Walt Disney World's Cirque du Soleil show to close this year

March 4, 2017, 12:05 PM · You've got until the end of the year to see La Nouba at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Cirque du Soleil show, which plays in a dedicated theater in the Disney Springs dining and entertainment district at the resort, will close a 19-year run on Dec. 31, 2017.

La Nouba premiered in 1998 and was the first Cirque du Soleil show outside of Las Vegas to play permanently in its own theater. For theme park fans who are unfamiliar with it, Cirque du Soleil is a Montreal-based contemporary circus company that started in 1984 and has grown into the one of the largest largest theatrical producers in the world, with more than two dozen shows in production or development around the world. In addition to resident shows in Las Vegas and at Walt Disney World, you can find Cirque du Soleil on Broadway, in Mexico, and on tour around the world. Cirque du Soleil is developing resident shows in Dubai and Hanzhou, China, and is working with Goddard Group and Grupo Vidanta to develop a Cirque du Soleil theme park in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, scheduled to open next year.

"We are incredibly proud of the success that La Nouba has had for nearly two decades," Jerry Nadal, Senior Vice President of the Resident Shows Division for Cirque du Soleil said in a statement. "We want to thank Walt Disney World Resort for a wonderful run over the years. We look forward to announcing what’s next."

It doesn't take a whole lot of clairvoyant skill to read between the lines of that statement and guess that the end of La Nouba doesn't mean the end of Cirque du Soleil at the Walt Disney World Resort. Should we look for a new Cirque production in Disney Springs in 2018? Stay tuned.

Replies (11)

March 4, 2017 at 12:56 PM · 19 years is a great run. But, personally, I never saw the point of paying $100 to see a show at WDW, when you're getting entertainment up to your eyeballs with your park entry every day.
March 4, 2017 at 5:28 PM · A Marvel srunt show to replace it?
March 4, 2017 at 7:26 PM · Could a Marvel stunt show be going in its place?
March 4, 2017 at 8:14 PM · Cirque currently has an Avatar inspired show called Toruk out touring. It's not uncommon for a Cirque show to tour before setting up shop permanently, usually in Vegas but why not in Orlando as well? Coincidence? We will see...
March 4, 2017 at 10:02 PM · How about bringing the Beatles Love to Orlando. Right across from House of Blues makes it a perfect location.
March 5, 2017 at 9:58 AM · I paid $50 when I first saw it. I couldn't spend the bucks to see it again for $100 in my most recent trip. Fortunately, I seen traveling Cirque shows for under $40, which are much better. The resident shows especially at Las Vegas got boring and expensive. I think they just expect the audience to spend money mindlessly for a quickie entertainment and litttle actual value. I hated Beatles Love at the Mirage Las Vegas.
March 5, 2017 at 10:28 AM · Have rotating Cirque shows along with Disney Broadway musicals every few months. This will keep the locals coming.
March 5, 2017 at 11:24 AM · I saw it twice and bought the DVD. Great entertainment. Look forward to a new one. I saw the Toronto one last year and was enthralled.
March 5, 2017 at 1:21 PM · I wonder if Disney will set up a Disney on Ice or a Marvel show there. Does anyone know if the Epcot daily entertainment will change as of most are the performers from La Nouba?
March 6, 2017 at 7:50 AM · I would love to see it turned into a venue that the traveling cirque shows could come to as there are tons of them. But also have the ability to use it like a regular venu for concerts that would be too large for house of blues. Or for broadway productions and what not. The Dr. Philips enter is beautiful but tourists don't go that far away from the attractions for entertainment. I would love a new full time cirque show but it would only be fun for the first few years and then it would get old just like la Nuba with rotating fl resident deals so they don't proform to empty theaters.
March 6, 2017 at 2:01 PM · In the Orlando Sentinel article, the Cirque du Soleil spokesperson said "There will be news to come," with regard to the future. To me, that says that Cirque du Soleil will be staying at the Walt Disney World.

Obviously, that's a smart business decision. A 19-year run is an extraordinary feat. It's proof that the market can support a resident show.

My educated guess is that the theatre will get renovated and will become the home of a new show. Cirque is not shy about creating new work.

During the renovation, I'd expect to see one of their "tent" shows set up shop in the parking area near the theatre. The West Side shops and restaurants need something major to bring guests to that side of Disney Springs. If this happens, it won't be "Toruk" because that requires an arena. It wouldn't fit in the tent.

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