Questions about Hoop-De-Doo...

[rluey29]

My family and I have never done this show but reading all the good comments has piqued our interest. We have an ADR in June for a 5 pm show. I'm doing this on an AK day also since that's the one park we'll spend the shortest amount of time at. Here are my questions...

1. We're taking Disney transportation, so what is the best way to get there from the Animal kingdom? I had thought about taking a bus to the Comtemporary and then a boat from there. Is there a better way?

2. What time do I need to leave AK in order to make it to my 5 pm show?

3. We will have a 1 year old with us so what happens to the stroller once we get there? Do they have parking for them outside the building and should we bring everything inside with us out of the stroller?

4. I know that they place you at your tables according to how early you make your reservations. The CM told us that we have category 2. We have to wait in the mob of people waiting to get in so how do they sort that out? I mean how do they get everyone to their correct tables and how will I know which table we're supposed to go to?

5. Lastly, we want to go to the campfire afterwards. Does the HDDR let out in time? Where is the campfire in proximity to HDDR?

Thanks, Rick

 

[digman6]

I would love the answer as well we leave in less then 2 weeks !! we are at POR.
Lets hope someone knows the answer I think though that your reservation actually "has your name on it" so you will get the seat your are assigned in the beginning.

 

[Magic2000]

We went to the Hoop De Doo in July and loved it!! The food was good and the show was entertaining! I was surprised how much my DD enjoyed the show!

I would allow at least 1.5 hrs to get to HDD. You could either take the bus from AK to Fort Wilderness, or the bus to Contemporary & then the boat to Fort Wilderness.

You will leave your stroller outside, so I wouldn't leave anything of value in it.

You wait in a line, along with everyone else, and when you "check in" they will bring you right to your table. It is pre-assigned. They really get everyone in rather quickly.

The HDD show/dinner lasts about an hour and a half, maybe a little longer. You'll have to check to see what time the campfire starts. I'm not sure exactly where it is.

Have fun! We're planning to go back in July, so I need to decide which night we'll go to Hoop De Doo!!!

 

[Lady V]

well, since you are doing th 5 pm show I would definately leave the part by 2 or 2:30 at the latest. you then need a bus to Fort wilderness. At fort wilderness you will need to catch one of the buses there to get to the show. then you need to check in for the show. I am really anal about being late-knowing me i would leave the park by 1 but everyone I know says I am too anal about this stuff. have fun-my kids loved the show!

 

[Hopefully]

Leaving the AK for the HDDR by 2 - 2:30 is Way to early. I would plan on 60 - 90 minutes total for transporation to the show. It is a great show and you will have a wonderful time.
If you are at the AK take the bus directly from the AK to Fort Wilderness, there will be a bus. It may share with the Wilderness Lodge in its trip. Once at Fort Wilderness you need to get to the Settlement Outpost and then it is a short walk to Pioneer Hall. I don't know if this will require an internal Fort Wilderness bus, Perhaps someone else can comment. Taking a bus to the CR is also a good idea, but you will have to wait at the CR dock for the boat to Fort Wilderness. The boat dock in Fort Wilderness is an easy walk from Pioneer Hall.
Everyone gathers outside of Pioneer Hall waiting to be seated. Once they open the doors, you approach the CM and they find your reservation and your table number. You are escorted directly to your table. It is very orderly and very quick. You don't need to know which table you are at, they will.
There is plenty of stroller parking and I wouldn't leave anything valuable outside in my stroller, but I wouldn't have a lot of extras with me either.
The HDDR is about 1 1/2 hours. I think that the Campfire is around 7:30. You should have plenty of time to make it. I have never been to the Campfire, so I am not sure where it is within the Campground. I am sure that someone will answer that for you.
The Hoop Dee Doo is great fun, have a wonderful time.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

We went to HDDR on out AK day during our trip to WDW. I just pulled up my plan for that day and I had scheduled for us to leave AK by 4pm. We drove ourselves though. (Drove from AK to FW and caught the bus to HDDR.) I do remember we got there in plenty of time and wandered around/saw the petting zoo before the show.


We were at AK that day before the official opening and had a good plan, but still didn't get to see everything we wanted. I could have used another day there! Our kids were 6 and 9 though, so we may have had different interests/timetables than what your family does.


We LOVED the HDDR, the food was great, had awesome seats right near the stage and the show was wonderful. Made me want to move to FL and audition to be in the cast. LOL Have a great time!!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Leave AK by about 3:30, take the bus to FW. Once at FW you will need to ride one of the internal buses to SETTLEMENT(not Outpost, since that is where the AK bus droped you off), any of the 3 internal buses will work, orange and yellow also go past stops for the campfire show, purple goes through the cabin loops and group camping. Depending on your connections you should arrive at Pioneer Hall by 4:30. Just past Pioneer Hall is a playground if your kids still need to burn off some energy.

Durning EDT the campfire show starts with a sing along at 8pm followed by a Disney movie at about 8:40. Durning EST the show starts at 7pm. If you are late it is no problem, people come and go and just mill about during the whole show.

To get to the campfire after HDDR, you can walk, it would be about 10/15 min at a leisurly pace and there is a sidewalk all the way. Or you can go to the bus stop and board either the orange OUTPOST bus, the movie will be the first stop or you can board the Yellow OUTPOST bus and the movie is the 2nd or 3rd stop(ask the driver).

To get back to a Disney resort after the movie, you can
1. Board the bus back to Settlement and walk to the dock to get the boat to MK and transfer there.
2. Board a bus to Outpost and transfer to an Epcot or DTD bus then transfer to your resort bus from there.

I think that covers it but ask again if I missed something.

 

[rluey29]

wow! That was great information from all of you. I will have a car...do you all think it would just be easier for us to drive to AK that day and then drive to Ft. Wilderness instead of taking Disney transportation??? I wasn't going to because I don't know my way around the Disney property but if it's easiest then I could probably do that.

Thanks, Rick

 

[susieq76]

1. We're taking Disney transportation, so what is the best way to get there from the Animal kingdom? I had thought about taking a bus to the Comtemporary and then a boat from there. Is there a better way?

Take a boat- Pioneer Hall is close to the boat dock.


2. What time do I need to leave AK in order to make it to my 5 pm show?

I'd say leave by 3pm- if you're early there's a playground a short bit away from the dock.

3. We will have a 1 year old with us so what happens to the stroller once we get there? Do they have parking for them outside the building and should we bring everything inside with us out of the stroller?

They have stroller parking inside the hall in the corner- same goes for wheelchairs.

4. I know that they place you at your tables according to how early you make your reservations. The CM told us that we have category 2. We have to wait in the mob of people waiting to get in so how do they sort that out? I mean how do they get everyone to their correct tables and how will I know which table we're supposed to go to?

Tables are pre set- they will guide you to your table.

5. Lastly, we want to go to the campfire afterwards. Does the HDDR let out in time? Where is the campfire in proximity to HDDR?

Its not too close- you have to take the internal bus.

 

[abolanwoski]

wow! That was great information from all of you. I will have a car...do you all think it would just be easier for us to drive to AK that day and then drive to Ft. Wilderness instead of taking Disney transportation??? I wasn't going to because I don't know my way around the Disney property but if it's easiest then I could probably do that.

Thanks, Rick

YES! by all means take your car. Either that or take a cab to HDD from AK. The savings in time will be worth it. As far as finding your way, you could map it out online before hand and there is alot of good signage along the way.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

YES! by all means take your car. Either that or take a cab to HDD from AK. The savings in time will be worth it. As far as finding your way, you could map it out online before hand and there is alot of good signage along the way.

Just remember if you drive or take a cab you will still need to ride an internal bus since the only parking for FW(unless of course you are staying at FW) is out front by the Reception Outpost. Generally cabs are not allowed in the campground itself so again you will need the bus from the parking area.

Driving your own car would make getting back to your hotel easier, so do keep that in mind. Since you are already at a park it won't much difference getting there but it will make getting "home" faster.

As for going to CR then taking the boat...the boat goes counter clockwise after 3pm, so at the time you would need it the route will be CR-WL-FW-CR.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

1. We're taking Disney transportation, so what is the best way to get there from the Animal kingdom? I had thought about taking a bus to the Comtemporary and then a boat from there. Is there a better way?

Take a boat- Pioneer Hall is close to the boat dock.


2. What time do I need to leave AK in order to make it to my 5 pm show?

I'd say leave by 3pm- if you're early there's a playground a short bit away from the dock.

3. We will have a 1 year old with us so what happens to the stroller once we get there? Do they have parking for them outside the building and should we bring everything inside with us out of the stroller?

They have stroller parking inside the hall in the corner- same goes for wheelchairs.

4. I know that they place you at your tables according to how early you make your reservations. The CM told us that we have category 2. We have to wait in the mob of people waiting to get in so how do they sort that out? I mean how do they get everyone to their correct tables and how will I know which table we're supposed to go to?

Tables are pre set- they will guide you to your table.

5. Lastly, we want to go to the campfire afterwards. Does the HDDR let out in time? Where is the campfire in proximity to HDDR?

Its not too close- you have to take the internal bus.

It really is only a 10/15min walk and maybe just what you need after all that yummy food.
When you exit the show go just to your LEFT. Walk through the golf cart parking area and follow the cart path/sidewalk toward the main road(this path also viers(sp) to a camping loop. When you reach the road go straight across and continue on this side walk. The path to the show is at the entrance to the 600 loop on your right.