Tuacahn Discount Tickets
We have teamed up with Tuacahn to offer you a HUGE discount rate for Disney’s When You Wish! It is valid for 35% off tickets to Disney’s When You Wish for performances Now through Sept 7. Limit 6, Seating areas 1, 2, & 3. New sales only, restrictions apply. There are a LIMITED NUMBER of seats available so BOOK NOW! These performances are selling out so HURRY and get them while you can. We don’t want you to miss this opportunity! Click HERE to buy tickets and be sure to use the discount code below to get 35% off Disney’s When You Wish: Promo Code: FAMILY35
Tuacahn Outdoor Theatre in Ivins, Utah
As soon as I heard the what the Tuacahn shows were for 2019 I knew I had to get tickets right away. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of the shows this year is a “can’t miss” performance! We are beyond excited to share our Tuachan experience with you. We even got to go backstage and see all the action behind the scenes! Having been to at least a dozen Tuachan performances throughout the years, I can honestly say I have NEVER been disappointed. Not even once. Every show I have been to has been just as good (if not better) than any Broadway performance I have seen. I am always amazed at the quality of the cast, the stage, the costumes… EVERYTHING.
The Tuacahn Stage
Because it is outside, the scale of everything is just huge. They are able to do things that you just can’t do on an indoor stage. They even have live animals and actual water running down the cliffs behind (and sometimes ON) the stage. It is an experience you really just can’t find anywhere else. Read more fun facts about the stage below!
Get Your Tickets NOW
Tickets are going FAST. You will want to get them NOW before they sell out for the times you want. Last time When You Wish was playing it sold out quickly so get your tickets while you still can! Oh, and did I mention We have an EXCLUSIVE Tuacahn discount code JUST for our readers? I promise this is the best deal you can find ANYWHERE! See the discount below! Click HERE to get your tickets and use the promo code found below to get an extra 35% off Disney’s When You Wish!
2019 Tuachan Dates
Disney’s When You Wish: May 31 – October 24Disney’s The Little Mermaid: May 24 – October 25The Sound of Music: July 19 – October 26A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder: July 5 – August 10ELF the Musical: November 29 – December 21
Tuacahn 2019 Show Reviews
Because we went to Tuachan in June, we were able to see The Little Mermaid and When You Wish. These are the only performances that are currently playing so these are the only two plays we have reviews for at the moment. As soon as the other performances begin and we are able to review them, we will leave reviews here.
Disney’s When You Wish Review
I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into When You Wish. We had heard from others that it was their favorite Tuachan performance so we were really excited to see it. We took a chance and decided to take ALL of our kids (ages 8,6, and 3) hoping they would enjoy it and we are SO glad we did! Even my 3-year-old couldn’t take her eyes off the stage and the performers! She was completely enthralled! If my 3-year-old can stay entertained for 2+ hours you know it is MAGICAL! When You Wish is exclusive to the Tuachan stage. It is truly a one-of-a-kind performance. I was speaking to one of the volunteers at Tuachan who had been volunteering for years. She told us she was going to retire after last year but then she heard that When You Wish was returning she signed up for another year. She said she can’t get enough of it!
The Story
The story is about a little girl (appropriately cast as “Little Girl”) who falls asleep and becomes a part of many iconic Disney scenes as she is dreaming. She sings and dances with all of the Disney characters and basically lives out every Disney fan’s wildest dreams. She experiences all our favorite moments from Aladdin, Tangled, Jungle Book, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and MANY more!
The Cast
Where to even begin with this dynamic cast? Let’s start with the INCREDIBLY talented Afton Grace Higbee who plays “Little Girl”. WOW. At only 12 years old she has talent FAR beyond her years. We were all completely blown away by her performance. You can also tell that the entire cast just adores her. She has such great on-stage chemistry with every actor/actress she interacts with. You’ve just gotta go see her for yourself. As for the rest of the cast, all of the actors/actresses just know how to jump into those Disney roles. The women who play Moana, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Belle, Rapunzel, Snow White, Mulan… ALL of the princessess, are just as amazing. My girls couldn’t wait til after the show so they could go meet them! As far as my girls were concerned, they were the real deal and they were completely starstruck. The same can be said for all the men as well. They all had strong voices and were incredible dancers.
The Music
Because the scenes in When You Wish are all from the movies you know and love, you will definitely recognize the music (it will be a struggle to not sing along, trust me). On our 11-hour drive home (totally worth the drive just to see the plays btw) all my kids wanted to listen to were the Disney songs they heard the night before. However, as you are watching the play, you will notice the songs are arranged slightly differently and some have a fun Tuachan twist. These are all good things. So good in fact, I want to get the soundtrack of this specific cast!
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Review
I had never seen the theater version of The Little Mermaid before so part of me was expecting it to be just like the movie. Though many things were similar, there were still a big difference, in a good way! This show was so much fun to watch. My kids were totally entertained through the whole thing, which is saying something!
The Story
I had mentioned this in my Instagram stories, and I might get blasted for saying this, but… I like the storyline of the Tuachan version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid better than I like the animated version. Now before you get upset hear me out! The theater version is longer than the animated version so there is more time for story and character development. I loved seeing that Prince Eric has more depth and that his relationship with Ariel is more than just a pretty face/voice. The story also dives deeper (no pun intended) into Ursula’s character/past. I feel like things had time to be explained better and it made me like the story of The Little Mermaid so much more.
The Cast
I absolutely loved this cast. You really can’t go wrong with ANY Tuachan cast because they are extremely picky when choosing JUST the right actors (see more in the “fun facts” section below). The cast members that played Ariel and Eric were dynamic and fun to watch. My daughter was convinced Ariel was THE Ariel and that everything that was happening was real. After her grotto was destroyed and Ariel was sad my daughter leaned over to me and said, “Mom, can I go hug her”? To her it was REAL. That’s how good the cast was! I also loved Ursula and her eels. The actress who played Ursula was beautiful and full of personality. I loved her costume and hair! Flotsam and Jetsam (the eels) were also a favorite. The actors were PERFECT for these roles. The eels actually had a song and it happened to be one of my favorite songs of the whole play. I also appreciated that though they were cunning and evil, they didn’t LOOK scary. They were all fun to watch and my 3-year-old wasn’t terrified of them.
The Music
The music for this performance was phenomenal. They still have all the classic songs from the film but there are so many NEW songs that are original to the theater performance that are SO GOOD. When it was over, I asked my kids what their favorite songs were and they actually liked some of the new songs the best. The performance of “Under the Sea” was mind-blowing. It was so much fun to watch and I didn’t want it to end. the colors, the lights, the set, and the costumes were all so vibrant! The actor that played Sebastian was outstanding, especially during this performance.
Tips for Visiting Tuachan
Visiting Tuacahn is a pretty straightforward experience, however, there are definitely some tips and information you may want to know before visiting. We have been attending Tuachan plays since they first opened in 1995 so we have learned a few things thought out the years that could be helpful to first-timers and even those who have been several times.
Where to Stay
If you are coming from out of town, you will probably need to stay at least one night in the St. George area. I HIGHLY suggest staying in the town of Ivins outside of St. George. You will be much closer to the theater and it isn’t NEARLY as congested as downtown. Plus you will be closer to great hiking, the Snow Canyon Sand Dunes, the red cliffs, and so much more.
The Inn at Entrada
We stayed at the Inn at Entrada for our visit and I honestly can’t say enough good things about it. They are probably the most luxury accommodations in all of Southern Utah and they are actually very decently priced! If you have ever seen Disney’s High School Musical 2, you have seen Entrada. Yes, it is that exact same resort. Same pool. Same golf course. Same beautiful scenery. Here my kids are channeling their inner Sharpay…The “rooms” are actually more like luxury condos. You can stay in a 2-3 bedroom with a full kitchen and outdoor patio area. The “backyard” had a little stream with small cascading waterfalls and a grassy area where the kids could play. You can get all of this for the same price as getting 2 small studio hotel rooms in downtown St. George. It’s really a no-brainer. Plus, we saved a TON by not having to go out for meals. We prepared all of our meals right there at the resort! We took our parents with us and they couldn’t get enough of how nice the accommodations were. My dad even said, “I don’t think I will ever be able to come to St. George again and stay anywhere else”. We were all completely content just hanging out around the resort all day. There was plenty to do! The only time we left the resort was to go to the Tuacahn plays. I will 100% stay here again! Book HERE and use code SHINAVA at checkout for an extra 10% off your stay!
What to Do With Little Kids
Want to visit Tuacahn but don’t know what to do with your kids that can’t/won’t sit through a play? No problem! Tuachan has an onsite certified childcare facility just steps away from the entrance to the amphitheater. You can get up and check on your kids at any time throughout the night. The childcare area is large, clean, and a lot of fun! It is always best to get reservations ahead of time but sometimes you can check them in the day-of or even during the performance if they start to lose interest part-way through. We were thinking we would have to use the childcare with our 3-year-old but she ended up being so absorbed in the show that we didn’t need to!
Beat the Heat
Some nights can be quite warm when you are visiting Tuacahn. Check the weather and dress appropriately. We all wore shorts and t-shirts and were totally fine. You can bring in your own little hand-held fans, which I highly recommend. You can even get the ones that spray a mist. Just be sure to be courteous to those around you. Also, be sure to drink a plenty of water while you are there.
Parking
Parking at Tuacahn is FREE! If you don’t want to deal with parking and traffic, I would suggest getting valet parking. The fee is minimal and you will be able to beat the crowded parking lot. If you do decide to self park, park in the WEST lot. As soon as you enter into the parking area, go left and park on the west side of the little water canal that goes down the sidewalk in the middle of the parking lot. Trust me, getting out is SO much easier on this side once the show is over.
Meet and Greets
After the show, some of the actors usually come out into the main gift shop area. You will see a roped off line that says “line starts here”. For quick access to the cast members, just head over there and line up. There is no guarantee which actors/actresses will be out there but we were never disappointed. They are really good about visiting with you, taking pictures, and signing autographs. My kids LOVED this part and looked forward to meeting the characters after the show.
Get the VIP Experience
If you donate a minimum of $125 to the Tuachan amphitheater you can get access to the VIP “Canyon Club Lounge”. This is 100% worth it in my opinion. It is a nice cool, quiet place to escape to before the performance and during intermission. Plus they offer FREE snacks! The more you donate the more fun perks you get.
Fun Facts About Tuacahn
We learned so many fun facts on our behind-the-scences tour at Tuacahn! Did you know…
Auditions are held in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, SLC, Provo and Ivins. Over 1,300 professional actors audition for only about 60 roles. The entire cast has roles in all 3 Broadway in the Canyon Amphitheatre shows.A LIVE orchestra performs every night for every show.Over 300,000 visitors each year from all over the world. 2nd only to Zion National Park in visitor’s reasons for visiting Southern Utah. It is also the largest professional theatre in the state of Utah.All the costumes and wigs are made right there on the Tuacahn campus. The wigs are pieced together with tiny individual hairs and are also are cleaned and sanitized after each show by professional hair stylists.They use live animals including horses, dogs, a camel, and even zebras.Because the stage is outside, sometimes uninvited animals come on stage. It isn’t unusual to see a snake slither onto scene!Also because Tuacahn amphitheater is outside, it is common to see fireworks and other pyrotechnics used throughout performances.
Exclusive FFR Tuacahn Promo Code:
We know you will enjoy this show as much as we did. We are excited for you to see it! Comment below and let us know what you thought of all the performances this year!
