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Complete Guide to Disney Junior Play & Dance! at Hollywood Studios

Complete Guide to Disney Junior Play & Dance! at Hollywood Studios

Come show off your dance moves with some of your favorite Disney Junior characters at Disney Junior Play & Dance!

This fun-filled dance party for Disney’s littlest guests features the songs they know from the shows they love like Doc McStuffins and Vampirina.

Put those dancing shoes on and keep reading for our complete guide to Disney Junior Play and Dance!

Disney Junior Play and Dance Quick Facts

  • Location: Animation Courtyard, in Hollywood Studios
  • Height requirement: None
  • Suitable for: Everyone
  • Attraction Length: About 10 minutes
  • Do we recommend? Yes, for families with little ones
  • When to visit: Anytime
  • Lightning Lane available: No
  • Eligible for Early Entry: No
  • Eligible for Extended Evening Hours: No
  • Scheduled Refurbishments
  • Tip(s): Most people will sit on the floor for this show, although there are some benches in the back. Arrive 10-15 minutes early to sit closer to the stage.

Description: This interactive dance party featuring characters from The Lion Guard, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Vampirina, and Doc McStuffins. Interactive elements include bubbles, streamers, and “snow.”

Location

Disney Junior Play and Dance! is located in Animation Courtyard near Star Wars Launch Bay.

location of disney junior play and dance at hollywood studios
hollywood studios map
hollywood studios map

How to Watch Disney Junior Play & Dance!

Disney Junior Play & Dance! has a Standby Line and a Lightning Lane. There are different shows throughout the day. You can check the My Disney Experience app for daily showtimes.

Do I need to use Genie+ at Disney Junior Play & Dance!?

Genie+ is available at Disney Junior Play & Dance!, however, it is not an early priority as Genie+ availability rarely runs out. We recommend showing up about 10 to 15 minutes before show time to get a spot closer to the stage.

Be sure to check out our touring strategies for Hollywood Studios for more Genie+ advice.

mickey and the roadster racers at disney junior play and dance

Rider Switch/Child Swap

Disney Junior Play & Dance! does not offer Rider Switch since this show is geared toward little ones. Plus, Rider Switch isn’t normally offered for shows and is reserved for rides.

You can learn more about Rider Switch via our handy guide.

What to Expect when you Watch

Queue

Guests wanting to experience the Disney Junior Play & Dance! must wait in an outdoor, partially covered queue before entering the theater.

Accessibility Information

Since you are seated in a theater for this experience, those in wheelchairs and ECVs may remain in them.

Disney Junior Play and Dance!

In the Show

If you prefer to experience Disney Junior Play and Dance! without spoilers, make sure you skip over this section!

Get ready to sing and dance with your (or your kiddos) favorite friends from Doc McStuffins, The Lion Guard, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, and Vampirina.

timon at disney junior play and dance

Typically, you’ll see Mickey (in his outfit from Mickey and the Roadster Racers), Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, and Timon from The Lion Guard on stage.

doc mcstuffins at disney junior play and dance

Hosted by Finn Fiesta and DJ Deejay, everyone is encouraged to sing and dance along to their favorite Disney Junior tunes during this 10-minute show! 

Is Disney Junior Play & Dance! Kid-Friendly?

Disney Junior Play & Dance! is specifically geared toward the park’s littlest guests, but school-age children may also enjoy the show.

Strollers

Strollers are not allowed in most queues or theaters at Walt Disney World. You’ll need to leave your stroller in the designated stroller parking area near the entrance to Disney Junior Play & Dance!

History

The theater where Disney Junior Play & Dance! was originally the Soundstage Restaurant which opened the same day as Hollywood Studios, May 1, 1989. The restaurant closed on November 14, 1998.

Following that, the theater hosted Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage from June 7, 1999, until August 4, 2001.

disney junior dance party

Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! opened on October 1, 2001, featuring characters from Bear in the Big Blue House, as well as new Playhouse Disney characters from Rolie Polie OlieStanley, and The Book of Pooh.

In April 2005, the characters from Rolie Polie Olie were replaced with those from JoJo’s Circus.

A reimagined version of Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! opened in March 2008, with characters from Mickey Mouse ClubhouseHandy MannyLittle Einsteins, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh.

With the rebranding of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior, the show was renamed in March 2011 to Disney Junior – Live on Stage! As part of this update, characters from My Friends Tigger & Pooh were replaced with Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

disney junior play and dance hollywood studios

In January 2013, the show replaced the segments on Handy Manny and Little Einsteins with Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins.

Disney Junior – Live on Stage! closed on September 1, 2018. On December 21, 2018, Disney Junior Dance Party! opened featuring characters from Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia The First (which was eventually replaced by Vampirina), Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.

In 2020, the show was finally renamed Disney Junior Play & Dance!

Other Fun Details

  • The theater where the show takes place was originally the Soundstage Restaurant, one of the original restaurants at the then-named MGM Studios.
fancy nancy animation courtyard

Other Attractions in Animation Courtyard

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