Broadway Magic: An Immersive Tour of the New Amsterdam Theatre with D23

Come along with us as we join D23 for a tour of the historic New Amsterdam Theatre, a place where Disney On Broadway magic was born!

While California pays big for its art, there is truly nothing like the undeniably powerful art of theatre! And, back in the 1990s, Disney wanted to get in on the magic of the Great White Way! Disney’s official Broadway home, the New Amsterdam Theatre, has a long and important history in the theatre world and D23 invited Disney’s biggest fans out for an immersive tour into the history of the New York City landmark!

Upon arrival, we were invited into the lobby, where we had the opportunity to shop merchandise for the ongoing production of Aladdin On Broadway. We also got to preview a selection of merchandise coming to D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Event from the West End production of Hercules. 

Inside the lobby, we also had the chance to check out some posters of the big names that helped put on the New Amsterdam Theatre, including Fanny Price! If that name sounds familiar, the musical Funny Girl is based on her life, with Barbra Streisand being launched into fame for her rendition of “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

Pretty quickly, our group was welcomed into the first few rows of the orchestra, where we got to take in the beauty of the space without a full audience in the room. A brief, 10 minute presentation shared the long history of the theatre and Disney’s massive commitment to bringing Disney stories to Broadway.  

The New Amsterdam Theatre is Broadway’s oldest theatre, opening in 1903. Featuring a highly unique, nature inspired aesthetic, the theatre was quickly recognized for its beauty. However, its first production, A Midsummer Nights Dream was panned. That being said, critics still encouraged theatregoers to buy a ticket just to check out the space. The New Amsterdam Theatre features peacocks, grapes, other plants, and women carved and painted throughout the theatre. 

In 1937, the theatre was sold and retrofitted into a movie palace. As years went by, the owner of the theatre began retrofitting it to bend to the everchanging film industry. This included cutting off the original box seats and spray painting the entire, meticulously crafted theatre chocolate brown. As the 70s and 80s rolled around, Midtown was one of the sketchiest parts of New York City, and by 1983, the New Amsterdam sat unused. The owner was looking to sell the property, and plans to tear it down for a new parking garage were well underway, that is until New York City designated the New Amsterdam and landmark. The theatre was abandoned and quickly fell into even worse shape. Plans to restore the theatre were proposed with all falling through, and the New Amsterdam was falling apart. 

That is until March of 1993, when Michael Eisner decided to take on the renovation as Disney prepared to extend their magical offerings to the “city that never sleeps." New York City was looking to revitalize Midtown as a place for families, and what better company to help them do that than Disney. According to our tour guide, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Eisner approached the abandoned theatre with a lock cutter and a dream. The gate only opened a foot and a half off the ground, and the pair crawled under it. Exposed to the elements, the theatre had grown mushrooms, a tree was sprouting out from the orchestra pit, and generations of critters now called the New Amsterdam home. Surprisingly enough, Eisner saw the potential and agreed to bring Disney magic to 42nd Street.

Walt Disney Imagineering oversaw the renovation of the theatre, bringing it up to modern standards. Disney’s first Broadway production Beauty and the Beast was intended to premiere at the New Amsterdam Theatre, but delays in the project saw the highly successful show premiere at the Palace Theatre. On April 2nd, 1997, the New Amsterdam’s restoration was complete, with The Lion King premiering at the venue in November of that year. 

And the New Amsterdam Theatre isn’t just home to the amazing shows that have graced its stage throughout the years. Disney Theatrical Group actually has offices in the space, making it the home of some of the most successful stage productions ever created. And the tour allowed us to celebrate them!

Heading into the basement of the theatre, a plethora of props were set up that we were invited to touch and try on! This included The Lion King, Frozen, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, and Newsies! While this was more of a way to entertain us while half our group got to go on stage, it was really cool to be up close to so much Broadway history. 

Afterwards, we got to make our Broadway debut on stage giving us a view of the amazingly intricate house and a vantage point few non-performers ever get to see! We also got a special backstage tour of some of the props, but were not allowed to take pictures to preserve the magic of Aladdin On Broadway. 

While a short experience, running at only approximately 50 minutes, it’s a lot to take in very quickly. But what a unique theatre experience, celebrating one of the spaces that brings massive Broadway magic to life! Currently, tours are unavailable for the New Amsterdam Theatre, but are expected to come back at a later date. You can find more information on tours and tickets to see Disney On Broadway productions at the official Disney Theatrical Sales website.

As a special gift from D23, we also received a New Amsterdam Theatre pin to commemorate our on-stage adventure. 

For those looking to head to the Big Apple for some Disney magic, Laughing Place recommends Mouse Fan Travel. 

Read More Disney On Broadway:

• Behind the Magic: Meet the Minds Behind Disney's Legendary Broadway Hits with an All-New Podcast
• "Beauty and the Beast" Expands North American Tour With Full 2026–2027 City Schedule
• Disney Theatrical Group Begins Casting for Developmental "Tangled" Stage Production