Cirque Du Solie
Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life – A Magical Night in Orlando for Our Birthday Getaway
There’s something timeless about the circus—an air of whimsy and wonder that transcends age. As a child, I (Aahana) was always captivated by the mystery of circus acts. So when my birthday rolled around, my husband and I decided to chase that nostalgic magic at Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life in Orlando, Florida.
What unfolded that night was a vibrant blend of artistry, story, and spectacle that made for an unforgettable birthday adventure—and in this post, we’re sharing our full experience, from practical tips to personal reflections, so you can plan your own magical evening.
The show we attended was the 8:00 PM performance on a Wednesday evening. While not completely packed, the theater still buzzed with anticipation. One thing we noticed right away—Drawn to Life has excellent accessibility features. There were elevators available for those needing them, and a sign near the entrance let us know doors would open 30 minutes before showtime. We recommend arriving early to avoid any last-minute rush and to explore the venue.
🎟️ Before the Show: Getting There & First Impressions
If you’re driving an electric vehicle, note that there are charging stations diagonally across from the entrance. However, for Tesla drivers: bring a CCS adapter! Unfortunately, we couldn’t use the chargers since didn’t have the adapter..
🍿 Concessions, Prices & What to Skip
Once inside, we scanned our tickets and entered the concession area. We took some pictures of what we ordered and the pricing board, which will be helpful for budgeting your visit. As expected with any experience inside Disney Springs, the prices were on the higher end.
We picked up a small alcoholic beverage in a tiny souvenir plastic cup (more like a splash of alcohol, honestly—definitely not worth the price), some popcorn that came in a fun Drawn to Life box, and a cloud of cotton candy. If you’re a Disney member, don’t forget to use your membership to get discounts on concessions!
Pro Tip: Skip the alcoholic drinks unless you’re just in it for the novelty there are better options nearby at Disney Springs bars if you want to enjoy a cocktail before or after the show.
🚻 Facilities & Shopping
With a little time to spare before curtain call, we took the opportunity to use the restrooms—which were impressively clean and well-maintained. Highly recommended, especially since Drawn to Life runs for 90 minutes straight with no intermission.
Right outside the restrooms, we also found a souvenir shop stocked with themed merchandise. Again, prices are steep, so it’s worth setting a souvenir budget ahead of time if you’re traveling with kids or if you are Disney fans.
🎨 Kid-Friendly Moments & A Beautiful Start
We loved how the show started on a wholesome note: young kids were invited onstage before the performance and given crayons and paper to draw freely. Later, their creations were displayed for the entire audience to admire—such a thoughtful way to involve children in the storytelling and spark their creativity from the get-go.
This simple gesture beautifully echoed the show’s central theme: the journey of a girl who discovers her own creativity through drawing, painting, and imagination.
🎭 The Experience: Where to Sit & What We Saw
We had front-row seats—literally the very first row. While this gave us intimate eye contact with performers and an up-close view of the action, it came with a few trade-offs.
Being so close to the stage revealed some behind-the-scenes elements, like visible support threads and stagehands in dark costumes. If you love the “How did they do that?!” mystery of circus shows, we suggest sitting a few rows back—this will help preserve the illusion and provide a broader view of the stage.
Additionally, some stage effects and visuals are projected high above the audience, which we could barely see from the front. At times, we struggled to take in the full scale of the performance, especially during scenes where multiple things were happening simultaneously.
Our Recommendation: Aim for seats around Row H. You’ll still feel close to the action but get a much better view of the full stage and special effects. That said, the theater is beautifully designed—there are no bad seats here!
🤹 Highlights & Final Thoughts
There were moments of laughter, gasps of awe, and even a few drawn-out sequences that we felt went on a bit too long—but that’s the beauty of live performance: you get to feel every shift in pace and emotion.
Photography and video were strictly prohibited during the show, and we respected that. Honestly, we’re glad we did. The magic is best experienced in the moment, not through a screen.
Would we recommend it? Absolutely.
Would we go again.? Probably not—Drawn to Life is a one-time spectacle you fully absorb and cherish.
But for a birthday celebration, a family outing., or a special night out., it hits all the right notes.
If you are in Orlando and looking to blend art, narrative., and theatrical wonder—Drawn to Life is a must-see.
From mesmerizing acrobatics to heartwarming storytelling, Drawn to Life had it all.
✈️ Final Tips for Fellow Travelers:
• Arrive early for concessions, bathroom breaks, and to explore the theater.
• Skip the front row unless you’re dying for performer eye contact.
• Bring a CCS adapter if you have an EV and plan to charge your car at the venue.
• Take advantage of Disney membership discounts if you have them.
• No intermission! Use the restroom before the show starts.
• Plan for a one-time experience—it’s special, but not a repeat viewing kind of show.