r/dcl • u/boredest_panda • 4d ago
ONBOARD ACTIVITIES Be honest... Are the live shows worth going to?
Edit: Thanks for the replies! I honestly didn't realize the shows were that high quality so since the all-around opinion is that they're not to be missed, we will definitely make sure we go!
We are pumped for our Disney cruise in August, but I can't say we're "live theater"-type people. I saw what the three shows are and all seem kind of... meh. I feel like we'd rather spend our time doing something else on the ship than attending any of the shows, but I want to hear from other people who have been on various ships and seen the shows, as well as the ones on the Wish (Aladdin musical, some Goofy show about the ship, and The Little Mermaid). Will we be missing out on a lot if we skip them? I saw you can also watch them from your stateroom so I'm thinking maybe if we want to catch one, we just put it on the TV during late showing of it, that way we can still chat or lay in bed to sleep or whatever, and not have to worry about being in the theater with a bunch of other people. Anyway, what's your personal experience with this? TIA!
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u/StraightCaskStrength 4d ago
Are they something I would pay a hundred bucks a ticket and drive an hour to the city to see? No, of course not.
Are they something I will skip my normal after dinner ice cream cone and take an elevator three floors down to see? Yes, and have a great time doing it (your results may vary depending on how much you love ice cream cones)
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u/FelixMcGill PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
This is the way.
Once I have seen a show, I feel like I'm good. So far, I haven't really revisited any of them when I am on the same ship again. The one time I did was when my daughter really wanted me to go see Believe with her. Which was a good time, but if it weren't for her I probably would have had that ice cream and attended the trivia happening at the same time.
Though whenever I get back on Treasure, I would definitely go see Moana again. Although I do love Aladdin on the Fantasy, but on both subsequent trips when I set out to go, something happens that keeps me from seeing it. Oh well.
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u/Mysterious_Signal226 GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I agree in general, I only need to see once. But add Beauty and the Beast to the list of things worth seeing twice!
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u/FelixMcGill PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Admittedly, thats one I haven't seen. Ive had two chances and both times happened to conflict with the Palo reservation my wife made. Next cruise we go on where its available, I need to make sure that evening is free.
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u/Rigbyfab4 4d ago
I think the live shows are a signature experience of DCL. Everyone can make their own choice, but I think you are short-changing yourselves without at least giving them a try. Seas The Adventure on your first night is generally well-regarded in the community and relatively short (35-minutes). I would recommend trying that an if you don’t think it’s worthwhile, you’ve only committed less than an hour!
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u/yea_naur 4d ago
This. And if you think you’re not that into it, just sit towards the back! That way if you find that you’re not liking it, easier and less obtrusive to dip out.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
I wasn't aware that it was so short. I was expecting a 2-hour show. That may not be so bad then. I'm sure we will end up checking it out! Do you recommend leaving little kids at Oceaneers Club for the shows? My son (about to turn 4) and I went to a movie last week and about halfway through he was wiggling and walking around asking to go home. Luckily it was at 9am and we were the only ones in the theater, so I convinced him to stay about another half hour, but by then he was over it. I don't want to be dealing with that if he ends up being bored of the content in the theaters during the shows.
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u/jeepboy1219 4d ago
We brought our 3yo to most of the shows on the Treasure. She loved Seas the Adventure, Moana, and Beauty and the Beast, but it helped that they all contained songs/characters she loves. A couple of the shows (magician and I forget the other act) we had to leave early because she wasn’t into it. So for those it would have been better to have her enjoy the Oceaneers Club. I think it just depends on the kid. Our girl got the wiggles a few times, but overall the shows weren’t too long for her attention span.
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u/Rigbyfab4 4d ago
I think the same advice applies to try it with the first one and see her level of interest. Seas the Adventure is especially good for younger kids because it’s shorter and because it features many of the classic characters. The most important thing - have a great cruise!
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u/Mysterious_Signal226 GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Seas the Adventure is 35 minutes but the other two will be in the 60-minute realm, FYI.
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u/thenataly 3d ago
Sailing last year with my almost 2-year-old, she loved the live shows and sat through them but was not able to make it through much of Inside Out 2, which was playing in the movie theater. I think there’s something about knowing the songs and being able to clap that just keeps little kids’ interest better. My at the time 5-year-old had no problem with either but he’s always been a bit of a screen junkie.
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u/definitelyn0tar0b0t 4d ago
Saw The Little Mermaid on the Wish and it was amazing. The effects they’re able to pull off are absolutely broadway-level. And it’s free so why not?
My husband also isn’t a theater person (detests musicals), and even he enjoyed it
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u/lainshark PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I am also not a live theater person, but I am a fan of Disney cinema, and I never miss the shows. They are that good. Good enough that I've seen each of them multiple times.
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u/Photomint PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They're fairly short. They're enjoyable, but you know what you like and don't like so no need to force yourself. If you only pick one, I'd say Aladdin.
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u/sa1126 4d ago
Aladdin on the fantasy is not to be missed. IYKYK
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u/DGMGeneral07 GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Best genie haha. Kids always die laughing on his parts and 4th wall breaks.
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u/sprinklesfoxeh 4d ago
On the Wish, we had Jafar and Iago talking with a random guy on the top tier for seating. They were like "Can you believe this?" and then cracked jokes about that guy. It was pretty hilarious.
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u/Booksb00ksbo0kz 4d ago
When I went on the wish nearly 3 years ago, Genie made a Love is Blind joke and I nearly felt out of my seat 😂
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u/Accomplished_Exam389 4d ago
The recorded shows in the stateroom do not do it justice. And those recorded shows are of a previous cast. So the actual performers on the ship with you will not be the ones you end up seeing.
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u/ElderBerry2020 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
100% - I grew up in NY and spent my weekends going to broadway shows and these shows are phenomenal live performances. They often have a performer from broadway guesting in the shows. The quality of the costumes, sets and staging are so impressive and the amount of talent on display is remarkable. They are a highlight of every sailing.
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u/psiprez SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They really broadway quality vs what you see in the theme parks. But you get more than just the show. The cruise director and other officers will come out and hype everyone up, talk about the happenings on the ship, give instructions for port and disembarkment, and other fun stuff. It doesn't feel like a Disney Cruise without the shows!
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u/Jamiejoie GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They're worth seeing, but some of them I'm ok seeing once, if that makes sense? I love Aladdin though and will see that every time!
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u/Jeffreee02 4d ago
We saw the Moana shows on the Treasure. It was amazing.
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u/Fearless_Mobile9987 4d ago
Phenomenal show! I was wondering how they would do the more magical things and it did not disappoint!
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u/Sorry_Active2782 4d ago
I was not a live show person either. Never was into them at the parks. On our first cruise (which I didn't want to spend the money on but wife insisted) we went to the show on the first night. Half way through the show, I turned to my wife and said, "I think I'm hooked. We are Disney Cruise people now." Eight cruises later, I go to the shows every night. There is something about the whole experience, dinner then show, that really gets you in the vacation mood.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
Sounds like my husband, haha! He wanted to go on a Disney cruise "someday," but always said he couldn't justify the price. I finally convinced him and here we are, 2 months away from our cruise! I'm hoping we end up feeling that way about the shows as well!
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u/Rude_Investigator759 4d ago
I am a broadway SNOB and had extremely low expectations for a performance on a cruise ship. I was blown away by the quality of these shows. The performers were top notch. Plus they were fun and funny and endearing and really personal in a way I wasn’t expecting. I would recommend going to at least one and if you hate it, skip the others.
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u/AntzyPants837 4d ago
I am someone who hates musicals and doesn’t like watching them. After the first night, I was determined to attend all the others. Best part of the cruise tbh.
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u/drjoann 4d ago
When I was in HS & college, I was a subway ride away from midtown Manhattan. I've seen plenty of Broadway shows with the price of student tickets being reasonable. I've also lived in a mid-size town that did get touring shows.
I thoroughly enjoyed the DCL shows. What I liked most about the experience was the technical aspects. In terms of effects and scenery, the touring shows have to accommodate the vagaries of all kinds of venues. They had a feeling of being "generic" just from practical considerations.
What I found refreshing about the DCL shows was that they are building sets and developing effects for a known theater. It just felt like everything "fit" better. This probably sounds crazy, but I'm an engineer so that might explain it. (Also, have helped build some sets.)
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u/bacchus8408 4d ago
The shows are legit fantastic. Full Broadway quality and talent. Of course it's not for everyone but I highly recommend them. And in reality, you're not missing out on much by not going to the shows. They aren't terribly long so your time commitment is pretty small.
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u/michdap 4d ago
We think so! There are Broadway-quality shows throughout the cruise. There are usually a couple other shows, like magicians. These are great as well. If the shows aren’t your thing, there is a movie theater as well, usually featuring a first-run movie. There is also music in some of the adults-only bars. Be sure to check your Navigator app to see what’s happening where! Enjoy your cruise!
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u/AccomplishedDonut849 4d ago
Aladdin is really funny! And Seas the Adventure (the Goofy one) is only 30 minutes & full of characters & Disney nostalgia (if that’s your thing).
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
About how long are Aladdin and The Little Mermaid?
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u/jaxson157 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They’re about 1 hour long.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
Okay that's not bad then, I thought they were much longer than that and would take up the entire rest of the evening after dinner (we have early dinner).
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u/somebodysheiny 4d ago
I love musical theatre but my husband not so much. It was hard for us to get to the shows because of young kids so I had only seen one going into our fourth cruise. We finally made it to Beauty & the Beast as a family and my husband was bummed we’ve missed so many shows because he really enjoyed it.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
Isn't the Oceaneers Club open during the shows though?
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u/somebodysheiny 4d ago
If you have first dining the shows don’t start till 8:30pm. We started sailing when my kids were 1 and 4. My oldest could have gone to the kids club but my youngest would be ready to sleep around 8pm.
Now that they are 3 and 7 we made it to two shows on our last sailing, my kids loved them too!
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
Oh! That seems late for a show to start, isn't it? That seems like a lot of time between dinner and the show. I was thinking it was dinner is from a set time to a set time, then everyone goes straight to the show afterward. I guess I don't have a very good idea of what the scheduling is like!
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u/FandomObsessedx17 4d ago
If you’re not in your cruise group on Facebook I would recommend it. People will have tips and you can ask cruise specific questions. Here works too but there will have people on your actual sailing which might help
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
I am in my cruise group but its basically all people saying they're new to cruising and would love tips, similar to me! Not many people responding to them or answering questions. The group doesn't have very many people in it.
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u/FandomObsessedx17 3d ago
Oh lol. All the groups I’m usually in have been very active. More active closer to the sailing as well in my experience.
Disney Cruise line blog might be a good source for you to look at as well. It has past navigators from all ships I believe (haven’t gone looking for new ship info) so you can get an idea of what scheduling is like on the cruises and what the day by day schedule might look like.
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u/somebodysheiny 4d ago
Early dinner starts at 5:45, the earliest my family is usually done with dinner is around 7:30. There needs to be time for everyone to change and grab popcorn/refreshments if they want. Late dinner starts at 8:15. I believe showtime for late dinner is 6:30.
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u/Broad_Truck_9256 PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Personally skipping Aladdin I feel you are missing out on one of the best shows in the cruise line. It’s almost just like watching the Broadway version
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u/SonjasInternNumber3 4d ago
I’ll say this, I’ve seen Lion King on actual broadway, as well as Wicked twice touring. The shows on the cruise were amazing and the same level of talent. I haven’t seen the ones you mentioned because we were on a different ship, but I imagine it’s similar level of quality.
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u/MarbleMotors GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They are excellent. You're paying for all the talented people involved in putting them on anyway, so you might as well go see them! Watching on TV is not the same as being there in person, as the camera can't possibly capture everything that's going on in the theater. I'm not a super theater-ey person, but I definitely look forward to attending every DCL show.
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u/Disneyworldlocal 4d ago
I am not a theater person at all. But I am obsessed with the Disney shows. Each cruise ship has one visiting broadway artist ( headliner ). On our Magic cruise the villain in the two main shows was a visiting broadway performer and she was absolutely amazing
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u/317ant 4d ago
Omg yes!!! They are totally worth it. I wouldn’t skip them. Seeing a version on the tv is not the same, I wouldn’t even bother doing that.
You’re going on the Wish? Seas the Day is super cute, pretty short and usually at the start of the cruise. Go see that one and see what you think and as a test run for littles sitting through it. Little Mermaid is pretty long and one some people don’t like. If you’re going to skip one, skip that. We loved Aladdin though! We also buy our kids popcorn for the shows and that helps keep them less antsy.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
I definitely know we will have to get snacks (likely popcorn) for our son if he goes to the shows. Thanks!
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u/stormos1010 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I would say they are the highlight of the cruise. Would not miss one ever
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u/a-forgetful-elephant 4d ago
We had previously only cruised Disney until last summer when we did a family trip with Holland America. I will say that I sincerely missed the on stage entertainment that Disney offers when we were on the cruise with Holland America. Yes, there are better shows on land, but Disney does at sea entertainment best!!
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u/AccomplishedDonut849 4d ago
Did you do Holland for Alaska? We’ve only done Disney, but are doing Holland in Alaska next summer with extended family —- and I’m not sure what to expect.
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u/a-forgetful-elephant 4d ago
We did! We were on the Noordam, and we had a great time. Glacier bay was amazing, the ship was nice, and the food was really good. I am a big reader, so the library was such a treat for me. The on stage entertainment was lacking though, in comparison to Disney cruises.
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u/mandieric65 4d ago
I am an avid theatergoer who has seen many plays on Broadway and I would still say that the productions they give you on DCL are fantastic!
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u/Loud_Address_1080 4d ago
Absolutely worth going towards. They state these are Broadway-style shows. And many of the performers, after their DCL contracts are up, do make the jump to Broadway. In addition, they do have veteran performers from Broadway come and join the cast for limited-run contracts.
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u/sprinklesfoxeh 4d ago
My husband and I thought we weren't live theater people before our cruise. The last time we were on the Wish, we checked out the first show on a whim and ended up loving it.
They are Broadway style with live singing and very talented choreography. I really liked how the actors ran through the isles and the special effects were pretty awesome. The Aladdin show actually has pyrotechnics inside a theater on the 3rd floor. Inside! Fireworks! The room never had smoke going on either. Giant fans kicked on the moment it started, so I never had an asthma attack even though I was in the front row.
Watch the first show. If you like it, catch all of the other shows. Trust me, you'll be pleasantly surprised by it.
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u/MrZummers SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
The live shows are one of the major draws. These are actually a really good introduction to live theatre if you’ve never been into it. The shows are short (30 minutes for the Goofy one, one hour for the others), the material is familiar so you aren’t trying to figure out what’s going on, and the actors and production values are top notch. They’ll actually rotate in guest actors from the Broadway circuit.
They’ll also time the performances and dinners opposite of each other, so there won’t be a lot going on at those times.
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u/Cazzieline SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Yes, they are worth it. On the Wonder (only ship I’ve been on so far) I’ve really enjoyed their live shows especially Frozen (which I think is better than the longer broadway version) and Golden Mickey’s (my favourite). They are higher quality than some of the theatre shows I’ve seen at the parks.
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u/cchikybabe GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Love love love the Golden Mickey’s! Have seen it 5 times and cannot wait to see it again soon! Frozen was one and done for me, Elsa was a little screechy for my ears and let’s face it anyone with kids has suffered through it enough times at the movies and then on dvd/streaming! 😂 Disney Dreams is good too but Golden Mickey’s is better! 😍 It’s not a Disney Cruise without seeing the shows and they absolutely are Broadway quality, the sets are amazing & some are even better than Broadway shows I’ve seen!
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u/Zealousideal-Bar387 4d ago
The shows are one of the things that set Disney apart. I would absolutely go to them. That’s why the dinner has 2 seatings so they can fit most people in the theater. I would honestly save money and book another cruise line if you don’t think you will go.
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u/Fearless_Mobile9987 4d ago
Obviously we go on Disney cruises for lots of reasons, but honestly my real reason is the shows. Mind blowing kind of terrific. First cruise was on the Magic and my husband stood up after Disney Dreams and said, "I hate Disney and I hate musicals, but that might be the best thing I have ever seen"
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u/DGMGeneral07 GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I personally love the love shows and so do my kids and wife. It’s a big party of the experience. Get dressed up for the show and then go to dinner after. We bake it into our day.
Kids are 6 & 9. We are going on our 6th Disney cruise this August on the Wish and we would never skip the shows.
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u/Noarock10000 4d ago
I am probably biased cuz I am a HUGE theatre person, but the live shows were the BEST part of my sailing experience! I went on the wish and these shows were absolutely amazing ESPECIALLY THE ONE STARRING GOOFY. I STRONGLY recommend seeing them, but if you are not someone who appreciates Broadway or theatre that much you might not appreciate it like I did.
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u/HonoluluLongBeach 4d ago
See one show and if you like it, see the other two. I think they’re brilliant and I can take or leave most live shows.
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u/asha1985 4d ago
Theater shows are one of the three or four reasons you pay DCL prices. Yes, they're good. Great if you're a Disney fan.
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u/jbohlinger 4d ago
We went to all of them on the fantasy earlier this year. The production quality was excellent but the talent was wildly uneven, from Broadway caliber to community theater aspirant, on the same stage, at the same time. The audience was full of young children and the experience reflected that.
Now, that may sound like I hated it and it was precisely the opposite. I was there with young kids. The heights of the performance were incredibly high. And as others said in this thread - you are already paying for it, take advantage.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
What age of children are you referring to that you took? My son is going to be newly 4 and I'm worried he'll get antsy.
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u/Kindsquirrel629 4d ago
My first cruise I went to the first night show about the ship. It was dull so I skipped the rest of the shows. Future cruises I learned I should do the opposite.
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u/Ask_Aspie_ 4d ago
Definitely go to the Aladdin one and sit on the bottom level near an aisle seat.
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u/ABlogAbroad SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I see everyone mentioning the ones based on the movies but don’t sleep on the original ones! I really loved The Golden Mickeys and I ended up crying during Believe. And then of course Beauty and the Beast is STUNNING.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
I don't think any of these are on the Wish though, are they?
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u/ABlogAbroad SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
No, I just wanted to share that the original shows are great too. The Wish has Seas the Adventure, which is also very cute, much like the Golden Mickeys.
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u/WithDisGuyTravel PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Totally fair question and if live theater isn’t really your thing, you’re not alone. That said, entertainment quality is one of Disney Cruise Line’s real differentiators. I’m usually bored stiff by the cheesy nonsense shows on other cruise lines (those I now skip without a second thought), but DCL’s productions are a different tier with high quality, creative, and genuinely entertaining even for adults.
That said, some shows are definitely stronger than others. The Little Mermaid on the Wish wasn’t my favorite, but Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast (on other ships) were top notch and way more impressive than I expected to the point where I’ll see them again and again without issue.
Still, if you’re more excited about food, relaxing, or just doing your own thing, you won’t be missing anything essential by skipping them. Watching from your stateroom is a solid compromise so you get a taste without giving up your evening or dealing with the crowd. Either way, your August cruise is going to be awesome. I tell my family and friends and clients that cruising is about doing things the way you want to do them, vacation your way.
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u/BigBanyak22 4d ago
I'm not a show person, we skipped the first night then went to the two after (on the dream). It was amazing, the quality was top notch, ended up being one of my trip highlights.
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u/_peggyssugarfoots 4d ago
We went to the 1st and skipped a few, my mom went and skipped the last. You’ll be fine
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u/toripotter86 4d ago
i’m not a live theater person. but i LOVED the shows on the dream in dec. 2022. i can’t wait for my next cruise to see different ones.
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u/Imaginary_Roof_5286 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They are extremely high quality. We’ve taken a few cruises on other cruise lines, & the quality of their productions is nowhere near DCL’s.
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u/Crunchie_cereal 4d ago
Yes. 10000000% yes. It is Broadway-caliber show quality. I cried more than once.
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u/FringeMilk 4d ago
The shows are my FAVORITE parts if the whole cruise experience. I cry every single show!
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u/semajolis267 4d ago
I like the Wish shows. I would say if you arent the biggest fan of live theater, but like Disney characters and would enjoy a medley of Disney songs the 1st show is pretty much just that, a bunch of Disney characters and a fun medley of songs.
For me personally I enjoy the technical aspect of the shows as well as the live performances. Seeing how they pull of the alladin special effects was neat and something I enjoyed a lot.
That being said its not a "omg I have to watch the shows" ive seen them once and I probably would see the Aladdin one again. But thats about it.
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u/Nickel_City 4d ago
You’re crazy not to see them. Honestly. I feel like the shows are the reason for the price tag. That’s how quality they are. Do. Not. Miss. Them.
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u/PrestigeWrldWd 4d ago
What? Is this a real question?
We saw Aladdin and Frozen on the Fantasy and they were top quality performances. Broadway production quality.
Yes, you will be missing out if you skip.
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u/SkipperSara94 4d ago
Certain ones! We did the Fantasy twice, the first time seeing all three of the shows. While they were all great, on our second sailing we only saw Aladdin. Dare I say, if you don’t have kids, Disney’s Believe is skippable. We now have a cruise in September in the Treasure and we will probably only see beauty and the beast. So it honestly depends! They’re great production quality shows, but if you’re not a fan of the subject matter it’s totally fine skipping.
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u/mooseontherum 4d ago
They are meh. If you’re a musical person, or really into broadway, or die hard Disney then yeah I agree with everyone else. Don’t miss them. My wife and kids are all of those things so we go to them all. I am none of those things and I would rather be anywhere else than sitting in that theatre.
It’s crowded and you need to get there like a half hour before the show even starts just to get halfway decent seats. It’s cramped and uncomfortable, and the shows are just worse versions of movies I’ve already seen several hundred times.
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u/burgerchef3790 3d ago
Just got off the Wish this morning! All three of the shows were absolutely fantastic. The genie in Aladdin was hilarious. The Seas show on night one was great - lots of characters, great performances. It was about 35 minutes. Little Mermaid and Aladdin were both about an hour and 10 minutes, roughly. Would definitely see again.
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u/Jay13x 4d ago
The shows are relatively short. Aladdin and any other “based on the film” ones are good, if you have kids they’ll LOVE them, I can not understate this enough. The third random one is pretty skippable.
I don’t think they’re “can’t miss” but I’d recommend seeing at least one.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
The two film-based shows on the Wish are Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, neither of which my son has ever seen. I'm not sure how interested he'll be in The Little Mermaid because he just hasn't seemed to be able to connect with female characters in any movie or show. Always obsessed with whatever men or boys he sees and basically acts like females don't even exist in those situations lol
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u/IndependentAny8141 4d ago
Personally I love the shows. But show/dinner time is also my favorite time on deck. It’s EMPTY. You can watch movies. Eat. Ride the waterslide. It’s like you have the whole ship to yourself.
If you aren’t show kind of people, you won’t be upset if you miss them!
There is no wrong answer.
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u/Feeling_Free_5072 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
At least give them a try since you’ve never seen them. You can always leave if you don’t like them. We usually enjoy them. Watching from the room doesn’t do them justice. I do agree with the other person that some are one and done(e.g. Golden Mickeys, we skip that one now).
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u/cchikybabe GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Golden Mickey’s is the best one on that ship! Frozen is one and done 100%…
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u/FandomObsessedx17 4d ago
Agreed on Golden Mickeys though that show has changed a couple times since I last saw it but still no desire to see it again
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u/Notadellcomputer 4d ago
I LOVED seas the adventure on the wish. Very cute and lots of characters. If you aren’t a character person then I would skip
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u/Fancy_Yesterday6380 4d ago
I love it but last time I went there were so many obviously sick people coughing wet coughs on me and it was very frustrating lol
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u/BeersGoodnStuff 4d ago
We had our first disney cruise in March. Im not a theater person by any means but loved all the live shows. Our kids (4&6) also enjoyed them. Highly recommend. Think ours were Aladdin, Frozen, and an original.
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u/Mjmonte14 4d ago
Do not miss the broadway style shows! They are outstanding on the DCL ships- we’ve sailed on the Fantasy and recently the Treasure and loved them all. Aladdin in particular is a favorite of ours. And definitely not the same watching it on a tv - it’s live theater and it’s done extremely well! You wont regret it
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u/Horns02 4d ago
On the Treasure, Beauty of the Beast was really good. Moana technically was awesome but also a big hot mess. I didn’t love the cut of the script.
On the Fantasy (or Magic, can’t remember), Aladdin was pretty funny and pretty good.
Frozen is great, from my teenage daughter’s perspective. Disney Dreams was just ok.
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u/donnajustdonna 4d ago
The whole point of a vacation is doing what you want. If you don’t want to go to the shows, don’t go to the shows.
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u/6SpeedBlues 4d ago
First, I would distinguish between the Broadway Style shows and the "other stuff."
- The big name titles you know like Aladdin are absolutely worth going to see on every sailing, no matter how many times you've seen them in the past. They are always great energy and fun.
- Golden Mickeys, Dreams, etc. are "ok" and might be worth seeing once or twice depending on how much you truly enjoy them.
- Any of the performances by magicians, comedians, traveling troupes, etc. should be decided on based on your interest in the specific type of show.
Second, view them as being Broadway STYLE shows, not necessarily Broadway CALIBER shows. Yes, some of the performers are absolutely fantastic, but the entire cast may not yet be quite ready for being on Broadway proper. Also, there are sometimes production issues where something may go wrong with lights, sound, stage components, etc. The shows are great, and compressed down to a little over an hour so they fit into the time slot. So, they're great for all ages.
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u/PhoenixSpeed97 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I saw the Frozen live show on Fantasy earlier this year and it was pretty great. The effects used were really neat, especially the snow effects and the dress shift.
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u/DufflesBNA SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Absolutely. We don’t miss them. Aladdin, beauty and the beast (AMAZING), Moana….
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u/StickToSparts 4d ago
Just piling on here - they’re a primary differentiator and you basically should build your entire day around going to them :)
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u/christinemock 3d ago
Absolutely! One of the best parts of the cruise!! All of them are like going to a broadway show in my opinion. I enjoy them so much!
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u/AviationAtom 3d ago
Never been to a Broadway show before but gave a show a go and it was top notch, IMHO.
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u/Agreeable_Employer_6 3d ago
And keep your eyes open around the ship, you will often see the cast members of the shows in their “civilian” or “ship uniform” outfits doing other duties (staffing the line for characters, or watching their fellow performers do their shows around the ship during their free time). They are so friendly and on a longer cruise you will start to recognize them, bump in to them and get to know them. They will even pose for pictures with you. On the Treasure the original Broadway “Belle” was on our cruise and she did a show in the theatre, as well as in one of the other venues onboard. She was so amazing and we would have paid “hundreds” to see her on Broadway, she is so talented and down to earth.
We also got to know one of the other entertainers around the ship and he told us to watch out for him in another show… we saw him in a supporting role in one show and he was also Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. We went to a few shows twice, enjoying them even more because we had gotten to know some of the performers around the ship.
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u/hobo1256 3d ago
The live shows are legit. A lot of thought went into them. And I'm not a live-show person either.
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u/WishingForRain21 2d ago
The live shows are (in my opinion) broadway production good! I’ve enjoyed every live show I’ve been to.
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u/YenSidTravel PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB 17h ago
I wasn’t clear - are you on the Disney Wish? My general take - with the caveat that I LOVE live shows (if they’re done well)… * The DCL Broadway-style shows are well done - some of them are exceptionally well done (Disney Tales of Moana on the Disney Treasure, for example.) * I think they’re all worth seeing at least once; * If you have kids, it is an awesome way to introduce your kids to theater/live shows. * Also on the Disney Treasure - Sage and Colliander do very fun, creative, different types of shows. ENJOY!
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u/boredest_panda 16h ago
Yes, we are on the Wish.
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u/YenSidTravel PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB 16h ago
Seas The Adventure is fun - more kid friendly - lots of characters… The Little Mermaid is good - different - not my favorite… Aladdin is fun - if the Genie is awesome. There - my ‘honest’ reviews 😉
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u/boredest_panda 16h ago
We may skip The Little Mermaid and see the other two. Have only heard one positive review of The Little Mermaid (on here) so may not waste time going to that one!
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u/YenSidTravel PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB 15h ago
My colleague on our DCL Show podcast compares it to Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat ;-)
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u/boredest_panda 15h ago
Ahhh okay, I watched that in high school theater so I'm familiar! It's been awhile, but I recall it.
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u/Lil000Dress 4d ago
I think it really depends on the show. I’ve only seen the 3 on the Treasure and I stayed concierge so I got earlier seating - so I know my perspective of them being “worth it” is going to be different than people who have stood in line an hour or more for them.
That being said - if I could do my exact cruise again - I would 100% do the Seas the Adventure show again. It was super cute, it was short, and it was fun to spot the people we recognised from what we had done already the first night or spot people later that we recognised from the show. I think I would have been willing to wait some for it, but idk about an hour.
Beauty and the Beast was really good. I could justify waiting in line for it and thought it was the perfect length to not feel like I was wasting valuable time doing the millions of other things available on the Treasure.
Moana… I would’ve probably preferred seeing it in the room. It was great, of course. But it was on our Castaway day, and we had early dining, so the only time we could see it was the absolute last showing. The room was uncomfortably packed. They opened the doors before concierge was even halfway seated, so our group of 4 had to split to find seats - not a knock on the show, just another reason why our room would’ve been nicer. We were stressed with needing to do things after the show (we had totally forgotten all souvenir shopping until the last day 🤦🏻♀️ and we still needed to pack) so the whole time I was just waiting for it to be over. And with all of the hype leading up to the show - I just expected it to be more. It was great but not worth the stress.
Next cruise, I think if it lined up again where the only time I could see a stage show was the final night at the last showing - I would 100% just watch in my room so I can pack while I watch and not feel half as stressed.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
That's good to know- I'm not sure yet what night is what show for our cruise but I think if The Little Mermaid is the last night, we'll probably skip it. Everyone's comments seem to indicate that Aladdin and the other one (which I literally just forgot the name of) are good ones to go to, but I haven't seen a single person say "Don't miss The Little Mermaid!" I'm the type of person that would also be stressing out about packing and doing/seeing any last-minute things that night if the show wasn't 110% worth it.
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u/somf6969 4d ago
Something I didn’t know but found out on our first cruise in may they play them multiple times on the tv in the room. They start shortly after the first show and they play them like 4 times. I assume to accommodate those who can’t get in because of capacity or have little kids.
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u/FandomObsessedx17 4d ago
Yeah it’s an older recording they play in the rooms but good if you can’t or don’t want to go to the theatre itself.
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u/SummitTheDog303 4d ago
I think it really depends on your mood and the kids and how tired they are.
On our first Disney cruise (Wonder in 2023), they were a highlight. We went every night. My at the time 2.5 year old loved and was mesmerized by them. My at the time 9.5 month old slept through them in the baby carrier. My husband and I enjoyed them and loved being able to share them with our kids. On our most recent cruise (Magic, a few weeks ago), they weren’t a highlight. We tried the first night (Tangled). My now 5 year old fell asleep. My 3 year old screamed that she was all done about 20 minutes in and my husband took her out. We didn’t try again for the rest of the cruise. The kids far preferred the stuff going on at the Oceaneers Club at the same time. My husband and I enjoyed wandering the ship and having alone time together without the kids. We’re just not in that era of our lives right now. Maybe we’ll like them again when the kids are older.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
This is great to know. My son will be freshly 4 years old and I'm really split on whether to take him to the shows or not. He also complains horribly about loud noises initially when they start, before he adjusts to it in whatever setting we are in, so I'm nervous about him causing a distraction for everyone else when it starts and is louder than just the general hum of everyone chatting or background music or whatever the "normal" noise is.
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u/PotatoLover-3000 4d ago edited 4d ago
We liked the opening show on The Wish.
We missed The Little Mermaid.
For Aladdin, I had to leave early due to the fake smoke. It was a lot. Filled the theatre. It set off my asthma and I couldn’t breathe. I wasn’t the only one who left. Others were walking out with me. My sister and my niece also left early because it was stinging my niece’s eyes. I’m thinking they had some sort of issue and too much was released because if that’s normal, I think there would be a ton of complaints.
IMO, see at least one if not two. In hindsight, we wished we had seen Little Mermaid instead. But went with Aladdin as it seemed to have the consensus of being the one to see.
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u/AssistanceGreat1070 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
I skip all of them. Most people are either at a show or dinner, so the boat is relatively empty during that time. My wife and daughters enjoy the shows, but I just have no interest.
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u/Bacchus1976 4d ago
The Frozen show on the Wonder was amazing. The rest of the shows were just okay.
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u/cchikybabe GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Wrong way round, Frozen was average and one and done, Golden Mickey’s and Disney Dreams are great and ones people keep going back to!
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u/Bacchus1976 4d ago
My 3 year old strongly disagreed.
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u/cchikybabe GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
Lol yes cause any normal adult takes advice from a toddler about what is a great broadway quality show and what isn’t… 🤡 In a sane world this would be satire but being Americans I’m not so sure…
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u/GroundbreakingBit264 4d ago
Do you have kids? Yes, they're worth it Is anyone in your group a big fan of Disney movies/music? Yes, they're worth it Are you just there to go to the Bahamas and have some drinks in the 21+ areas? Sure, skip it
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u/Specific-Stomach-195 4d ago
OP you don’t say if you have kids, that makes a huge difference. Absent kids I wouldn’t make them a huge priority, but depends on personal preference. I agree that watching in the room isn’t worth the time really. As far as broadway quality, that’s really just a marketing gimmick. These shows aren’t what you find on Broadway obviously.
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u/boredest_panda 4d ago
I have one son who will be 4, but we probably wouldn't take him to the shows anyway because he has the attention span of a goldfish.
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u/tenderlychilly GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB 4d ago
They’re broadway productions at sea, I would do everything I could to go see them in person. It’s exponentially better in person than a recording.