'Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue' history [Looking Back]

POSTED: Wed, 07/13/2011 - 12:00 | POSTED BY: Kristen Heptinstall

Considered to be one of the longest, continuously running musicals in American theatre history, with more than 35,000 performances and 10 million happy audience members -- my, that's a lot of fried chicken! -- the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue has been going strong since June 1974 at Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness.

With shows 3 times a night (5 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m.), 7 days a week, Hoop-De-Doo is the most popular dinner show at Disney World. And the food ain't bad either -- just ask AJ at the Disney Food Blog. Salad and cornbread await you at your table. Later, the main course is brought out -- fried chicken, smoked barbecue pork ribs, mashed potatoes, and cowboy beans. And there's even a whole song dedicated to dessert -- strawberry shortcake!

The show started in 1974 as part of the Walt Disney World College Fine Arts Workshop. Disney executives wanted a way to utilize the expensive, expansive Pioneer Hall. That summer, many talented college students performed the parts in the dinner show conceived for the space.

The script and songs for Hoop-De-Doo were composed by several Disney legends such as Tom Adair, who also worked on the Golden Horseshoe Revue, with Larry Billman as director. And the Wild West themed show, with its corny jokes and folks songs, was a smash hit!

At the end of the summer, Disney executives decided they wanted the show to continue, so rather than continuing to employ college students, who would only be able to perform for a semester or a summer before returning to school, they hired professional actors/singers to continue on with the show.

The script for Hoop-De-Doo remains unchanged, except for one detail -- guests are no longer asked to get up on their chairs and wave their napkins around for safety reasons.

Have you seen Hoop-De-Doo Revue? Leave a comment below!

In:

Mase wrote on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 14:25:

I havent seen it since I was a kid. Loved it then! Hoping the fam and I can do it next year when our youngest is older.

katrina1122 wrote on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 18:12:

I've seen it a few times, the last time was for our 1st Wedding Anniversary. They sat us up front and center at a table for two and during a love song they announced us, had us get up and dance while the whole audience swirled their napkins above their heads. Quite a moment to remember!

DonaldDork wrote on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 19:32:

I see Hoop Dee Doo every visit! It's great fun (for all ages) and the All You Can Eat food (and drink--including beer and sangria) cant be beat!

I could go for some of that chicken right now!

worldfanatic wrote on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 22:34:

After holding out for 20 years, I went to see it last summer for the 1st time.
Wow!! What fun!!!
Don't know why I waited so long.
We'll go back every few years from now on.

Daryl D. wrote on Mon, 12/05/2011 - 22:30:

It's too bad there's no such thing as "Hoop-Dee-Doo" light.....there's just way too much food...you gotta starve for a few days in order to eat just a little bit of everything they bring out!!!! I really love the show, and i'm going for my second time when we return in February!!!

I.C.E. Mommy wrote on Tue, 08/22/2017 - 02:28:

I have seen the show. I loved it. I couldn't stop laughing at when Dolly was kissing a costumer named Kevin. And one guy called him Kevin your toot toot boy. And I also like the part where they're singing "Oh My Darling, Clementine" and Six Bits says "I'm so sorry, Frankenstein." That's so hilarious.

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