.Princess Diana experienced the magic of Walt Disney World firsthand when she visited with her boys, Prince William and Prince Harry. The late royal and her two sons traveled to Florida in August of 1993 for a trip to the most magical place on earth, which included a visit to the fan-favorite dinner show Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, located in The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
A video of the Princess at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue resurfaced on X last month, showing Prince William participating in the show at Pioneer Hall, while his mom watched from their table on the main floor. The now-Prince of Wales, dubbed Texas Ranger William, was made an honorary member of the Pioneer Hall Players at the end of the performance.
In the 2021 ABC special The Most Magical Story on Earth: 50 Years of Walt Disney World, Ken Wharfe, who was a bodyguard to Diana, shared that Princes William and Harry thought Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue was “fantastic.” Later back at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the hotel where the royals stayed, Wharfe recalled Diana telling him, “This was a magical evening.”
© Mike Forster/Daily Mail/ShutterstockSince 1974, the beloved dinner show has delighted guests—royals included—with its music, comedy and menu featuring crispy-fried chicken, cornbread, smoked barbecued pork ribs and strawberry shortcake. A representative for Disney Signature Experiences tells HOLA! USA that Princess Diana enjoyed not one, but two visits to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, which is regarded as one of America’s longest-running dinner shows.
One of the show’s piano players named Randy has previously told Disney Parks Blog, “The interaction with the guests is what makes Hoop-Dee-Doo unique,” noting, “No two shows are exactly the same because you never know how the audience will react.”
© Coleman Rayner/The Grosby GroupDuring their trip to Walt Disney World in 1993, Diana and her sons visited the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, formerly known as Disney-MGM Studios. Harry spoke about his childhood visit to Disney in a 2016 interview with Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts, calling it “one of my very, very happy memories.” The Duke of Sussex said, “I went on Space Mountain 14 times. I was like, ‘This is absolutely fantastic, the best thing ever.'”
Prince Harry made magical memories with his own kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, this year during a visit to Disneyland Resort for his daughter’s fourth birthday. Meghan Markle gave her Instagram followers a peek at their family vacation with a video featuring pictures and footage from their trip, including snapshots of them enjoying attractions like Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Alongside the post, the Duchess of Sussex wrote: “Thank you @disneyland for giving our family two days of pure joy!”
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