I was able to go to the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue dinner show at Pioneer Hall in Disney’s Fort Wilderness Lodge. I was on a school planning retreat at Disney World Resort with several of my colleagues. We stayed at Disney’s Coronado Resort and this was one of our fun evening adventures. I enjoyed the show and the food was great. I particularly enjoyed the desert which was Strawberry Shortcake (my favorite).

Kids of all ages will love this energetic, lively dinner show at Pioneer Hall in Ft. Wilderness Campground. The Hoop-Dee- Doo players fire up the party atmosphere with spirited song, dance, and down- home comedy that will have you laughing, clapping, and singing along. The servers get into the fun too. Buckets of delicious home-style fried chicken, barbecued ribs, mixed-green salad and strawberry shortcake are put onto your table along with trimmings like fresh cornbread and corn on the cob.

If you are planning your vacation and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue is on your list make sure you reserve your seats to get the best ones available. Try to reserve at the 180-day mark (180+10 for on property guests). Seats are assigned based on when you make your reservation. Note: Front of the house seats are reserved for non-dining plan participants

We had the best seats in the house (center front) with our group of twelve, and the players paraded from the stage to circle our table and sing. You will get a good view from any location, though, including the balcony, and the players make sure they include all seating areas in the fun. At another show when we made our reservations early, our party of four was seated center, 2 tables from the stage. Guests in the tables closest to the front are more likely to be asked to participate in the show, which is fun for all.

Pioneer Hall - Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue

To get to Pioneer Hall if you are driving, park at the Outpost Parking Ground (not the Campground) and take the Settlement Bus. If you are using Disney transportation, take the Disney bus or the boat from Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary Resort. If you are a Disney World Resort guest, ask the Concierge to print out your tickets. Disney Dining Plan guests use 2 table-service credits for the show. Children will enjoy the playground adjacent Pioneer Hall while waiting to get in.

Guests are asked to arrive 30-40 minutes prior to the show so they can pick up their tickets at the nearby Guest Services window. For those of you staying at a Walt Disney World resort, tickets can also be picked up at your hotel’s concierge desk.

Bit of History

During the first several months of operation, a number of different acts performed at Pioneer Hall. At the same time, a new show was being developed by Robert F. Jani, and co-written by Tom Adair, Paul Suter and Larry Billman. On June 29, 1974, the temporary acts were replaced with the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue starring student actors from CalArts, a school created by Walt Disney in the early 1960s. For the next ten weeks, this band of three men and three women entertained guests with corny jokes, sappy songs, and unbridled enthusiasm. The show was an immediate success and the decision was made to make this theatrical a permanent fixture at Pioneer Hall. A cast of professional actors were auditioned and hired and they took over the roles on September 5, 1974. This show has remained virtually unchanged since its opening 36 years ago and has been performed over 35,000 times to more than 10 million guests.