Greetings, fellow World travelers – and by World, I mean Walt Disney World! Yes, for those who picked up the hint in last week’s brief message, I had the great pleasure of spending a week at the Walt Disney World Resort and the next several features here will report on everything I experienced – from shows to performers to characters to attractions to food!
I’ll also be uploading videos to my YouTube Channel, so be sure to check there over the next week!
I have so many thoughts to share about everything from magic bands (LOVE THEM!) to the weather (lightning storms = not fun) to what has remained the same since my last visit vs. what has changed, but since my top priority is Disney Parks & Resorts entertainment, I’ll kick it off today by focusing on my longtime and still favorite performers and shows that I got to see again this trip!
Mousertainment Memorandum: The memory was full on my regular camera, so I was using an older one for this trip – apologies for any blur in the pictures for these features!
I started off my first full day by seeing my favorite show in all of Walt Disney World – Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Still the undeniably best Disney show in Orlando, this song and dance celebration of the story of The Lion King with added fire dancer, aerialist and Tumble Monkeys makes the combination of music, choreography and characters a MUST DO for any Walt Disney World Resort visit. Please do yourself a favor and make sure this is on your to-do list for when you go – its quality is above and beyond anything else you will see there and is repeatable no matter how many times you’ve seen it. I literally went to the show three times in my one Animal Kingdom day (going with my first FastPass+ choice, then reserving it as my fourth FastPass+ choice once I used up my first three, and then doing Stand-By for the final show of the day).
Flying (Tumble) Monkeys!
There is absolutely nothing I love more in all the World than watching the Tumble Monkeys in this show. Nothing. They are simply the greatest performers in all the World – and I say that not being a particular fan of gymnastics, nor circus-type acts – but something about their grace and their comedy and their incredible athletic skills combined with the music played fills me with happiness unlike anything else! I LOVE THEM SO CRAZY MUCH!!!
Although in the second and third sets I attended, I’ll admit to also being captivated by the male Bird Dancer in the aerialist act as his dancing was just beautiful – from his turns to his extension to the way he held each position. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him!
British Revolution – night one
At EPCOT, I was so happy to return to see my favorite band still playing there – British Revolution! I loved these guys when I saw them playing at the UK Pavilion a few years back and they’re just as great to watch now! They are my taste of home when I’m at Walt Disney World – home being Disneyland, not the UK! They remind me of my favorite cover bands that I repeatedly go see perform at the Disneyland Resort and I was so happy to watch multiple sets of this band on two different nights at EPCOT!
British Revolution – night two
If you’re looking for a place to rock in Walt Disney World, a show by British Revolution is the place to be! You’ll hear everything from The Beatles to Queen to Duran to Duran – and like much of the crowd, you’ll probably find yourself singing along to all the classic hits!
While British Revolution is my favorite band there, I have two other favorite must-see groups at the Walt Disney World Resort as well – first, the EPCOT-exclusive a capella magic of the Voices of Liberty, whose inspiring harmonies still soar inside the America pavilion:
Voices of Liberty at EPCOT.
And second, I adore the bi-coastal buoyancy of the Dapper Dans (in this case, The Dapper Dans of the Magic Kingdom!) as I got to enjoy their chimes sets which include some different songs and jokes than those I get to hear at Disneyland:
The Dapper Dans of the Magic Kingdom!
Sadly, the daily afternoon storms limited me to two brief sets of each of those groups this visit, but I still so enjoyed getting to see them both!
Another real hidden treasure is the amazing one-man show and favorite longtime solo performer at the Walt Disney World Resort – YeHaa Bob!
YeHaa Bob at Port Orleans Riverside.
YeHaa Bob performs several nights a week at the River Roost Lounge at the Port Orleans Riverside resort. Since I was not staying there and hadn’t rented a car, it meant multiple bus trips for transportation to and from the resort (yes, everyone told me to hire a Minnie Van and no, I hadn’t budgeted for it, so it was bus and bus and bus for me!). But SO worth it! Sadly, I could only stay for two of his three sets as the last one might have pushed me too late into catching the buses to get back to my resort. But just those two sets reminded me of why I went – there is no one in the World – nor anywhere in Mousertainment – like Bob! He can do a non-stop set for an hour and 15 minutes, singing, playing piano (and trumpet!) and keeping the crowd of all ages in stitches and constantly participating the entire time! He’s so unique and puts on such a terrific show that I cannot recommend highly enough that you go out of your way to see him! His music ranges from kid-friendly and Disney (especially earlier in the evening) to rock classics and golden oldies. But you haven’t lived until you’ve watched all the gals in the room do a Rockettes-style kick line or all the guys perform “YMCA”. It’s full-on audience participation at a YeHaa Bob show – and it’s just plain fun!
These were my favorite shows and performers that I specifically returned to see, but there were many visits to other fun shows, new and old, at the Walt Disney World Resort that I will be covering in future posts!
Until next time, may your day be filled with Tumble Monkeys of joy!
Have you been to the Walt Disney World Resort recently? What is your favorite show there?
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