The death of live shows

[Phroobar]

Now that Universal studios has removed Animal Actors and Special effects shows leaving just Water World and Disneyland hasn't had a live show in years with rumors of their theaters going away, what is the future of these kind of shows in the theme park industry? Do we care anymore about these? Are they dated?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Now that Universal studios has removed Animal Actors and Special effects shows leaving just Water World and Disneyland hasn't had a live show in years with rumors of their theaters going away, what is the future of these kind of shows in the theme park industry? Do we care anymore about these? Are they dated?

Most likely reason is they’ve been redlined to reduce costs…and the headaches of actors guilds.

I’m shocked epic opened with a couple…frankly

 

[Disney Irish]

Now that Universal studios has removed Animal Actors and Special effects shows leaving just Water World and Disneyland hasn't had a live show in years with rumors of their theaters going away, what is the future of these kind of shows in the theme park industry? Do we care anymore about these? Are they dated?

Disneyland appears to be getting a new live show in some form in 2026 -

D

News Thread 'Disney Live Entertainment casting several roles for new show at Disneyland Park'

Oct 2, 2025

Disney Live Entertainment has posted two casting calls for a new show in Disneyland.

Here's the first casting notice:

Here's the second casting notice:

• DCBaker
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Disneyland Resort

• 
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So its not completely dead at DLR, at least yet. But yes I think these type of shows are becoming passe at theme parks because modern guests attentions spans are not what they once were. Most rather be on their phone than to watch a live show at a theme park.

 

[drizgirl]

Once the shows go away, I go away. It's one of the biggest draws for me.

 

[Phroobar]

Knotts seems to be reducing their live shows and music acts. The shows always seem popular but you don't see Krazy Kirk as much as before. The Peanuts Celebration still had its Camp Snoopy show as well as the big stage one. The Summer Nights shows seem to be less often as the season concludes with no shows in Camp Snoopy. Haunt is missing it's theater show. I assume we will still get Snoopy on Ice with Linus reciting Luke 2 and the outside Christmas show. The various eating areas are missing their one man shows. But only the one show in the Walter Knott theater is sad.

Disneyland has completely gotten rid of any adult rock bands for little kid rubber head dance parties.

 

[PiratesMansion]

100% it's costs, not helped by the fact that the vast majority of park audiences, will never, EVER say the main thing they want from a park-at least, not on marketing and other park surveys-is shows and entertainment. Maybe at Dollywood or Silver Dollar City, where there's still a healthy portion of their guests who come mainly to shop and watch entertainment. Or Puy du Fou. Elsewhere? Fat chance.

More locally, with Knott's it's 100% related to lingering debt and the Six Flags merger. They're being told to cut cut cut, and, well, it's easier to cut entertainment than to cut attractions unless you have some pain in the butt old attractions that probably should have left eons ago but you kept alive for some reason still there to cull-and Six Flags famously did exactly that in the past year. People tend to be more forgiving of cut entertainment than removed rides because people don't really think about entertainment until they're of a certain age (read: not the primary age demographic for most parks) and/or they're ready to sit down for a bit.

Disneyland, of course, it's 100% cheaper for them to do stupid dance parties with characters for five year olds than maintain a rotating roster of legitimate acts. They don't have to bring in anyone they don't already have, don't have to worry about outside acts getting popular and demanding more money, and, best of all, little kids who just want to dance have zero standards, and the minute they get them, guess what, there's a whole new crop of kids to show up. A win win win for Disney's bottom line.

 

[mickEblu]

Shows at theme parks has never been my thing. Just give that extra budget to the streetmosphere singers, musicians and marching bands. That’s where the magic is really at. How many times can one watch Mickey and the Magical Map? Granted a show or two at the park doesn’t hurt and it gets people out of the walkways and attraction queues

 

[PiratesMansion]

Shows at theme parks has never been my thing. Just give that extra budget to the streetmosphere singers, musicians and marching bands. That’s where the magic is really at.

I would argue most parks are not really differentiating between atmospheric acts and shows and are cutting all of them, one at a time.

How many times can one watch Mickey and the Magical Map? Granted a show or two at the park doesn’t hurt and it gets people out of the walkways and attraction queues

Here's the thing: despite the insistence of some people and the show's long tenure seemingly implying it was, I'm not convinced that MATMM was actually a great show. It was IMO a highly mediocre show that might have played for much longer with changes or stronger choices made. Similar shows in Hong Kong and Paris that were of better overall quality are still playing.

I think another issue that is unique to the SoCal theme parks is that in much of the rest of the country, shows also serve a purpose to get people out of the obnoxious weather without having to leave the park. SoCal shows, dealing with comparatively perfect weather that rarely gets truly obnoxious, are thus inherently without one of the core appeals that shows offer elsewhere.

 

[TP2000]

Most likely reason is they’ve been redlined to reduce costs…and the headaches of actors guilds.

Bingo! That's exactly what this is about in the SoCal parks.

I’m shocked epic opened with a couple…frankly

But that's in Florida, where the employment costs and payroll taxes are much lower.

 

[TP2000]

The 2,000 seat Hyperion Theater has sat empty for over 5 years now.

Is TDA still pretending it just doesn't exist, or have they finally admitted publicly it will be destroyed for Avatarland sometime in the 2030's and they just don't want to bother with it before that? I've lost track.

 

[Disney Irish]

The 2,000 seat Hyperion Theater has sat empty for over 5 years now.

Is TDA still pretending it just doesn't exist, or have they finally admitted publicly it will be destroyed for Avatarland sometime in the 2030's and they just don't want to bother with it before that? I've lost track.

Correction, it has sat empty for only 2 years.

Remember we had this show in 2023 -

 

[TP2000]

Correction, it has sat empty for only 2 years.

Remember we had this show in 2023 -

Was it good? I forget.

 

[Disney Irish]

Was it good? I forget.

Many people liked it and wish it would come back, so yeah.

 

[Figments Friend]

Shows at theme parks has never been my thing. Just give that extra budget to the streetmosphere singers, musicians and marching bands. That’s where the magic is really at. How many times can one watch Mickey and the Magical Map? Granted a show or two at the park doesn’t hurt and it gets people out of the walkways and attraction queues

I loved that show.
Every time I visited Disneyland I would make sure to see a showing or two of ‘Mickey & The Magical Map’.

Live entertainment is a major part of the Disney Theme Park experience for me.
The Parks are so much more then just riding rides and eating snacks…
The shows add a lot to the experience in my opinion.

-

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

How many times can one watch Mickey and the Magical Map?

Probably 100 times, if not more, over the years.

Tangled at the Royal Theatre more than that.

And Mad T Party several hundred shows.

Dapper Dans I've no concept of how often I've seen them.

Just like there are people who go to the parks for rollercoasters (and those of us who won't go near them), there are other people who go to the parks for the entertainment. I started hanging out with characters when I lost most of my favorite shows at the parks.

 

[mickEblu]

Probably 100 times, if not more, over the years.

Tangled at the Royal Theatre more than that.

And Mad T Party several hundred shows.

Dapper Dans I've no concept of how often I've seen them.

Just like there are people who go to the parks for rollercoasters (and those of us who won't go near them), there are other people who go to the parks for the entertainment. I started hanging out with characters when I lost most of my favorite shows at the parks.

Sure different strokes but I can’t imagine that is very common unlike people riding rides over and over again. Rides are a tad more repeatable that shows. Especially thrill rides.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Shows at theme parks has never been my thing. Just give that extra budget to the streetmosphere singers, musicians and marching bands. That’s where the magic is really at. How many times can one watch Mickey and the Magical Map? Granted a show or two at the park doesn’t hurt and it gets people out of the walkways and attraction queues

I will say, I watched Fantasmic! Every other week for like two years back in '14-15. It never got old. But that's an exception to the rule.

Frozen at the Hyperion I saw twice, and that was enough. Most parades are a one and done except the Christmas one.

Never saw anything at the Fantasyland theater.

 

[mickEblu]

I will say, I watched Fantasmic! Every other week for like two years back in '14-15. It never got old. But that's an exception to the rule.

Frozen at the Hyperion I saw twice, and that was enough. Most parades are a one and done except the Christmas one.

Never saw anything at the Fantasyland theater.

Yeah Fantasmic at its best was a different beast. With that said, no matter how good a show is I couldn’t watch it more than a couple times a year. Then again that’s me, with a family with young kids thinking of what a pain in the @$$ it is to camp out and get a good spot for a show with kids in tow. That’s just not happening more than once or twice a year at most. If you re flying solo or with friends/ other adults, know what seating area to seek and can kind of just slip into a decent spot right before the show starts that can make viewing more often more appealing.

I saw Frozen twice as well. Once I think was to get out of the scorching sun but I remember being impressed. Most parades and Fireworks are one and done for me in any given run if we’re talking about actually staking out a spot and watching the whole show. If it happens more than that I’m just kind of at the right place at the right time.

 

[wdrive]

I can’t really add much that’s not already been said in here but just wanted to say I love live shows in theme parks and the lack of proper stage shows at Disneyland recently I have found very disappointing.

But yeah it boils down to $ and shows being relatively expensive to run. If guests come with no shows why pay to have them.

 

[Professortango1]

Probably 100 times, if not more, over the years.

Tangled at the Royal Theatre more than that.

And Mad T Party several hundred shows.

Dapper Dans I've no concept of how often I've seen them.

Just like there are people who go to the parks for rollercoasters (and those of us who won't go near them), there are other people who go to the parks for the entertainment. I started hanging out with characters when I lost most of my favorite shows at the parks.

I'd kill to have shows like we had the 90's with Dick Tracy and Pocohontas. Those were killer shows that I must have seen half a dozen times each, at least.

Mickey's Magical Map was a one and done for me.