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When I was twelve, we went to Walt Disney World for the first time. We stayed in the Contemporary Resort, and we went to the Magic Kingdom. This was what there was to do in 1979. I remember renting a sprite boat, and my brother and I racing around the seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake for what I remember being a long time that afternoon. One of the nights we were there, we went to a dinner show at the Top of the World. The Top of the World was the name of the show and also the room on the 15th floor of the Contemporary Resort. It was a restaurant and showroom. The night we went, we saw Anna Maria Alberghetti. According to Wikipedia, she is an Italian-born operatic singer and actress. I remember two things from this show. One that it was a song and dance type Broadway review. I also remember that Gary Burghoff from M.A.S.H. was there. (He was also in Disney World a few years later when my family went again, but that is a different story). The Top of the World is no longer in the Contemporary. But there are many fantastic Broadway type shows in Walt Disney World. This is today’s Unknown Magic, Broadway in Disney World.

Over in Animal Kingdom, Disney Offers The Festival of the Lion King. They bill this show as “a scheduled 30-minute big-as-Broadway musical-stage show based on The Lion King movie.” This show is very neat, acrobats and singers. Dancers, and “African tribal performers” all come together to share the story of the Lion King with the audience. Animal Kingdom also offers Finding Nemo the Musical. Not only is it based on the Finding Nemo Movie, but it is a “mesmerizing 30-minute Broadway-style musical stage show”. This one has the actors portraying the characters with puppetry.

Over in Disney Hollywood Studios, the Voyage of The Little Mermaid uses Puppetry also, but they add in live action and movie clips to make this show come to life. Also for the younger crowd is Playhouse Disney—Live on Stage! This show has all the preschooler’s favorite characters from the Disney Channel Singing and Dancing in a Broadway revue type show. For your little one, this will create a Magical Experience as they will be able to sing and dance with their favorites from TV.

Also presented at the 1,500-seat Theater of the Stars along Sunset Boulevard in Disney Hollywood Studios is Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. This show is a 25 minute extravaganza that shares the story form the movie of Belle and Beast, through five songs and extravagant costumes and sets. It is a shortened Broadway Musical.

Over in the Magic Kingdom, they offer Dream-Along With Mickey. This is a musical stage show performed on the Castle Stage. This show not only features Mickey and Minnie and Cinderella, but they sing and dance and the show ends with fireworks. Yes,

Fireworks in the daytime. This is definitely Magical Experience type stuff for the kids and adults too.

So, now you know, if you want a chance at a little song and dance, Go to a Show and enjoy the Magical Experience that is Broadway at Walt Disney World.