If you were to make up a list of your top five Disneyland attractions, it is a safe bet that at least one of the rides will have “mountain” in its name. During our last visit to the Disneyland Resort, our family went on all of the “mountain” attractions multiple times, but surprisingly there was one attraction at Disney California Adventure that my son just wouldn’t stop talking about. Disney Junior – Live on Stage! made a big impression on my son and easily ranks in his top five list.
Those without children likely will just walk right by this attraction in the Hollywood Studios section of Disney California Adventure park. But for the parents in the crowd, the mass of strollers outside is a beacon that alerts you to a great children’s attraction inside. The show plays several times a day, and as my son would attest, it is well worth the wait.
My only complaint about the show is the seating, or lack thereof. Everyone takes a seat on the carpeted floor criss-cross applesauce style. The theater has a couple benches against the back wall, but from what I could tell they were reserved for guests with disabilities. There is a practical reason for this, of course. If the audience was seated on benches, you would be able to see the “magic” behind the puppet show.
The puppets are far more advanced than the sock with googly eyes that I use for home puppet shows. The Disney puppets have a lot of great movement, which makes them appear as the “real” characters to the children in the audience. The show is fast paced and includes plenty of interaction with the audience.
When Disney Junior – Live on Stage! reopens this week, it will include two new segments with characters from “Doc McStuffins” and “Sofia the First.” The show gets updated periodically to include the latest characters from the Disney Channel. My son enjoyed the “Little Einsteins” and “Handy Manny” parts of the show, so I know they will be missed. But it is nice that Disney is making an effort to bring in new characters to keep the experience fresh.
The show also includes scenes from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.” The children in the audience loved the Jake and the Never Land Pirates section of the show because of the gold doubloon confetti. I think my son still has some of it in his room.
If you have younger children in your family, be sure to check out Disney Junior – Live on Stage!. It can be easy to overlook this attraction, but it is one that your children are sure to love.
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Photos via Disney
We love Disney Junior – Live On Stage! Our kids also loved seeing Handy Manny & Little Einsteins as well. They’re big Doc McStuffins & Sophia the First fans, so I’m sure they’ll embrace the changes. Thanks for sharing the update!