Review: EPCOT’s ¡Celebración Encanto! Is a Kid’s Favorite

I wasn’t planning on writing a review of ¡Celebración Encanto!, the show that helped launch EPCOT’s CommuniCore earlier this summer. It’s a good production, but with a limited run, I figured I’d focus on more permanent attractions. That changed yesterday when Disney announced that the show is being extended indefinitely. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how important this show is, especially for younger guests.

Disney recently announced that Magic Kingdom’s Tom Sawyer Island and Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland, U.S.A. are being reimagined into new lands. Theme parks aren’t museums; they’re allowed to change. But those two areas include spaces that let kids be kids. That may seem like a silly concept. After all, they’re already in a theme park. Yes, but theme parks also come with big crowds, long lines, and ride restraints. There’s not much opportunity for free play and discovery.

¡Celebración Encanto! allows for that kind of child-like spontaneity. Guests can answer “EncanTrivia” questions, sing Encanto’s most popular songs, dance in a conga line, and flex their muscles. Some adults take part, but the kids are getting the most out of it.

¡Celebración Encanto!’s two hosts are great. While they don’t deliver the more adult humor you’ll hear at the Frozen Sing-Along, they do have chemistry. Four Cast Members work the crowd and show off their dance skills. Mirabel and Bruno eventually come out, but they’re not the stars of this production.

The show begins with trivia. I never stood a chance against those kids. In between being humiliated, the hosts introduced Encanto songs, including The Family Madrigal, What Else Can I Do?, and Surface Pressure. Again, the kids were all in. They didn’t need the lyrics displayed on the stage’s large monitor. I sure did.

Cast Members showed the audience dance moves throughout the show. At one point, they asked for volunteers to come up on stage to dance around with props as everyone sang We Don’t Talk About Bruno. Later, they invited everyone to show off their muscles as Luisa sang her signature song on the big screen. The kids got a big kick out of that.

Finally, Mirabel and Bruno made their entrance. I may be wrong on this, but I don’t remember them speaking. They danced on stage before heading down the plaza to join a conga line. The kids were understandably excited to interact with their favorites. It was a fun moment.

Is ¡Celebración Encanto! worth it?

While I might not recommend ¡Celebración Encanto! to everyone, fans of the movie will love it. I’m not the target demographic, but I still enjoyed it. The stars are the hosts and dancers, not Mirabel and Bruno. But don’t tell the kids that.

I recommend arriving early to stake out what little shade is available in CommuniCore Plaza. The show lasts 25 minutes, so cooling towels and fans are also a good idea. The sun was turned up to 11 the day I visited. I sprinted for CommuniCore Hall when it was over. That place might not be much to look at, but its AC is glorious.

¡Celebración Encanto! has multiple showings each day. Check the My Disney Experience app for specific times.

¡Celebración Encanto! photo gallery