Disney is truly the happiest place on earth. A destination where even dinner isn’t just a simple meal. It’s a grand performance, an immersive experience, or an opportunity to meet your family’s favorite Disney characters. This exhaustive list of all the best dinner shows in Disney will help you cap off your day with some fun before driving back to our comfortable vacation rentals in Kissimmee or Davenport to grab some much-needed R&R time before another full day in the park.
Throughout the years, Disney has hosted an array of praise-worthy dinner shows. But some favorites, like the Spirit of Aloha, with its Polynesian-inspired luau, are no longer performing. These are the up-to-date, can’t-miss dinner experiences still showing within Orlando, Florida’s Disney theme parks.
Reservations are recommended for all Disney Dining Experiences to guarantee a table!
1. Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue
Photo Credit: Scott Thomas via Flickr CC 2.0
- Magic Kingdom
- The most iconic Disney World theme park dinner show.
Welcome to one of the longest-running dinner shows in the world. Hoop Dee Doo has been enthralling guests in its campground-themed Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort for more than 40 years. While the wacky vaudeville comedy is worthwhile, the all-you-can-eat BBQ Ribs, homemade strawberry shortcake, and Fried Chicken are the main tourist draw. It may just be one of the best meals in the Disney Parks. Expect singing, dancing, and an all-around exceptional dining experience. There are three nightly showings starting at around 4 PM.
While there are 14 opportunities for dinner entertainment on this list, Hoop Dee Doo is the only tried and true traditional dinner show still running in WDW.
2. Ferrytale Fireworks Dessert Cruise
- Magic Kingdom
- Dessert Cruise & Firework Show with Whimsical on-Deck Activities
For $99 per adult, you can set sail on the Seven Seas Lagoon and enjoy an all-access pass to onboard drinks and desserts beneath a kaleidoscope of colors— otherwise known as the Magic Kingdom Firework Show. This is an all-ages event and one of the most unique ways to enjoy a Disney Parks firework extravaganza.
For a more straightforward dessert show that doesn’t require sea legs, try the Happily Ever After Seats and Sweets.
3. Biergarten Restaurant
Photo Credit: Steven Miller via Flickr CC 2.0
- EPCOT
- Oktoberfest-themed German Pub fare with a lively atmosphere
Get stuffed on sausages, schnitzel, and strudel within the EPCOT World Showcase at the Germany Pavilion for lunch or dinner! This pop-up Bavarian village transports you to the German mountains, where you can raise a stein and dance to the Polka performances peppered throughout the day. As with pretty much all Disney attractions, it’s a good fit for all ages.
4. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
Photo Credit: HarshLight via Flickr CC 2.0
- EPCOT
- Classic 1950’s drive-in movie with American fare
The Drive-In Movie Theatre is an American icon. In a throwback to a bygone era, Disney allows diners in groups of 8 or less to pile into a carefully designed dinner car for all-American eats like burgers and shakes while short sci-fi clips play on the big screen. This is great for a little decompression and dining after a fun-filled day at the park.
5. Yehaa Bob at River Roost Lounge
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
- Full-service bar with a regular comedian performance
Take a trip down to Louisiana or the good ol’ River Roost Lounge for some laughs. Yehaa Bob is a resident comedian and musician who performs 5 days a week at the drinking hole. Snacks are available, but you won’t get a full dinner here.
Yehaa Bob is popular and hilarious enough to make this an excellent “dinner” and a show for Walt Disney World Resort guests.
6. House of Blues
- Disney Springs
- Live music with Southern-style delicacies
Smoothly transition through Blues, Jazz, and Rock performances while enjoying Jumbalaya or Shrimp and Grits with the whole family!
While dinnertime is the most popular time of day to visit the House of Blues, you can also pop in for a bottomless Mimosa brunch and specialties like Chicken ‘N’ Donuts, Brown Sugar Chile Bacon, and Biscuits & Gravy. If you’re looking for a music performance and a meal, this is the best choice for enjoying Disney’s live entertainment.
7. Raglan Road
Photo Credit: Wally Gobetz via Flickr CC 2.0
- Disney Springs
- Irish pub with dance performances
Let’s all dig into some bangers and mash with a hearty helping of Guinness stew. Traditional Irish dancers jig through the pub to the energetic band while you dine family-style. Raglan Road is one of the most casual dinner shows and dining options within the WDW parks.
8. Oga’s Cantina
Photo Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr CC 2.0
- Hollywood Studios
- Starwars-themed drinks and snacks in an intimate environment fit for all ages.
While Oga’s Canteen is not a traditional “dinner” or “show,” it’s such a fan-favorite in the Disney World Dining Scene that it warrants a mention. Each 45-minute visit allows guests to consume fantastical drinks while entertained by the shady bounty hunters and smugglers known to frequent this underworld establishment. Don’t come too hungry, but there are themed snacks available. This is easily one of the best bars around, and it’s great for Star Wars fans hoping to meet some character.
Dining Packages With a Dinner Show
When booking a WDW ticket bundle, you’ll often get to choose between several dining packages. These packages are pre-paid dinners and dining credits that you are free to use at various places throughout the parks. These particular dining packages allow you access to a show after your meal. Pick your dining plan carefully to find the best fit for your Disney vacation.
9. Fantasmic! Dining Package
- Hollywood Studios
- A meal and an exceptional show with fireworks!
If you’re a Fantasmic! fanatic, you should definitely consider adding this package to round out your Disney experience. Choose between 50s Prime Time Cafe, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, Hollywood & Vine, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, and The Hollywood Brown Derby for a meal and then zip over to the main attraction.
10. Luminous, The Symphony of Us Dining Packages
- EPCOT
- Choose between the Rose & Crown Fireworks Dining Package or Spice Road Table Dining Package
The EPCOT fireworks show, which begins each and every night at 9 PM, is well known to be one of the best within Disney Parks. So, why not pair it with a divine meal? The Rose & Crown package offers guests stellar firework views sitting lakeside at the World Showcase Lagoon while enjoying a luxurious prix fixe menu.
The Spice Road provides a more Mediterranean experience on a covered outdoor patio designed to make you feel as though you’re transported to a Moroccan bazaar. Expect the menu offering to include two small plates, a shared tagine, and a dessert platter.
Seasonal Walt Disney World Dinner Shows
Several dinner shows and character dining experiences are only available to park visitors during specific times of the year or during special Disney events, not that every day in Disney isn’t special. These are the best seasonal dining experiences you could enjoy on your Mickey vacation.
For all four of these Disney “dinner shows,” you’ll eat dinner at a nearby restaurant and then be granted entrance to a show, not regaled with said show during your meal.
11. Disney on Broadway Dining Package
- During EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
Witness popular Broadway performances of Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin during the wintertime festival of the arts. This is an excellent package for fans of the classic Disney films.
12. Garden Rocks Dining Package
- EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
This underrated festival really rocks! With this dining package, you gain access to the musical performance of the evening. Just be sure to check the calendar to find out who is playing on your dates. Previous performers like Blue October, Rick Springfield, and Commodores have headlined!
13. Eat the Beat Dining Package
The food and wine festival is one of the most popular annual EPCOT events, and enjoying a musical performance at the America Gardens Theatre just sweetens the deal. This package includes dinner at one of the nearby restaurants and choice seating for the music. This is a foodie fanatic festival, for sure.
14. Candlelight Processional Dining Package
- EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
With three-nightly showtimes during the usually 4-week festival, the Candlelight Processional is a beloved retelling of the Christmas story (often with celebrity narrators), complete with a local choir and a 50-piece orchestra. This is one of the shortest festivals and most magical times of year to plan your Disney visit, but do expect some competition for these tickets!
It’s Showtime in Central Florida!
From Cinderella’s Castle to Pioneer Hall, Disney has endless exploration opportunities, and you’re going to need a few days inside the park! That’s why our conveniently located vacation rentals in Kissimmee and Davenport, Florida, are the perfect option for your family (or Disney Adult) getaway.
You can reach the park within 30 minutes so that you won’t miss a moment of the fun, but you can enjoy the scenic and affordable Central Florida area during your stay.
