August 2009 Update: “Horizons” has been replaced by “Ha: Breath of Life”
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The Horizons Show at the Polynesian Cultural Center is phenomenal. I have seen other Polynesian shows in Hawaii and Tahiti and this show was by far the best.
We saw this evening show on our first full day of our recent trip to Oahu. We had flown to Hawaii from the East Coast the day before and we were extremely jet lagged. We had had a full day touring the islands of the center and taking part in the Ali’i Luau. By the time the show started, it was well past our bedtime at home. So, we were a little concerned that when the lights dimmed for the show, that we might end up watching the back of our eye lids instead of the show. Our concerns were not warranted because the show captured our attention the entire time. Not only were we wide awake watching the show, but when we got back to our hotel at the Turtle Bay Resort, we kept awake for a while talking about how great the show was.
All of the major Polynesian islands are represented in the show. Over 100 dancers and musicians participate in the show. You won’t find this many performers at any other luau or Polynesian show in Hawaii. Some of the show’s highlights include a Samoan fire knife dancers and men who dance over a fire in grass skirts. The following video is a montage of clips from the show that will just give you a small taste of the show. (Click the image to play.)
The colorful costumes are beautiful. One aspect that I appreciated was that the female dancers wore very attractive costumes that weren’t risque. Some shows I’ve seen at other places, have costumes that might as well be found in a strip club. So you can feel comfortable bringing the kids to see this show.
The 90-minute show is held in a covered open air auditorium. The stadium-style, wrapped seating arrangement insures everyone has a good view of the show. The evening show is included in admission for several of the ticket packages. If your time is limited, you can purchase a ticket to see the evening show only. Ticket prices start at $55 for Adults and $40 for children up to 11 years old. You can save 5% off your ticket price by completing a brief survey.
The show is presented Monday through Saturday, normally at 7:30 p.m., but during peak seasons they may have one performance at 6:00 p.m. and another at 8:00 p.m. There is an intermission that makes a great time and excuse to get an ice cream.
Have you seen this show? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments.
Sheila Beal
8 comments
I haven’t been to the PCC in like forever. I really should take the girls there one day soon.
Kailani – That’s a great idea. I bet they would like it. One aspect about the PCC I noticed is that it is one of those rare places that entertain adults and children at the same time.
Brings back memories. We saw that show! It was wonderful. In fact, the entire park is wonderful. We just loved it.
I was impressed by the opportunities the Mormom church provides to many different folks and the fact that they run the park in a very friendly manner, inviting you to explore their beliefs if you are so inclined, but not being overbearing or obnoxious about it.
I would definitely go back there on my next trip.
JHSEsq – thanks for adding your insight. The scholarship situation that the Polynesian Cultural Center provides is a brilliant idea in that it helps educated folks from Polynesian islands that may not otherwise have the opportunity. Plus, it encourages the these folks to be proud of their culture and heritage that was once shunned.
I just watched the PCC night last night and noticed they changed the opening and some other sections which as very interesting and more theatrical. The lead singer was great and had the power of an opera singer.
PCC will be having a new show called “Ha: The Breath of Life” in June. Their current show “Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky” has been running for 14 years.
From what I understand, PCC’s evening show is the longest running musical in history. It’s almost 50 years old! Older and running continuously longer than Broadway hits like Cats, etc.
missin’ duh islands.
While the PCC overall wasn’t necessarily my favorite (probably a better stop for those with kids) the Horizons program was a lot of fun.
ALS – I loved the Horizons show and I hear that it’s replacement Ha- Breath of Life is even better than Horizons.