Home of the Hoop-Dee-Doo: Pioneer Hall at Ft. Wilderness Resort

The PS Planning Guide would like to thank Jeff Spencer for his photo of Pioneer Hall. For more information about Disney's Ft. Wilderness Resort, visit Jeff's Ft. Wilderness FAQ.

PHOTO TIP: Before the show your group will be asked to have their picture taken. If your PS time comes when it is going to be dark out, you should plan on wearing light colored shirts or blouses. Dark shirts will make some of your party look like they have floating heads! Trust me on this. I am talking from experience. Later in the evening they will drop off the photos at your table and, if you like them, you can pay for them then. You'll get an 8" by 10" with a couple of wallet sized magnets. You don't have to buy the entire photo package, they will sell the items separately.

Here's our 15th Anniversary Hoop-Dee-Doo souvenir photo.

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is one of the longest running shows at Walt Disney World. Located in the Pioneer Hall at the Fort Wilderness Resort and features three shows nightly at 5:00pm, 7:15pm and 9:30pm. The shows last approximately 2 hours.

The Hoop-Dee-Doo just recently celebrated it's 30th Anniversary of entertaining WDW guests. For a complete history including some great photos over the years, click on the link to visit the Disney Echo's Hoop-Dee-Doo Tribute Message Thread.

The show features the talents of The Pioneer Hall Players, consisting of Jim Dandy, Flora Lawn, Johnny Ringo, Claire de Lune, Six Bits Slocum and Dolly Drew. The vaudevillian show consists of corny jokes, sing-a-long songs, romantic ballads, audience participation, and more corny jokes (that's not a misprint!). My wife and I have been going to the Hoop-Dee-Doo since 1983 (our Honeymoon) and recently celebrated our 15th Anniversary there. Our teenage daughters both insist on going every trip. We've taken my parents and other family members so it's safe to say the Hoop-Dee-Doo is one rootin' tootin', good old fashioned hoe-down for the entire family!

Oh, yea, this is a dinner show. The meals are served family style and brought to your table in small kettles. The meal consists of a garden salad, fried chicken, pork ribs, corn on the cob and (my favorite) strawberry shortcake! YUM-YUM!! Unlimited beer, sangria and soft drinks are also included in the price. Special dietary meals can be arranged in advance.

You can make reservations for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue up to 180 days in advance. Tables are assigned in the order in which reservations are made. There is 2 tiered seating...the main floor and upstairs in the balcony. Shows can sell out during busy times of the year. When making your reservations you'll be asked to pay by credit card at time of booking and you pick up the tickets either at Pioneer Hall or at any Resort Guest Services desk. Cancellation policy is 24 hours in advance and there is a no-show fee. Disney Dining added tier pricing in 2007 as follows:

Category 1 will allow you and your party to be seated on the first floor level with your table nearest the stage and in the middle of all the action and excitement.

Category 2 offers either a great table on the first floor behind the Category 1 seating below the balcony or in the center of the balcony on the 2nd floor. Either way, you're still facing the stage so you can get a wonderful view of the entire performance.

Category 3 offers tables that are located on the right hand side or left hand side of the balcony on the 2nd floor. You won't miss a moment of the fun and excitement as you enjoy the panoramic view of the entire stage production.

Expensive, yes. Worth it, most definitly! When making your reservations, inquire as to any discounts available.

Getting to Pioneer Hall can be a challenge but, again, well worth the effort. If you have a car, you can drive to Ft. Wilderness and park in the lot. From there you can hop on a bus to Pioneer Hall. From Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge or Contemporary Resort, you can take a boat to the Ft. Wilderness marina. From there it's a short walk. You can also take a bus from Wilderness Lodge or the Ticket and Transportation Center. Some resorts have special buses that can take you to Ft. Wilderness. Inquire at your resort's Guest Services for details.

- Scottwdw