Cirque du Soleil Chief Executive discusses reopening plans for Drawn to Life at Disney Springs

Apr 22, 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: Thursday April 22, 2021 10:25am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Cirque du Soleil Chief Executive Daniel Lamarre announced yesterday that several of the company's shows will return this summer in Las Vegas, but no date was given for "Drawn to Life" at Disney Springs.

"Drawn to Life," that was set to open in Spring 2020 at Disney Springs, and was just days away from opening when the COVID-19 shutdown began. Asked by the LA Times about "Drawn to Life," Lamarre said, "We should be able to open sometime in the fall."

We understand that limited rehearsals have been taking place among small groups of performers at the Cirque theater in Disney Springs.

This news comes in addition to Disney's January 1 "things to do in the new year" list, which listed Cirque du Soleil's Drawn to Life as coming later in 2021.

New Cirque du Soleil sign on building exterior

The show was originally planned to begin on March 20 2020, but was cancelled due to the arrival of COVID-19. Since then, Cirque du Soleil has gone through a turbulent period with mass layoffs and filing for bankruptcy.

Here is the mention in the "21 Ways to Kick Off 2021 with Magic at Walt Disney World Resort" press release from Disney in January:

Get Excited for Even More Magic Later this Year – Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the new family-friendly attraction coming to the France pavilion in EPCOT, will debut in 2021. And the new Cirque du Soleil show “Drawn to Life,” coming to Disney Springs, will be a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. More details about these experiences and other excitement happening around Walt Disney World will be released at a later date.

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DCBaker25 days ago

There's a new offer out for Disney Visa cardholders: Take advantage of your perk early! Save up to 20% on tickets to upcoming performances of Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney at Disney Springs®. Tickets may be purchased at the Drawn to Life box office at Disney Springs® or online. Visit Cirk.me/WDWVisa and use your Disney Visa Card to purchase tickets today! More details via the Cirque link: Disney Visa Cardholder Offer is only valid for performances of Drawn to Life through 9/27/25 (subject to availability and blockout dates). Valid for seat categories Golden Circle, 1, 2 and 3. Limit eight (8) tickets per valid Disney Visa for the entire Offer period. Tickets must be purchased with a Disney Visa credit card and may be purchased online at cirk.me/WDWVisa or at the Drawn to Life Box Office at Disney Springs® area located at Walt Disney World® Resort. All tickets purchased online for the Disney Visa Offer must be picked up at will call at the Drawn to Life Box Office and the purchaser must show their valid Disney Visa to collect tickets. Tickets sold by Cirque du Soleil. Tickets are subject to taxes and fees. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. The Disney Visa Offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offers. Blockout dates apply, including 11/27/24-12/1/24, 12/18/24 - 1/5/25, 2/19/25-2/23/25, 3/14/25-3/23/25, and 4/16/25 - 4/20/25

TrainsOfDisneyMay 18, 2024

That sums it up well - Drawn to Life is honestly the type of show that should be in the parks. It’s good - but La Nouba was 100% Cirque. I’m actually quite nostalgic for the Downtown Disney that used to be…. Disney Quest, La Nouba, Pleasure Island, nightly fireworks…. There was alot to offer that is drastically different now.

Miss RoriMay 09, 2024

I do get the sense that La Nouba was far more popular at its height than Drawn to Life is now. Cirque hadn't overextended itself when La Nouba was new (there were only a handful of tours and two other "resident" shows, both in Las Vegas, in 1998), so there was more novelty, and the two times I saw it (2005 and 2015) it had a good-sized audience. But also, I think one thing that drove La Nouba's success was that it had nothing to do with Disney while still being family friendly; it was high-quality but in a more adult way than other stuff at the resort. The Unofficial Guide's writers regarded it as THE best thing at Disney World and they never received negative mail from readers over it, even getting comments like "it was the best money we spent". But it's telling they haven't done a review of the new show as yet.

wdwmagicMay 08, 2024

We Go Behind the Curtain with Cirque du Soleil's new VIP 'Drawn to Life' Experience https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/cirque-du-soleil/news/08may2024-we-go-behind-the-curtain-with-cirque-du-soleils-new-vip-drawn-to-life-experience.htm and more photos at https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/cirque-du-soleil/gallery/01may2024-page-to-stage-signature-experience-backstage-tour-at-drawn-to-life-by-cirque-du-soleil.htm

wdwmagicMay 07, 2024

Here is a video we shot from a preview showing some of what you will see on the tour.

DznyGrlSDApr 26, 2024

The seats are 104 H 1-9 and are $285 each with fees. I'm taking mom for her birthday in September :)

DznyGrlSDApr 26, 2024

wdwmagicApr 25, 2024

Explore the artistry behind 'Drawn to Life' in a new behind-the-scenes experience from Cirque du Soleil and Disney https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/cirque-du-soleil/news/25apr2024-explore-the-artistry-behind-drawn-to-life-in-a-new-behind-the-scenes-experience-from-cirque-du-soleil-and-disney.htm

TalkingHeadDec 21, 2023

Saw this over the weekend. Not as good as La Nouba but performers were entertaining and I felt like it was worth seeing at a discount. I think a more abstract storyline about the animation medium would’ve worked better for the Cirque style, but I guess that’s the deal when the show is a collaboration with Disney.

CompedDec 21, 2023

I'm always curious about the show before it that Disney created, some kind of strange original musical with a "mini-skirted Fairy Godmother". The Cirque show seemed to be an improvement somehow. Disney seemingly didn't mind keeping them around... We don't know how long the lease is for (if it's for the building or just rights to preform there), surely it had to have been extended over the years. Personally, what I've seen from various press bits hasn't wowed me - surely must be a reason why they seem to give away tickets in many British tour packages.

StitchonDec 21, 2023

Cirque du Soleil did go bankrupt during the pandemic. I don't know the specifics of their building (i'm assuming it's a ground lease situation) but Disney is known to have especially favorable lease agreements that more or less lock tenants into Disney's terms until their lease ends or Disney says otherwise. I know many Disney Springs leases also have kick-out clauses where if a tenant doesn't perform, they can be easily kicked out and replaced with someone else. I think if Disney wanted Cirque out or felt they could replace it with something better, they would have. I doubt much has changed (performance-wise) since La Nouba was in the building, since you'd think Drawn to Life would be a bigger draw by proxy of using the Disney IP.

HauntedMansionFLADec 21, 2023

Former Broadway show Blast. They used to perform at DCA 😉

CompedDec 21, 2023

I wonder what Disney would do with the space if Cirque gives up? Presumably they must have had a plan during the pandemic if Cirque had gone bankrupt... The level of sales they have, I'm fairly sure, isn't sustainable long term. Then again, I never heard people at the parks or Springs/Downtown Disney talking about seeing La Nouba either.

Cmdr_CrimsonDec 20, 2023

Maybe it's me but I felt that somewhere during a vacation to Florida that if you didn't at least hear this commercial while your out there it wasn't complete..Shame it doesn't play anymore tho..