Disney Junior – Live on Stage!
Disney Junior – Live on Stage! (originally Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! until 2011) was a live show attraction featuring puppets of characters from Disney Junior's popular television programs, located at three Disney theme parks: Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort[4] and Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
| Disney Junior – Live on Stage! | |
|---|---|
Entrance | |
| Disney's Hollywood Studios | |
| Area | Animation Courtyard |
| Coordinates | 28°21′28″N 81°33′36″W / 28.3578298°N 81.5599958°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Soft opening date | September 24, 2001 |
| Opening date | October 1, 2001 (Original) March 27, 2011 |
| Closing date | January 30, 2011 (Original) September 1, 2018 |
| Replaced | Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage[1] |
| Replaced by | Disney Junior Dance Party! (2018–present) Disney Junior Play & Dance (2020–2021) |
| Disney California Adventure | |
| Area | Hollywood Land |
| Coordinates | 33°48′25″N 117°55′05″W / 33.8070457°N 117.9180085°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | April 11, 2003 (Original) March 25, 2011 |
| Closing date | January 11, 2011 (Original) |
| Replaced | ABC Soap Opera Bistro |
| Replaced by | Disney Junior Dance Party! |
| Walt Disney Studios Park | |
| Area | Production Courtyard |
| Coordinates | 48°52′00″N 2°46′48″E / 48.8666205°N 2.7799535°E |
| Status | Removed |
| Soft opening date | March 21, 2009 |
| Opening date | April 4, 2009 |
| Replaced | Walt Disney TV Tour: CyberSpace Mountain (Walt Disney Television Studios) |
| Replaced by | Disney Junior Dream Factory (Studio D) |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Live show |
| Designer | Walt Disney Creative Entertainment |
| Theme | Disney Junior |
| Duration | 24 minutes[2] |
| Previously known as | Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! (2001–2011) |
| Sponsor | Huggies Pull-Ups[3] (2016–2018) none (2001–2016) |
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Available | |
Assistive listening available | |
Closed captioning available | |
History edit
Disney's Hollywood Studios edit
1999-2001: The Bear Era edit
Prior to Disney Junior – Live on Stage!, the theater was the Soundstage Restaurant from the park's opening date until November 14, 1998; the restaurant featured sets over the years from Big Business, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Following that, the theater hosted Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage from June 7, 1999, until August 4, 2001.
2001-2011: The Playhouse Disney Era edit
That show closed to make room for Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!, which opened on October 1, 2001, featuring returning scaled down characters from Bear in the Big Blue House, as well as new characters from Rolie Polie Olie, Stanley, and The Book of Pooh.
In April 2005, the show replaced Rolie Polie Olie with JoJo's Circus. A re-imagined version of Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! opened in March 2008, with some new characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh.
2011-2018: The Current Era edit
The show was renamed in March 2011, following the rebranding of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior, replacing My Friends Tigger & Pooh with Jake and the Never Land Pirates. In January 2013, the show replaced both Handy Manny and Little Einsteins, respectively, with Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins, when it was revamped again.[5]
2017-present: The Dance Party Era edit
Disney Junior – Live on Stage! closed on September 1, 2018.[6] On December 21, 2018, the Hollywood Studios version was replaced by a new show named Disney Junior Dance Party! (formerly, Disney Junior Play and Dance in 2020–21), featuring characters from Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia The First (which was eventually replaced by Vampirina), Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.[7]
On October 10, 2020, the show replaced The Lion Guard with Mira, Royal Detective during the takeover until 2021.
Disney California Adventure edit
The California version of the show follows the same pattern as the Florida version. Before Disney Junior – Live on Stage!, the theater was originally home to the ABC Soap Opera Bistro from the park's opening date until November 3, 2002, which featured dining areas that are replicas of the sets from All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. Due to its unpopularity, however, the restaurant closed to make way for Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!, which was essentially the 2001 edition from Disney's Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney-MGM Studios), before being updated over the years up until the transition of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior.
In 2013, the show was updated with segments based on Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins TV series from Disney Junior channel.[8]
On May 26, 2017, the California version was replaced by a new show named Disney Junior Dance Party!, featuring characters from Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.[9]
On October 15, 2021, the show was updated with Vampirina and replaced Sofia the First and The Lion Guard.
Walt Disney Studios Park edit
When Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! first opened, it was essentially the 2008 edition from Disney's Hollywood Studios. Despite its name change at the time of the block's rebranding, the show itself had not been updated for unknown reasons. In April 2019, it closed to make way for the new interactive show "Disney Junior Dream Factory", which opened on July 1, 2021. [10]
2011–2013 Version edit
With the name change of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior, the show also changed its name, this time to Disney Junior – Live on Stage! The My Friends Tigger & Pooh segment was replaced with a segment based on Jake and the Never Land Pirates.
2013–2018 Version edit
The Handy Manny and Little Einsteins segments were replaced with segments based on Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins.
Meet and Greets edit
Outside the theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios, there are meet-and-greet areas for Pluto and the titular characters from Vampirina, Fancy Nancy and Doc McStuffins.[11]
References edit
- ^ "Bear in the Big Blue House". Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ "Disney Junior – Live on Stage!". Walt Disney World. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "The @DisneyJunior Live on Stage show at Disney's Hollywood Studios is now presented by @Huggies Pull-Ups #WDW". Twitter. April 27, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ "Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!".
- ^ "Disney Junior – Live on Stage! at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World". allears.net. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "Disney Junior Dance Party coming this fall to Disney's Hollywood Studios". Attractions Magazine. June 1, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ Fickley-Baker, Jennifer (December 20, 2018). "Disney Junior Dance Party! Debuts at Disney's Hollywood Studios Dec. 22". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
- ^ "Doc and Sofia come to Disney show". Orange County Register. March 29, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ Slater, Shawn (March 17, 2017). "All-New 'Disney Junior Dance Party' Live Show Debuts This Summer at Disney California Adventure Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ^ "Interactive Show Coming to Studio D in Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris". Laughing Place Disney. September 10, 2019.
- ^ "Meet Disney Junior Pals in the Animation Courtyard". Walt Disney World. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
External links edit
- at the Wayback Machine (archived June 5, 2000)