Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
A tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is an endearing performance of a classic tale offered multiple times daily. Based on the animated film Beauty and the Beast, most will want to take the time to see it during their Walt Disney World vacation. Even more specifically, fans of the movie or theater will enjoy this Broadway-style musical featuring gorgeous scenery, charming props, and a lush stage performance.
Below, we’ll discuss the specifics of seeing the current version of this heartwarming tale of Belle and the Beast, the longest-running stage show in Disney Parks. We’ll review showtimes, seating, and other specifics.
Here are a few quick references for seeing Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.
| Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage | Disney’s Hollywood Studios |
|---|---|
Location: | Sunset Boulevard |
Height Requirement: | N/A |
Lightning Lane: | Yes, Tier 2 Lightning Lane Multi Pass |
Early Theme Park Hours: | No |
Extended Evening Hours: | No |
Ride Type: | Stage Show |
Seats Per Vehicle: | Theater Rows |
Duration: | 25 minutes |
Good For: | Everyone |
Scare Factor: | None |
Must-Do List: | Medium Priority |
Perfect For: | Beauty and the Beast or Theater Fans |
Special Mention: | Bring a snack to enjoy during the show. |
Additional Info: Guests may remain in wheelchairs or ECVs for this performance. Audio description, Handheld Captioning, Sign Language, and Assistive Listening are available.
Make sure to check our one-stop Lightning Lane Guide to plan your attractions.
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Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is performed at the Theater of the Stars on Sunset Blvd at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The standby entrance is on the right side of the street before you reach the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
A separate Lightning Lane entrance is available past the standby queue. However, you won’t need a Lightning Lane for this attraction in most instances unless you want to arrive early for better seating. Typically, the first and last shows are the least crowded.
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is offered several times per day. Here are the regular showtimes:
- 11:00 a.m.
- 1:00 p.m.
- 2:00 p.m.
- 4:00 p.m.
- 5:00 p.m.
*For exact times on the day of your visit, check the schedule on Disney’s site or the My Disney Experience app. When you open the app, you can select the pin drop at the bottom of the screen. Then, select “Entertainment” from the top drop-down box. On the left side of the screen, filter for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On the left side of the screen, select show list. Then scroll through until you see the listing for Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.
We recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early to ensure you are seated before the performance begins. This is an excellent place to rest and enjoy a snack while you wait.
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is approximately 25 minutes long. So most will dedicate 45 minutes to an hour of touring time to see this performance.
Here is a look at the theater. Guests can sit on either side of the stage or toward the middle. Special areas are reserved for those with accessibility issues.
Since Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is in an outdoor setting, performances are canceled in the event of inclement weather. However, since the theater is covered, it’s not the worst place to take a break during the heat of the day.
Seating inside the theater consists of metal bleachers with backs. Food and drinks are allowed in the theater, so you might like to pick up a snack on your way to the performance.
While the first and last shows are often the least crowded, we think the best time to see Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is at either 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. At this point in the day, wait times for other attractions are usually at their highest. Instead of standing in a long line, take a break, grab a snack, and enjoy a performance of Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.
The performance begins with a young prince who turns away an old beggar woman asking for help. However, the beggar turned out to be a beautiful enchantress who punished the prince by turning him into a hideous beast. She then gave him a rose, warning him that true love must break the spell before the rose’s last petal fell.
Meanwhile, Belle is in her village singing, Bonjour! (Belle/Reprise)
Enter Gaston, who only wants the one thing he cannot have: Belle.
She’s busy reading.
Next thing you know, Belle, in search of her father, has ended up in the Beast’s enchanted castle.
Of course, this leads to a song and dance number we all know and love as Be Our Guest.
If you haven’t noticed, the costumes are elaborate, and the performers do an excellent job. Mrs. Pott’s son Chip, the teacup to her teapot, is adorable!
As the story goes, Beast struggles to connect with Belle. So his friends, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere, step in and offer advice.
Soon, he wins over Belle.
Something There plays in the background. “There must be something there that wasn’t there before.”
Unfortunately, Gaston is still lurking. The setting changes and The Mob Song is performed.
That said, even the villainous performances are outstanding.
Gaston didn’t have a chance against the Beast.
Sadly, the Beast doesn’t go unscathed. Belle rushes to his side. But is it too late to break the curse?
At this very moment, the enchantress returns and performs a spell-binding ballet variation.
As the smoke lifts, the Beast has transformed into his former self.
Suddenly, pairs of ballroom dancers flood the stage.
Within moments, the entire cast returns to the stage. Then, Belle returns with the Prince for one final dance to the tune of Beauty and the Beast. Mrs. Potts was right. It did turn out all right in the end.
Fun Facts about Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
The original version of Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage opened the same day the animated movie was released in theaters (November 1991). A second version of the show debuted in 2001, condensing the performance to 25 minutes.
During the performance, you’ll hear the pre-recorded voices of Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Potts), Jerry Orbach (Lumiere), and Robby Benson (the Beast).
The Resorts Gal Spin on Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
We give Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage the green light! We love this show and at some point in your day, you’re going to need to take a break. This is the perfect place to do so. This is also an entertainment offering that can be easily experienced. You’ll just need to be aware of the schedule or luck up on it when you’re passing through.
Resorts Gal Traffic Signals
Green Light
We give an attraction the green light if we consider it a must-do, regardless of the posted wait. We also give the green light for attractions we deem suitable to experience anytime. For example, some attractions have high capacities. Therefore, the lines continuously move and you shouldn’t have a long wait unless the attraction experiences downtime.
Red Light
We recommend checking the posted wait times for red light attractions. Then, make a quick judgment call on whether to wait, skip it, or return later. We also red light some attractions that we feel might not be suitable based on our experience.
Final Thoughts
We hope this guide provided you with an overview of what to expect with this Broadway musical style production. We can’t recommend it enough! Since we visit the parks often, we don’t always take the time to see these performances. But we’re always surprised at how good it is when we decide to see it again. This sentiment is true for all of the stage shows in the park. They are all wonderful.
For more information, try our Hollywood Studios planning guide, or you might like these individual reviews:
- For the First Time in Forever, a Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Vacation Fun (An Animated Short with Mickey and Minnie)
- Walt Disney Presents at Hollywood Studios
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Slinky Dog Dash Ride Guide
Additionally, if you’re considering staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, you might enjoy one of these nearby resorts:
- Disney’s Riviera Resort Review
- Art of Animation Resort Review
- Pop Century Resort Review
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Review
In the Comments
Do you plan to see Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage during your next vacation? Have you seen this performance before? Let us know below in the comments.
