Disneyland certainly has plenty of rides to experience, but another thing I love about these parks is all the shows available to see. I’ve already written quite a bit about Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration entertainment, and I do highly recommend seeing these evening shows, but today I will focus on Disneyland’s other shows that we think are worth seeing.
Mickey and the Magical Map: This stage show tucked next to the entrance to Mickey’s Toontown stars Mickey Mouse as the apprentice of a magical map-maker. Mickey gets a bit overzealous and ends up pursuing a spot that refuses to be painted, while finding lots of other Disney locations and characters along the way. The stage has an enormous digital “map”, allowing characters to seemingly pop in and out of the map as needed. The musical numbers are great and the effects are impressive – and, the theater has shaded seating.
Five and Dime: You can find this energetic little street show several times daily on Buena Vista Street. The band, Five and Dime, rolls onto the street to play jazzy 1920s and 30s favorites, along with dancing, zoot suit-wearing Goofy. This is possibly one of my favorite street shows I’ve ever seen in a Disney park, so I highly recommend checking it out.
Fantasmic!: This show is not unique to Disneyland, but Walt Disney World regulars will notice quite a few differences, such as a much larger Maleficent dragon and the inclusion of the Sailing Ship Columbia as part of the show. To me, this is such a quintessential Disney show, with lots of great effects and music. Because it’s so popular, it takes some strategy to see – either book a Fantasmic Dining Package with FastPasses included, or grab a FastPass from its distribution area behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Please note that this show will be closing temporarily beginning January 11, 2016 as Disneyland begins construction on a Star Wars-themed land.
Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular: Located in the Hyperion Theater in Hollywood Land, this Broadway-style musical packs in all your favorite songs from the movie, lots of great effects (especially the flying carpet scene), and a wise-cracking Genie with enough artistic license to keep the pop culture jokes constantly updated. Unfortunately, this show will be making its final appearance on January 10, 2016, in preparation of a new musical based on Frozen. If you get the chance to see this show before it leaves, I highly recommend it.
Main Street Piano Player: I always love the entertainment on Main Street, and a particular favorite is the ragtime piano player you’ll find at Refreshment Corner. The piano players are very talented, and it’s great to grab a drink and listen to the music while watching people pass by on Main Street. If you visit in the afternoon, you may also get treated to a session of musical chairs with Alice and the Mad Hatter.
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Elizabeth lives in Kansas City with her wonderful family. Elizabeth first visited Disney as a child, and when she prepared to visit Walt Disney World as an adult, she foolishly thought she may have ‘outgrown’ Disney. Happily, Elizabeth was proven wrong – but she also realized how good planning can make such a difference for having a fun, relaxing vacation! Elizabeth became her family’s go-to resource for Disney planning. Now she is dedicating her planning skills to helping other families create vacation memories as a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations. She will plan your trip as if it were her own. Her blog, planningformagic.com, has tons of advice on how to plan your next Disney trip, including trip planning instructions, sample itineraries, dining tips, and more. Visit her on Facebook or Twitter for more planning tips and theme park news. Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@theaffordablemouse.com.
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