Premiering on September 5, 1974 (over 40 years ago), the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort at Walt Disney World has been rounding up generations of families for wholesome, hilarious, interactive fun.
The 90-minute musical revue is presented by the Pioneer Hall Players, a talented group of six who, along with a talented house pianist, presents a program of skits and songs, with wit and charisma (and a healthy dose of corniness) reminiscent of vaudeville and themed like the Wild West. The actors portray Jim Handy (the handsome leading man), Flora Long (the lovely leading lady), Clair De Lune (dancing star), Johnny Ringo (a dancer as well), Dolly Drew (wacky comic relief), and audience favorite Six Bits Slocum (the loving butt of jokes), a troupe of performers making their way across the country, just entertaining folks.
The show is broken up into a series of skits and is all good clean family fun, clever but slapsticky enough to keep the entire family in stitches (Six Bits singing “O' My Darling, Clementine” his way, by replacing a few words each chorus, to “dreadful sorry Frankenstein”), as well as beautiful singing by the Players (Flora and Jim come down into the center of the audience for one particularly lovely serenade), and loads of audience participation.
The Pioneer Hall Players. Photo by Donna Fesel.
Everyone in the audience is encouraged to sing along during certain portions (Players approach and ask where audience members are from and then turn it into song, birthdays are celebrated, and so on), twirl their dinner napkins over their heads, and play the Hoop-Dee-Doo pioneer instruments that are distributed. If you are on the main floor, be prepared—you are fair game for a little fun. Dolly sits on an unsuspecting gentleman's lap and flirts with him, and audience members are selected to portray parts in the show on stage (my husband was picked to be a brave scout, had a blast, and got a commemorative photo and certificate).
A particularly moving part of the show is when married couples are invited to slow dance on the main floor. The newer marrieds are seated little by little until only the longest-married couple is left dancing. At the last Hoop-Dee-Doo I attended, the last couple standing had been married 50 years!
My husband, brave scout, onstage at the Hoop-Dee-Doo. Photo by Donna Fesel.
I laugh and cry a little every time I go to the show, which for me signals a great evening. I've been with extended family (a party of 10 ranging in age from 5 to 65, who had a blast), took my son on his first trip to WDW (soooo cute), and have gone just with my spouse (so much fun). My brother-in-law (by marriage) took his whole extended family, and everyone loved it, too.
Some adorable kid plays the washboard at Hoop-Dee-Doo (that's my kid). Photo by Donna Fesel.
Did I mention that there is food? And beverages? All-you-care-to-eat, thank you very much. Very good fried chicken, BBQ spare rips, tossed salad, mashed potatoes (sometimes), baked beans, fresh cornbread with seasoned butter, and strawberry shortcake. The food seems to appeal to a wide audience, and I've found it to be quite tasty—particularly the cornbread (keep that away from me!). As at most WDW sit-down restaurants, if you provide notice of dietary restrictions, the chef is happy to work with you.
Soft drinks are provided free of charge—again, as much as you like—and complimentary beer, wine, and some darn good sangria are offerred to those who are 21 and over. The cast members keeping the delicious eats and drinks flowing are a fun-loving bunch. And although I won't give away the surprise, let's just say that they have a chance to showcase their personalities for the crowd.
On his first trip to the Hoop-Dee-Doo, my son enjoys the tasty cornbread. Photo by Donna Fesel.
Pioneer Hall itself is beautiful and feels authentic. It features pine logs from Montana and beautiful stonework from North Carolina, coming together to create the convincing atmosphere of an entertainment venue circa the late 1800s. It is rustic, warm, and cozy; you want to settle in for the evening. Seating is at three different levels (and price points):
- Level 1 – front main floor
- Level 2 – center balcony, back of main floor
- Level 3 – side balconies
All levels have some crowd interaction, and all seats feature a view of the performance area (I've sat on all three levels and have never had an issue seeing the show), while the floor-seated folks (in particular, bigger groups that seem to be having a blast) tend to be picked more frequently to go on stage.
Get those napkins in the air and wave 'em like you just don't care, at the Hoop-Dee-Doo. Photo by Donna Fesel.
Getting to Pioneer Hall is easy, if you know where you are going. You can take a boat from Magic Kingdom, Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Disney's Wilderness Lodge, that drops you off just a short walk away from Pioneer Hall. You can take a golf cart to Pioneer Hall if you are staying at the Fort Wilderness Resort, as golf cart parking is provided across the street. Anyone else coming to the show must take an internal Fort Wilderness bus from Outpost Depot (near the Resort entrance) to Settlement Depot.
Ask at the front resort check-in, or ask your Disney bus driver if you want help. Give yourself plenty of time for transportation, in any event. The first time my husband and I went to Hoop-Dee-Doo, we ended up at Wilderness Lodge (instead of Fort Wilderness) by mistake. That probably won't happen to you, but a little bit of extra time to figure things out is always a good thing.
Kicking up his feet on the balcony, my son dances in his seat at the Hoop-Dee-Doo. Photo by Donna Fesel.
Upon arrival, your party will be asked if they want to pose for a photo in front of Pioneer Hall; you can buy a photo package after you are seated. If you arrive early or want to stay a bit later after the show, Fort Wilderness is a beautiful, little piece of paradise. You can take a wagon ride, go horseback riding, take a Segway tour, or just wander on a little stretch of sandy beach. It's a lovely little respite from WDW hubbub.
Enjoying the beach at Fort Wilderness, after the Hoop-Dee-Doo. Photo by Donna Fesel.
Shows are currently running at 4:00 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. (you can use Tables in Wonderland for the last show, as well as the Disney Dining Plan, for two credits); give yourself approximately two hours for this experience. You can make reservations 180 days in advance, and showw can sell out very quickly during high travel season. Go to the official Hoop-Dee-Doo website or 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.
If you've got an evening to spare for a combination of a beautiful setting, tasty fare, and some fabulous entertainment, you have got to check out Hoop-Dee-Doo. I'd love to hear all about your Hoop-Dee-Doo memories, so please post them.
