Top 5 Disneyland Entertainment Options

At Walt Disney World, live entertainment options abound! But at Disneyland, physical space and the number of parks are more limited. Even so, the west coast parks are built for wandering, exploring, and enjoying the atmosphere. And an important part of that atmosphere is the kinetic and acoustic energy that live entertainment provides. Let’s dive into the data together to find out what the top 5 entertainment options are at Disneyland since the parks reopened. That way you can be sure to not miss them during your next Disneyland vacation.

Explain the Data

After every Disneyland vacation, TouringPlans users can fill out a post-visit survey. In that survey, every member of your party can rate their satisfaction with every attraction or entertainment option that they experience. These ratings are given the following scale:

• 1 = Very Dissatisfied
• 2 = Somewhat Dissatisfied
• 3 = Neutral
• 4 = Somewhat Satisfied
• 5 = Very Satisfied

Since each rating has a numeric value, we can do things like find the average and the standard deviation. For today’s analysis, we’re going to compare the overall average satisfaction for each entertainment option. We’ll be narrowing the survey results down to surveys received in the past two years. For all submitted surveys, we average satisfaction scores from every age group in every survey. Higher average = higher satisfaction. In today’s article, we’ll look at the top 5 entertainment options with the highest average satisfaction scores.

A note before we begin – I’m defining live entertainment not as big stage shows or parades, but smaller groups that are more out “in the wild” in the parks.

1. Disneyland Band

The Disneyland Band has been performing at Disneyland since 1955. Its members were originally contracted to perform for two weeks after the park’s opening day. But the performances were so popular that it is still around today – and it still draws quite a crowd. The Band performs several times daily, either on Main Street or in Tomorrowland.

The Band is comprised of 15 to 20 members, and is an excellent small marching band. They play a variety of pieces including marches, polkas, jazz, and waltzes. If you’re lucky, you’ll even catch them playing the Mickey Mouse March. With an average satisfaction score of 4.60, you’re more likely to enjoy spending some time with the Band than you are attractions like Space Mountain (4.58), Pirates of the Caribbean (4.56), and even … Fantasmic! (4.45)

2. The Bootstrappers

From classic marching music to hilarious sea shanties. Can’t beat that variety! The Bootstrappers is a rotating cast of singing pirates. They sing old sea shanties, as well as the obligatory “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirates Life for Me.” You can find them somewhere near Cafe Orleans, where they engage nearby guests with their unique sense of humor and musical talent. They generally perform about once an hour throughout the morning and early afternoon.

This group’s average satisfaction score is 4.41, which puts them roughly on par with World of Color (4.39) and Splash Mountain (4.38). And it makes them more enjoyable than Indiana Jones Adventure and the Main Street Electrical Parade (both at 4.33). I personally say nothing is better than the Main Street Electrical Parade. But in this case I suppose the general public overrules me.

3. Dapper Dans

The Walt Disney World version of the Dapper Dans didn’t make the top 5 entertainment options on the east coast. But over at Disneyland, the Dapper Dans have a strong showing! If you are somehow unfamiliar with the Dapper Dans, they are a barbershop quartet act that has been performing on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland since 1959.

You can’t miss their brightly-colored pinstripe suits and straw hats. And you don’t want to miss their a cappella versions of classic and Disney songs. They even throw in dance moves and punny jokes. You can find them around Main Street USA, performing approximately hourly during the peak hours of the day.

The Dapper Dans have an average satisfaction score of 4.30. Not shabby, especially when you consider that the attraction with the closest average satisfaction is Haunted Mansion at 4.31!

4. Five and Dime

Five and Dime is named after a five-piece jazz band, and their female vocalist (“Dime”). They play jazz standards of the 1920s and -30s such as “Toot, Toot, Tootsie,” “Red, Red Robin,” and “Bye, Bye, Blackbird.” They’re always joined by a zoot-suit-clad Goofy, and you can find them on Buena Vista Street in Disney’s California Adventure. Their sets usually last about 20 minutes, and they usually happen once an hour from the early afternoon through the evening.

Five and Dime sneaks in just behind the Dapper Dans with an average satisfaction score of 4.29. This is actually higher than the new headliner at California Adventure, WEB Slingers. It only scores 4.25.

5. Mariachi Divas

Mariachi Cobre made the top 5 over at Disney World, and Mariachi Divas represent this musical style on our west coast list too! Unlike their Orlando counterparts, this group is made of all fabulous, talented females. And they are two-time Grammy Award winners! They’re another crew that performs at Disney’s California Adventure, usually strolling between the seating areas for the counter service locations in Pacific Wharf and Paradise Gardens.

Mariachi Divas don’t just stick to the traditional folk music, either. During their 30 minute sets, you’ll hear a mix of the traditional along with American pop music and Disney classics. If you catch them playing it’s a small world, you’re in for a real treat!

Mariachi Divas boast an average satisfaction score of 4.26. This is almost identical to the satisfaction score for Peter Pan’s Flight over in Disneyland. And it’s much better than the satisfaction scores for other DCA attractions like the Silly Symphony Swings and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (both at 4.01).

What Does This Mean For You?

1. Musical acts are a must-do for any Disneyland vacation. And the quantity and variety of acts means that you should be able to stumble upon something as you’re touring the park.
2. As you plan your Disneyland or DCA day, check entertainment schedules to see what performances fit into your plan. Often you’re more likely to have high satisfaction with live entertainment than you are even with major headliners.
3. Mariachi Divas is a real gem. They are quite possibly one of the only Grammy award-winning groups regularly performing in a theme park, so be sure to seek them out if possible.

Did your favorite Disneyland entertainment make the cut? What would you suggest first-time Disneyland visitors try to see on their next vacation? Let me know in the comments!