Hoop-De-Doo Revue alone?

[rachaface]

Has anyone done the Hoop-De-Doo Revue alone? I'm going to Disney for my birthday this year with my family, but for the most part, my family doesn't enjoy dinner shows/planned events. I'm making all of my ADRs for 2 people in case they want to go, but the likelihood is i'd be alone, and especially with HDDR needing a full deposit, I don't want to waste any dining points.

with that said - how is the HDDR on your own? if you've not done it alone, have you seen other solos, or sat with solo people? do they seat you with another family? And in the off-chance that one of my family members wants to join me, is it easy to add on a 2nd person to a solo reservation (meaning they would be walking in with me, not calling WDW-Dine the day before)? I'd be planning on doing the 9:30 showing so i could use my dining plan points for the 1st level.

also, do they do anything special for people celebrating their birthday? and do you know if the HDDR allows cameras? i'd love to take photos if that is allowed. and is tipping customary for this, or is it included in the price?

thanks so much!

 

[chickalltheway]

Ah, I did the HDDR solo. Regretted it like crazy. Wish that I had spent my credits on a Signature dining instead, or at two other table service places.

Believe me, I had an awesome time at WDW, but the HDDR, that is absolutely embarrassing for me, and definitely one of the lowest, if not THE lowest, points during my stay at WDW.

Then again, this is coming from a foreigner, but what I experienced was that no one will be talking to you much except for your waiter because they will be there with their friends and family, and most importantly, for the show. I was embarrassed because although I'm as American as one can be in my country, I sometimes just didn't get their jokes. It was just wayyyy too American country for me, and it felt like everyone was a veteran to the show, because they all knew what to do and I didn't, so that was Embarrassment No. 2. Sometimes I felt people were laughing because they simply wanted to have a good time. To me, some of the jokes seemed too rehearsed and some were just too corny to deserve the hearty laughter and applause that they did get.

Like you, I did the 9.30pm show and sat at the 1st level. They gave me my own table and just piled the food on. You feel so guilty about not being able to finish the food, and when you ask for a box to take it away, they tell you that they don't do that anymore. I was pretty close to other families, but like I said, no one will be that interested in making friends with you.

Cameras and other recording devices are allowed, and tip is already included with the price. As for birthdays, they will go around asking people and then yelling out loud or singing about it, if I can remember (I did this less than 3 weeks ago).

Food wasn't extremely fantastic, stuff you can get at any American BBQ diner. I found out too late that I could have used the credits to eat some nice exotic food at Epcot instead.

I wrote in to the Unofficial Guide to WDW regarding my experience. However, again, this is from a foreigner's POV, so you might enjoy it in the end.