There are many things to love about the Disneyland Resort in our neighboring city of Anaheim. I have gone to Disneyland many times and recently became a Magic Key holder in November. On my most recent trips to the parks, I came to a stark realization that Disney is not utilizing its resources to their full potential.
As a kid, I remember going to Disneyland, and in between hunting characters down and getting on rides, my family would sit down for a show. Disneyland has numerous entertainment spaces located in its parks that are not being used or utilized. In my opinion, this brings the magic of the parks down. Yes, we have some cool parades like Paint the Night, but what happened to the other forms of live entertainment?
Everything listed below gave Disneyland a beautiful gift: a way to lessen wait times. These spaces, when properly used, lower wait times across the parks. Every Disneyland local knows that during the parades and firework shows is the best time to hit the rides due to lower line waits.Â
I am a theater kid at heart, so part of me will always mourn the now vacant Hyperion Theater. The Hyperion is a full-size theater located in Disney’s California Adventure, between Avengers Campus and Hollywood Land. It housed fan favorite musicals like Aladdin and Frozen, which were used as a trial before they went to Broadway. These large-scale shows entertained both kids and adults in California Adventure.Â
Similar to the Hyperion Theater, the Fantasyland Theatre is a large outdoor venue where shows have been previously held near Toontown. It currently sits empty, with the last show housed there (Pixar Pals Playtime Party) ending in August 2025. The venue has not had a stable show since the closing of Tales of the Lion King, which ran from 2022 to 2024, and the fan favorite Mickey and the Magical Map, which ran for 7 years. It is slated to have a new show, Bluey’s Best Day Ever, starting in March 2026, but leaving it open and vacant does a disservice to park goers.
Like many of the entertainment shows, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon has had its stage mostly vacant since the 2020 Covid shutdown. Reportedly there are shows that happen but everytime I’m there I haven’t seen anyone performing. The small stage located inside the quick-service restaurant is modeled after saloon variety shows, and it has had rotating shows since its opening in 1955. The stage now has a sign on it stating that it is only for performers to deter kids from walking on it. With a lack of performers and shows going on, the beautiful stage is sad and lonely.Â
Some other examples of long-gone entertainment at the Disneyland Resort are the Country Bear Jamboree. This ride closed before I was born, so I personally have not had the opportunity to miss this one, and I love Winnie the Pooh. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is not technically gone. While it is slated to rotate with the new show Walt Disney – A Magical Life, every time I have been there are no showtimes for Mr. Lincoln. Finally, what I miss the most is the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue Restaurant. I loved this place as a kid and would jump and dance around to the music while eating super good. My mother comments as she says, “It was a great way to sit down after a long day and let you two (my sister and I) just run around”.Â
The parks do still have some shows. Like the Storytelling at the Royal Theater, where for 30 minutes, actors tell the story of one of the princesses. Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! has showtimes in California Adventure, where little ones can let loose. Some performers walk around, or you can see around the parks. The Dapper Dans, The Bootstrappers, Disneyland Band, Five & Dime, and Pearly Band, to name a few. But these are not experiences to sit and go too. Yes, you may plan to stake them out or stumble across them while you’re walking by, but it is not what I remember.Â
I miss Disneyland Live Entertainment, and until the company figures out that the people want that Disney magic back, I’m not sure my full love of the parks will return.Â