the Little Mermaid (Hollywood Studios) – This underrated stage show has been around since 1992 and it tells the story of the Disney animated film The Little Mermaid. The show uses live actors and puppets to tell its story and it also has laser projections and some great lighting effects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh8L-MER0Q4
World of Color (Disneyland’s California Adventure) – This classic nighttime spectacular is a Disneyland classic as it is a water show that includes 1,200 musical water fountains, lights, fire, lasers and high definition projection on mist screens. The show was inspired by Walt Disney’s anthology series “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzJNtAB8Rxw&t=1019s
Written on September 4th, 2020
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