Cirque du Soleil 'Drawn to Life' tickets go on sale for Cirque Club Members and Passholders with general sales to start August 20

Aug 17, 2021 in "Cirque du Soleil"

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New 'Drawn to Life' Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World

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Posted: Tuesday August 17, 2021 8:57am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

After more than a year of waiting, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products have announced that Drawn to Life is scheduled to open on November 18 2021.

The highly anticipated show coming to Walt Disney World Resort is a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering and will take residency at Disney Springs. Tickets will go on sale at 7am ET on August 20 and can be purchased at cirquedusoleil.com/drawntolife.

Pre-sale ticket sales have begun for Cirque Club members for performances from November 18 through December 31 2021. Disney World Annual Passholders can also purchase in advance now.

“We are so looking forward to unveil this beautiful, long-awaited creation to the public,” said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.

New 'Drawn to Life' Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World

“We were moments away from opening night in March of 2020 when performances were paused. Intermission is now over and we cannot wait for Cirque and Disney fans to experience the joy of this love letter to the art of Walt Disney animation.”

New 'Drawn to Life' Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World

“With its combination of Disney animation and awe-inspiring performances, Drawn to Life is a great addition to the Disney Springs entertainment lineup and perfect for all ages,” said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort. “I’m excited for a new generation of guests to experience this show as part of their Walt Disney World vacations.”

New 'Drawn to Life' Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World

Drawn to Life, written and directed by Michel Laprise with Fabrice Becker as Director of Creation, is a live acrobatic journey telling the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her Disney animator father: an unfinished animation. As she dives into the inner world of animation guided by a surprising pencil, Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with her childhood Disney memories. Developed in partnership with Michael Jung, Executive Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering, the story is driven by 10 unique acrobatic acts alongside animation from beloved Disney films as well as all-new animation created by Disney artists led by Eric Goldberg, best known for characters such as the Genie in the animated classic, “Aladdin.”

“It was an honor to have the opportunity to interpret the spectacular works from Disney’s catalogue of animation into a live show and we couldn’t be more proud of this production,” explained Diane Quinn, Chief Creative Officer Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Together with Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, we have created a stunning show that will inspire audiences to dream and reach for the impossible.”

New 'Drawn to Life' Cirque du Soleil show at Walt Disney World

“Cirque’s world-class creative and production team worked closely with us, getting to know and understand every aspect of Disney,” said Natalie Woodward, Vice President of Production, Disney Live Entertainment. “Our incredible collaboration on Drawn to Life has created a show that celebrates Disney’s legacy in the art of animation in a unique and signature style that is pure Cirque du Soleil.”

“I think guests will be amazed to see how the magic of Cirque du Soleil and the art of Walt Disney Animation Studios have come together to bring life to classic and current characters like Baloo, Baymax, and Cinderella in ways that no one has ever imagined,” said animator Eric Goldberg.

Cirque du Soleil Drawn to Life logo

Drawn to Life is the 50th production created by Cirque du Soleil and its premiere coincides with the 50th anniversary celebrations at Walt Disney World Resort. With an international cast of 64 artists, Drawn to Life will perform Tuesday through Saturday at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.

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Jon81ukOct 23, 2025

A lot of people don't visit regularly. I don't think changing the show often would make a difference to most peple

WondersOfLifeOct 22, 2025

I'd say yes actually.

wdwmagicOct 22, 2025

Big Bang Theory Star Johnny Galecki Visits Cirque du Soleil's Drawn to Life at Disney Springs https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/cirque-du-soleil/news/22oct2025-big-bang-theory-star-johnny-galecki-visits-cirque-du-soleils-drawn-to-life-at-disney-springs.htm

BocabearOct 01, 2025

Ahhh Joe Hayes' Surflight Theater.... My childhood... Weekly shows in the summer... The showplace for singing Ice Cream waiters... ( I remember when it was Margot's Ice Cream parlor before Surflight took it over as well.... That was always a great thing to have on the island.... It was so dead in the winter when they turned the traffic lights off and only kept one movie theater and one Grocery store open.....

Basil of Baker StreetOct 01, 2025

Absolutely. Also, an orchestra preforming Disney songs would be a nice change up. When in Disney, I would at least look to see who's in town. Plus I think you would get more local interest.

MisterPenguinOct 01, 2025

There's a theater in NJ (Surflight on Long Beach Island) that used to put on a new musical (reprises) every week. While they're performing one show during a week, during the day, they're rehearsing for next week's musical. They've cut back since the pandemic. But... There could be a troupe performing a revolving slate of Disney musicals year round. There's also space in the unused national pavilion expansion pads for an indoor theater...

Basil of Baker StreetOct 01, 2025

I would much prefer an assorted lineup of traveling Broadway shows in that space.

Animaniac93-98Sep 30, 2025

Perhaps this is part of the reason the previous Cirque show lasted so long. It was a Cirque show that happened to be in Disney, not a Disney Cirque show. It could appeal to those in the area for other reasons than WDW looking for something to do. More Cirque shows existing elsewhere may have diminished the uniqueness of this particular location. But we've talked about this broader issue on the forum before. That WDW ticket prices are now so expensive that people feel obligated to spend every hour of the day touring them and don't have the time/interest for other aspects of the resort.

WondersOfLifeSep 30, 2025

I'd say yes. Specifically the night crowd.

Sir_CliffSep 30, 2025

Very strongly agree on all points. I'm kind of surprised Cirque has hung on as long as it has at WDW. Disney already has very high quality live entertainment around the resorts, including shows based on their animated features. They would be better off including higher quality shows like this within the parks, as they at least briefly tried to be doing with the Aladdin show at DCA. I am already booked to go and see the Hercules musical in London in December, so I am certainly up for seeing Disney Broadway musicals. I cannot ever imagine choosing to spend the time and money required during a WDW vacation to do so, though.

TrainsOfDisneySep 30, 2025

Exactly - the parks already provide that type of experience. And ideally - the parks would provide closer to broadway level shows (the Hyperion shows were very close in quality). Even Cirque is a bit of a stretch. While the show is great - if I want to see acrobats to Disney music I can go to festival of the lion king. Epcot has a juggler and an acrobat. Even the boardwalk has circus acts. I think any investment to broadway level shows should be inside the parks - plus the parks. People are tired of cash grabs. I honestly wish drawn to life was in the parks - a shorter version of it would be perfect.

Sir_CliffSep 30, 2025

Yes, I tend to think a Disney Broadway show at the resorts is one of those things that sounds logical in theory but doesn't work in practice. I don't know quite why that is, but perhaps the appeal of a Broadway show is partly in its novelty and as an escape from daily life or whatever urban environment in which it's showing. People at these Disney resorts are basically immersed in a giant escapist experience all day, usually for several days. So, it stands to reason they don't want to shell out a large amount of money on top of their theme park tickets and put aside an evening for a form of escapism designed for a completely different environment and based more or less around the source material of the escapism they've already paid to experience.

TrainsOfDisneySep 30, 2025

you think the Disney springs crowd likes Blue Man Group more than Citywalk?

WondersOfLifeSep 30, 2025

With Cirque owning Blue Man Group now, I think it was a bit of a missed opportunity to throw BMG into Disney Springs instead of that other new location.