Polynesian fire luau · Orlando
A Samoan family from American Samoa brings dancers, a live band, a buffet dinner and a fire knife finale.
A lei at the door, a live Polynesian band and Samoan fire knives to close the night.
Why a luau
Orlando is nicknamed the Theme Park Capital of the World. A luau is a different shape of evening: about two hours, seated, with dinner served and a live show that moves between dance, music and fire. The operator says its shows are held entirely indoors, so rain does not change the plan.
The evening is presented by a Samoan family from the village of Nuʻuuli on Tutuila, the largest island of American Samoa. The show takes in the cultures of Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, New Zealand and Samoa, with a live band playing through dinner.
A fire knife is a traditional Samoan implement: a blade wrapped in towels at both ends, which are set alight while the dancer twirls it in acrobatic stunts. In Samoa the dance is called siva afi. The Orlando show builds to a fire knife finale, and its dances include hula and fire poi.
Around the Pacific in one evening
The night has a simple shape: a welcome, dinner with live music, a show that travels through the Polynesian islands, and a fire knife finale. Each stop below names the tradition behind it. The organiser chooses which dances the cast performs on your date.
Expect the cast and the order of dances to vary between shows; this section describes the style of the evening, not a fixed programme.
Welcome · Lei
The evening opens with a lei greeting by dancers. A lei is a garland of flowers, leaves or other natural material, and across the Pacific it is given to honour people, for example visiting dignitaries, graduates or loved ones who are departing.
Dinner · Buffet
Dinner is a buffet, and a live Polynesian band plays while you eat. The menu is subject to change, and the operator labels dishes for common allergens. Water and tea are included, and the bar sells the alcoholic drinks.
Hawaiʻi · Hula
Hula is a Hawaiian dance form that expresses a song, or mele. The dancer portrays the words, and hand movements can show a tree swaying in the breeze or a wave in the ocean. Hula is unique to the Hawaiian Islands, and the other dances of the evening come from elsewhere in Polynesia.
Tahiti · ʻŌteʻa
Tahiti's best-known dance is the ʻōteʻa, danced in rows to drums with fast hip shaking. It is often confused with hula, which is generally slower and puts the hands and storytelling ahead of the hips. The ʻōteʻa is accompanied by instruments only, with no singing.
Tonga · Lakalaka
The lakalaka is considered the national dance of Tonga. The performers stand largely still and make gestures with their arms only, and it is danced at formal occasions such as the king's birthday or the opening of a church.
Aotearoa · Haka, poi
Haka are Māori ceremonial dances with vigorous movement, stamping and rhythmically shouted words. Māori scholars consider it erroneous to call haka war dances in general. Poi, the swinging of tethered weights in rhythmic patterns, also began with the Māori, and its equipment can be made with effects such as fire.
Samoa · Siva
The siva is the traditional Samoan dance, and its women's form uses gentle movements of the hands and feet in time to the music. The sasa is a group dance performed sitting to a drum rhythm, and the faʻataupati, or slap dance, is traditionally performed by men with no music accompaniment.
Finale · Siva afi
The Orlando show builds to a fire knife finale. The fire knife is a traditional Samoan cultural implement used in ceremonial dances, first made from a machete bound with towels at each end, its centre blade left bare, with the towels set on fire as the dance begins.
At your table
The GetYourGuide ticket covers a seat, a buffet dinner, basic non-alcoholic drinks and the live show. Everything else is bought at the venue.
Seats are assigned in advance, so turning up early does not change where you sit. The room is indoors and air-conditioned, with tropical décor and a cascading waterfall, and the operator says its venues are on one level with no stairs.
Dinner is a buffet served while the band plays. The menu is subject to change, so do not plan around one dish. If you have an allergy to a listed ingredient, the operator does not recommend eating at the buffet.
A cash bar sells tropical cocktails, beer and wine, and premium soft drinks. A Mai Tai is made with rum, curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup and lime juice. Gratuity is not included in the ticket.
Filming and photos are fine while the show runs, as long as there is no flash. Many performers are available for photos after the show, though availability varies. Souvenir photos and merchandise are sold at the venue.
Fire, dance and the islands
Fire knives in Auckland, hula in Hawaiʻi, Polynesian and Samoan dance, poi, a lei, Orlando's International Drive and a bay on Tutuila. These pictures show the traditions behind the evening and the area around it, not the Orlando show itself.
Dinner shows to compare
| Dinner show | What it offers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Polynesian Fire Luau with Dinner and Live Show | About two hours: a lei greeting, a buffet dinner and a live Polynesian band, then a show of dance, warrior chants, hula, fire poi and Samoan fire knife stunts. A cash bar sells alcoholic drinks. The ticket is marked wheelchair accessible. | Families and groups who want music, dance and fire with a seated buffet dinner. |
| Medieval Times Dinner and Show | About two hours in an arena: jousting, sword fights, horsemanship and falconry, with a four-course feast served without silverware and two rounds of soft drinks. The ticket is non-refundable. | Guests who prefer knights and horses to dance and can commit to a fixed ticket. |
| The Outta Control Magic Dinner Show | About 1.5 hours of illusions, impressions and improv with audience participation, and unlimited pizza, salad, dessert, beer, wine and soda. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. | Groups that want laughs and audience participation in a shorter evening. |
Dinner shows around Orlando
The first card opens the fire luau this guide describes. The other two are separate dinner shows with their own formats, ratings and fares.
About two hours: a lei greeting, a buffet dinner and a live Polynesian band, then a show of dance, warrior chants, hula, fire poi and Samoan fire knife stunts. A cash bar sells alcoholic drinks. The ticket is marked wheelchair accessible.
See dates ↗About two hours in an arena: jousting, sword fights, horsemanship and falconry, with a four-course feast served without silverware and two rounds of soft drinks. The ticket is non-refundable.
See dates ↗About 1.5 hours of illusions, impressions and improv with audience participation, and unlimited pizza, salad, dessert, beer, wine and soda. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
See dates ↗More to book in Orlando
Before you go
The luau, the dances and the fire: guides
What to expect and how to book What a Polynesian fire luau dinner show in Orlando involves: the lei, the buffet, the live band, the dances and the fire knife finale, and how to book.
Read the guide → The dances, one by one Hula, the Tahitian ʻōteʻa, the Tongan lakalaka, haka, poi and Samoan siva: what each dance is, where it comes from and how to watch it at a luau.
Read the guide →FAQ
Roughly two hours, with the exact start listed against each date.
Yes. The GetYourGuide ticket includes a buffet dinner, water, tea and lemonade, and the live show. Alcoholic drinks, photos, souvenirs and tips are bought on the night.
No. A cash bar sells alcoholic drinks, including a Mai Tai and coconut rum, along with premium soft drinks.
The operator lists its Orlando-area location in Kissimmee, on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway. Your confirmation gives the address for your date.
The operator calls the show family-friendly and suitable for all ages. Every guest, including infants, needs a reservation.
No. The operator says its shows are held entirely indoors and are not affected by the weather.
No. There is no dress code. Many guests wear flowers or colourful aloha shirts, and it is optional.
A full refund is available on the GetYourGuide ticket if you cancel a day ahead, and payment can wait. The operator cannot adjust bookings made through other sellers.
All fares here are US dollars per adult; the calendar converts them to your currency.