Festival of the Lion KingStorytelling is one of the things The Walt Disney Company has been widely known for since Walt’s beginnings in the 1920s. And that tradition continues at Disney Parks where every aspect of your experience has a story. From the attractions to the restaurants and even the resorts, each has their own storyline being told to the guest.

At the Walt Disney World® Resort, one of our favorite forms of storytelling is the stage shows inside the parks. These shows are 15-40 minute Broadway-style productions telling some favorite Disney tales. In a hectic race to get from “Attraction A” to “Attraction B,” it seems these shows are often overlooked by our guests. So, we asked our expert Magic Makers® to rate the current stage shows at the Walt Disney World® Resort to help you choose which ones you should fit in to your hectic schedule. While a listing like this is subjective and ultimately a matter of personal taste, we think guests of all ages and interest will enjoy these top 3 shows.

And now, we proudly present:

Magic Maker’s® Top 3 Walt Disney World® Resort Stage Shows

  1. Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage (Disney’s Hollywood Studios®)
    This elegant musical production recreates the “tale as old as time” several times daily inside the Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. The show has been running (with some minor changes) at the park since Nov. 22, 1991, the same day the animated film opened in U.S. theaters!
  2. Finding Nemo – The Musical (Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park)
    Larger-than-life puppets are used to help tell the story of Disney-Pixar’s Finding Nemo inside the Theater in the Wild at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. After seeing the sheer talent of the puppeteers and hearing the 14 songs written to transform this non-musical animated feature into a musical production, you’ll understand why it was honored with a Thea Award for “Best Live Show.” Finding Nemo – The Musical is the longest of the shows appearing on our listing at 40 minutes.
  3. Festival of the Lion King (Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park)
    Our number one show can also been found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park inside the Camp Minnie-Mickey area. Festival of the Lion King combines puppetry, acrobatics, and dancers into a WILD revue of Disney’s The Lion King. The show is interactive featuring guest participation throughout and is likely to have you humming “Hakuna Matata” for the rest of your day!

These are 3 great stage shows you won’t want to miss! But keep in mind, they are just a small sample of the various entertainment options available at the Walt Disney World® Resort!