Prior to Disney Junior – Live on Stage!, the theater was the Soundstage Restaurant from the park's opening date until November 14, 1998; the restaurant featured sets over the years from Big Business, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Following that, the theater hosted Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage from June 7, 1999, until August 4, 2001.
2001-2011: The Playhouse Disney Era
That show closed to make room for Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!, which opened on October 1, 2001, featuring returning scaled down characters from Bear in the Big Blue House, as well as new characters from Rolie Polie Olie, Stanley, and The Book of Pooh.
Disney Junior – Live on Stage! closed on September 1, 2018.[6] On December 21, 2018, the Hollywood Studios version was replaced by a new show named Disney Junior Dance Party! (formerly, Disney Junior Play and Dance in 2020–21), featuring characters from Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia The First (which was eventually replaced by Vampirina), Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.[7]
On October 10, 2020, the show replaced The Lion Guard with Mira, Royal Detective during the takeover until 2021.
Disney California Adventure
The California version of the show follows the same pattern as the Florida version. Before Disney Junior – Live on Stage!, the theater was originally home to the ABC Soap Opera Bistro from the park's opening date until November 3, 2002, which featured dining areas that are replicas of the sets from All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. Due to its unpopularity, however, the restaurant closed to make way for Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!, which was essentially the 2001 edition from Disney's Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney-MGM Studios), before being updated over the years up until the transition of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior.
In 2013, the show was updated with segments based on Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins TV series from Disney Junior channel.[8]
On May 26, 2017, the California version was replaced by a new show named Disney Junior Dance Party!, featuring characters from Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.[9]
On October 15, 2021, the show was updated with Vampirina and replaced Sofia the First and The Lion Guard.
Walt Disney Studios Park
When Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! first opened, it was essentially the 2008 edition from Disney's Hollywood Studios. Despite its name change at the time of the block's rebranding, the show itself had not been updated for unknown reasons. In April 2019, it closed to make way for the new interactive show "Disney Junior Dream Factory", which opened on July 1, 2021. [10]
2011–2013 Version
With the name change of Playhouse Disney to Disney Junior, the show also changed its name, this time to Disney Junior – Live on Stage! The My Friends Tigger & Pooh segment was replaced with a segment based on Jake and the Never Land Pirates.
2013–2018 Version
The Handy Manny and Little Einsteins segments were replaced with segments based on Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins.
