Storytelling at Royal Theatre

Description And Comments

Royal Theatre, which once hosted jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, now houses a rotating repertory of 20-minute stage shows dramatizing the tales of popular Disney royalty. (Boogie and jive fans, don’t get jumpy: the weekend swing-dancing parties return to Disneyland, on its original dance floor, on most Saturday nights.) Tangled and Beauty and the Beast are the featured fables, with Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder or Belle joining in their respective reenactments, accompanied by narrators Mr. Smyth and Mr. Jones, milkmaid stagehands, and a live pianist. Rather than straightforward retellings, these fast-paced comic condensations capture the anarchic slapstick of a Renaissance fair trunk show. Witty enough to keep adults far outside the target demographic awake, the Royal Theatre’s shows are the sleeper hits of Fantasy Faire. Stick around after the curtain falls for an autograph session with the stars.

The Beauty and the Beast show is usually performed at the first three showtimes of the day, with Tangled typically taking the stage for the remainder. If you must pick between those two, Tangled has the better script.

Touring Tips

The theater only seats a little more than 200 (with room for 50 kids on the floor up front), so you may want to line up 30 or more minutes before showtime or simply settle for standing right outside the theater.

Look for a list of show times in the Times Guide or on a sign near the attraction.

Special Needs

• May Remain In Wheelchair/ECV

Other Attractions in Fantasyland

• Alice in Wonderland
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• "it's a small world"
• "it's a small world" Encanto Projection
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
• Pearly Band
• Peter Pan's Flight
• Pinocchio's Daring Journey
• Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Tale of the Lion King