Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Review and Planning Info
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage opened on: November 22, 1991.
Pull up a list of all Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction planning reviews here. I will update these reviews throughout the month as things evolve. The main points should remain the same.
Note that this show will not open with Hollywood Studios on July 15th and no reopening date is currently available. Check the attraction page on DisneyWorld.com for updates.
Location: You’ll find Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage on Sunset Boulevard across from the Sunset Ranch Market quick service. You’ll see it on the right before arriving at Tower of Terror.
Extra Magic Hours: No.
Length: 25 minutes.
Type: Live Broadway-style theater show.
Similar To: A smaller-scale Festival of the Lion King.
Requirements: None.
Scary Factor: Very low. It’s a little iffy for Beast at one point.
When To Go: Like other theater shows, Disney schedules Beauty and the Beast showtimes throughout the day. Although the theater it covered, it’s still outside. If it’s hot, you may want to watch when it’s cooler in the morning or evening. If weather isn’t a concern, then you’ll still have the best luck with either the first (usually around 11am) or last show of the day (usually around 5pm), crowd-wise.
What to Expect: Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a Broadway-style musical featuring characters, music, and scenes from Beauty and the Beast.
The show follows the same story as Beauty and the Beast. In this case, Disney condenses the plot into the 25-minute show time and features six of the most popular songs. The sets are elaborate, the costumes are first-rate, and the acting is excellent. Anyone who enjoys musicals or enjoyed any of Disney’s other theater shows will certainly love this one as well. It’s one of the better live attractions at Walt Disney World. You can watch the full show on YouTube here.
Where to Sit: Like most older Disney shows, seating is on long bleachers.
I recommend sitting as close to the center as possible at least a third of the way up from the stage. This ensures that you can see the entire stage without a lot of head turning.
FastPass+: Yes, when Disney offers it, it’s among the lowest Tier 2 priorities. The return window is between 10 and 30 minutes before the start of a show, or 2:30pm-2:50pm for a 3pm show.
The FastPass+/alternate entrance is down to the left of standby closest to Tower of Terror. Disney usually reserves the left and most of the center bleachers for FastPass+ users, when it’s offered.
What You Miss Using FastPass+:
Just being held here before being let into the theater.
Total Average Experience Time with FastPass+: About 50 minutes if you show up 20 minutes prior to showtime.
4th FastPass+ Availability: Among the best at any Park. It’s a higher-capacity show and people typically schedule rides in advance.
When to Arrive: If you want a good seat that isn’t in the sun, then you’ll want to arrive about 30 minutes early. This show fills up faster than any of the other live shows at Hollywood Studios. You may be able to cut it closer for the first show or if the crowd level is particularly low.
Exit: The exit is in the rear of the theater, in between the two raised bleacher sections in the back. If you’re looking for an easy exit, sit in the very back of the theater. It may take several minutes to exit if you’re seated closer to the front. I don’t recommend heading to the standby line of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror immediately after a show gets out unless you’re among the first people to exit. The entrances to both attractions are nearby and hundreds of people will be headed to both if the posted wait time is low.
Proof is in the Pudding: Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage was the longest running stage show at any Disney Theme Park before the March theme park closure. It may yet rise again.
Rating: 9/10
Josh’s Take: Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage would be more relaxing if the theater was indoors. Luckily, it’s well-covered and shouldn’t get so hot that it’s unbearable. With seating for about 1,500, the theater is large enough to meet demand most of the time. There’s also overflow, uncovered seating in the very back. If you only have time for either Beauty and the Beast or Voyage of the Little Mermaid, then I would go with whichever movie your group enjoyed more. The scope of Beauty and the Beast is much larger; Voyage of the Little Mermaid is air-conditioned and has more comfortable seating, in addition to being shorter. The Little Mermaid is also a little scarier than Beauty and the Beast, so take that into consideration if you have little ones who are easily frightened.
On our first trip to WDW, our then 8 yr old son, balked terribly at attending this show. A CM came by to see what was wrong and talked him down just a bit.
Fast forward to end of show and my son, who was a boy and too OLD 🙂 was swaying and singing along. This show is great and enjoyable for anyone.