Cover Photo Courtesy Disney
Before Space Mountain, Epcot and even ol’ River Country, a “temporary” wild west dinner show made its debut at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground. With a vaudeville-style, slapstick comedy hour and buckets of fried chicken, the show became a surprise hit with guests way back in 1974. Now among the longest-running dinner shows in America, it still has many of the same corny puns – yet sells out well in advance. But with a price tag of up to $ 60.51 per guest, knowledge is good. Here’s a few essential things to know (along with a smattering of the trite and trivial).
I can “bearly” see from way back here
Hoop Dee Doo is set inside our beloved Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness. You know the landmark one that looks like a giant Lincoln Log set. Well, if you want to be up close and part of the action, splurge for Tier 1 seats. Those who want to save a few dollars and don’t mind a possible obstructed view should go for the balcony level (Tier 3). My least favorites of the 362 seats are certain Tier 2 ones in the back of the first floor.
oh where, oh where is my mac and cheese?
Once you sit down at the table, you’ll likely already find the famous cornbread and salad waiting. Your waiter or waitress will greet you quickly for your drink order (beer and sangria are included!). At this time, you may want to go ahead and let him know that you will be wanting refills. You see, your gratuity is already included, and on occasion, the energy of the servers doesn’t seem to keep up with that of the show. Once your fried chicken, ribs, green beans, and mashed potatoes arrive, go ahead and ask for macaroni and cheese. It’s included, but almost never makes an appearance except upon request.
this is your grandpa’s hoop dee doo (almost)
Very little seems to have changed, although some argue that the food quality has declined a bit. But back in the day, you were obliged to stand on your chair for one of the most raucous parts of the show. I’m willing to bet that after three or more beers, not everybody made it back down so gracefully. These days, you’ll swing your napkins in the air instead. Another change is that the original Hoop Dee Doo song is no longer used, likely due to some copyright and clearance issues that emerged about a decade ago.
Oh, and that famous strawberry cake at the end? Back in the Nixon and Ford days, your slice of Americana came in the form of apple pie. And the adult meal price in 1974 was $11 (equivalent to about $60 in 2019).
princess diana visited the show in the early 90s
In August 1993, the Disney princesses played second fiddle to the real princess when she brought sons, William and Harry, to the Walt Disney World. After two days of parks, the family took a boat from the Grand Floridian to Fort Wilderness and attended the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. Cast members selected William to play the part of the ranger in the show’s final act.
you can’t get there from here
One of the biggest concerns from guests who aren’t camping is how to actually get to the Hoop Dee Doo. For those staying in monorail resorts or Wilderness Lodge, the boat is the obvious answer. Most others will park (or take bus/Uber) to the Outpost Area at Fort Wilderness, and then grab another bus for a 10-minute ride to Pioneer Hall. Of course, you’ll want to arrive on time, but don’t fret about getting there too early. Your seats are assigned.
when it ends, be like butter and get on a roll
So, this is actually a sad story.
Last week, an extremely popular Disney influencer (@TheDis) described a Hoop Dee tale that is counter of all of our visions of Disney cast members (whose smiles bleed into rainbows). Allegedly, he and his recently-widowed mother weren’t getting out the door quickly enough at the end of the Christmas Eve show. He reports that an over-zealous security guard confronted them in a most undelightful and ill-mannered way. His troubling report details how it escalated rapidly, soon involving supervisor and general manager types.
And apparently, this renegade security cast member (name not revealed) has been on the team for at least a few months. Below is a July 2019 tweet that provides a similar scenario.
The 8:30PM Hoop Dee Doo show ends with a literal Disney security guard coming to your table and telling you to gather your things and leave. Great ending absolutely spectacular
— Rise of the Bretsistance (@Schmoofy) July 12, 2019
Of course, I’m wondering if the disconnect has been repaired. In any case, it may not presently be prudent to linger a little longer. Now, hurry up and finish that strawberry shortcake, would you?
baby, its cold inside
It may be July 10th with a heat index of 118, but bring your new Fort sweatshirt to the Hoop Dee Doo. You can de-layer when you get warmed up from the Hokey Pokey.
