The happiest place on earth travels to the London stage through this musical tribute celebrating its attractions, shows, and the memories that have turned millions of guests into lifelong fans. Guillermo Nazara chats with the creative team about the piece’s development and the ride it will take audiences on.
How does it feel to be bringing the show back to London?
Jordan: It’s really exciting to get to revisit Rope Drop! We were thrilled with the response to our performance at Crazy Coqs, and ever since we’ve been buzzing with ideas about how we could expand the show. Having the opportunity to take what we learned from that first performance and develop it into something bigger has been incredibly exciting.
Ayesha: The show is so personal to both of us. It’s a love letter to the friendship and fandom, and having the opportunity to invite more people into our world and love for the Disney Parks feels so exciting. Growing up, I used to (like many, I’m sure) recreate DIY Disney parades and shows at home for my family. Getting to recreate the PERFECT day in the Disney Parks, with my best mate, at such an iconic venue as The Other Palace- home of new musical theatre -feels incredibly surreal.
How did the idea for the show come about?
A: We became friends through working in theatre, and quickly realised that we were both complete Disney Adults and Disney Parks fanatics. Two years ago, in August 2024, we booked a trip together to go to Disneyland Paris. Our first trip to Disney without adult supervision.
J: Then, around a year later, Ayesha asked if I’d help her create a concert celebrating the music of the Disney Parks. As we brainstormed what that could be, it quickly dawned on us that what we were making had the potential to become a full show: an exploration of why two fully grown adults keep coming back to these places, and what that says about friendship, nostalgia and holding onto your inner child.
A: Thus, creating, Rope Drop: The Unofficial Disney Parks Comedy — a joyful, autobiographical buddy comedy, following two best friends attempting to complete the perfect day at the Disney Parks and battling all of the trials and tribulations that inevitably follow suit.
The show is targeted, primarily, at the so-called Disney adults, why do you think Disney parks have such a special place in so many grownups hearts?
J: I think there’s something incredibly powerful about being able to return to a place you loved as a child and experience it again as an adult. So much of going to the Disney Parks is tied up in memory and nostalgia, but you’re also constantly making new memories there. And I think, as adults, we don’t always give ourselves permission to play, be silly or get excited about things in the way we did as kids. The parks give you permission to do that.
A: For Sure! It’s so important for us to be able to connect and find joy, especially in the world we live in today! Our lives in this modern world can feel so overwhelming, daunting and melancholic — how wonderful is it to have a place where there is no judgement, instant access to happiness, and a whole community of likeminded people too? I think it’s lovely to be able to connect to our childhood; it’s a core and early draft of who we are now — we’re constantly growing, changing, and evolving. It’s nice to check back in.
Will the show also honour the legacy of Disney Imagineers in any way?
J: Oh, absolutely! We have plenty of niche references for the Disney Parks superfans in the audience, so watch out! Many of those pay tribute to iconic Disney Imagineers such as Tim Delaney and Joe Rohde. As we attempt to complete our perfect day in the parks, we get plenty of opportunities to nerd out over the lands and attractions, share some of the stories behind how they were created, and celebrate why we love them so much.
A: We also wanted to reference the incredible imagineer Mary Blair in our new artwork and poster for the show, created for us by the incredibly talented Tyler Davis, who is just as passionate about Imagineering and the Disney parks.
What iconic disney rides have you paid homage to and why?
A: So many! We’ve tried to pack in as many as we could, as the story follows our perfect day in the parks — we’ve, of course, referenced ones with sentimental value to us. However, as this is a celebration of the Disney Parks, and music plays a major role in that, we’ve also included the rides and attractions that hold iconic songs like Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World to really immerse people into the atmosphere and world of the Disney Parks.
J: There are nods to everything, from Pirates and Haunted Mansion to Tower of Terror. But the attractions we’ve chosen aren’t just there because they’re iconic as they tend to unlock a story or a memory. The rides become part of how we tell the story of our day.
What are the additions to this expanded version and why?
J: The biggest change is that we’ve really embraced the theatricality of it. There’s a much stronger story now, more music, more audience interaction and, crucially, more jeopardy standing between us and our supposedly “perfect” Disney day. We learnt a huge amount from the first performance, and this version has allowed us to take everything that worked and push it much further.
A: Alongside more of the parks, and more songs, we’ve also had the two new incredibly talented creatives on board: Tara Noonan directing the show and Dean Johnson as our dramaturg. It has been so exciting having a different angle and perspective on Rope Drop and to collaborate with talented people who are equally passionate about Disney, the parks, and the story we want to tell. They have both brought something new and special to the show that I can’t wait for audiences to see. For people who saw the previous version of Rope Drop, I can guarantee you, this will feel like a whole new experience, whilst keeping the same heart, integrity, and silliness… Maybe there’s a little more silliness.
What other Disney Parks features have you paid homage to and why?
J: The show goes beyond the rides and truly encapsulates the whole Disney Parks experience. The music, parades, fireworks, characters, Cast Members, food, hotels, and even the experience of standing in an enormous queue — they all find their way into the show. We wanted to celebrate the whole strange ecosystem of a day at Disney, including all the tiny details that park fans become completely obsessed with and everybody else quite rightly thinks we’re ridiculous for caring about.
What personal experiences have you included in the script, if any?
A: We have many moments from our trip two years ago in the show, from interactions with characters, Disney’s wonderful cast members, conquering childhood fears…
J: Additionally, when we started exploring nostalgia and asking ourselves why the parks mean so much to us, we spent days sharing childhood memories and all the reasons we keep coming back time and time again. So there are plenty of moments from our childhoods in the show too, from memories of parades and the ways Disney influenced us growing up, to our own rituals and traditions whenever we visit the parks.
A: We had created a giant puzzle board, filled with anecdotes from different Disney trips and parts of our lives. This helped us build quite a few scenes and moments in the show. But we can’t give them all away, you’ll have to come see the show to find what exactly!
What defines Disney magic, in your opinion?
J: The music of the Disney Parks. Music that holds so much memory and nostalgia for both of us. For me, so much of the Disney magic is in that music. I often say that music is memory reincarnate: a few notes can instantly transport you back to a particular place, person, or moment in your life.
And Disney has this extraordinary musical legacy. From the Sherman Brothers to Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Hans Zimmer, the Lopezes and Lin-Manuel Miranda, generations of composers and songwriters have created music that becomes intertwined with our own memories. You can hear a song years later, and suddenly you’re right back there. That, to me, is Disney magic.
A: I completely agree. There is so much power and magic in music. And that’s where Disney’s magic lives for me too.
My memories from childhood and throughout my life are so visceral where music is connected. From listening to my pink Disney princess cassette in the car with my family on long trips, watching the Disney Parks Singalong VHS’ at Christmas, a Disney princess music jewellery box, revising for exams with the Disney Parks Area Music on loop, and performing Disney songs. They can reconnect and recenter you and are associated to different times, people, and places. It’s powerful. Even as a performer, singing certain Disney songs at different stages of life feels incredibly special. Singing the same lyrics and melody that you’ve sung and loved for years, and feeling them hit your soul in different places, with a different relatability whilst being the same person feels incredibly healing. But for me, there’s always something so positive and hopeful in Disney’s music. I think it’s important, and it’s magical to have hope. Disney’s really good at providing that.
Are there any other highlights in the show that you’d like to flag?
J: We have six wonderful special guests joining us at Rope Drop! This Saturday, Lewis Bear Brown and Charlotte Yorke. On Sunday matinee, we have Melissa Cavanagh and Joaquin Pedro Valdes. And in the evening, Esme Bowdler and Henry Calvert.
They’re all incredibly talented performers who are also massive Disney Parks fans, have performed in the Disney Parks and/or appeared in Disney musicals. They’ll be popping up throughout our day as Disney Cast Members, princesses, villains, and more. Each performance has a different pair of guests, and all three shows will have their own unique moments. We genuinely can’t wait to see what they each bring to Rope Drop.
A: Another huge highlight for me is that we also have a fantastic live band, who will elevate and help bring the music to life. Jordan has arranged and re-orchestrated so many iconic Disney and Disney Parks songs, and they sound amazing. I can’t wait for audiences to be blown away by what’s in store. It’s so nostalgic, joyful, and heartwarming. I feel so lucky to be able to sing these beautiful arrangements with such an unbelievably talented group of people!
Why come see Rope Drop?
J: Because you’re invited on the trip! Whether you’re a die-hard Parks fan, a casual Disney fanm or you’ve never stepped foot inside a Disney Park, we want the audience to feel like they’ve spent the day there with us. Ultimately, it’s a comedy about two best friends trying desperately to have the perfect day, and everything that happens along the way.
A: If you’ve ever loved ANYTHING, or if you’ve ever wanted to (whether that’s Disney or not), xome to Rope Drop! It’s a place for uninhibited joy, silliness, and heart, where you can come as you are, and be welcomed wholeheartedly. I can guarantee you, you’ll have a smile on your face at least once. Join the group trip!
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Rope Drop plays at London’s The Other Palace Studio Theatre on 5 and 6 September. Tickets are available on the following link.