This post provides details about the best Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, including a description of each show, average prices, and discount opportunities.
You'll also find an in-depth analysis of the reviews for each show, including tips on which cirque performance you might find the most interesting.
- “O”
- Ka
- Mystere
- The Beatles: LOVE
- Michael Jackson: ONE
- What is the Best Show?
- Cirque du Soleil Discounts
- Top Las Vegas Shows
Overview
Cirque du Soleil is a popular variety show featuring a plethora of performance artists including acrobats, dancers, gymnasts, and more. Think of these shows as a more rehearsed and choreographed example of a circus performance, as the name subtly implies.
While the circus is usually very family-friendly, some Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows can be aimed more at adult audiences than at children. That said, most of the shows in Vegas are safe for young viewers and intended for a family audience.
Ticket prices tend to range from $75 - $300 on average, but there are also opportunities to save between 10% - 50% off admission which you can learn about in our discounts section.
Most Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows run for at least a week at a time, only taking 2-3 days off per week, and you can usually see them all in just a few days.
Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows almost always start at either 7 pm or 9:30 pm, and you’ll find them at some of the most famous hotels and casinos in Las Vegas.
“O”
With themes ranging from the concept of infinity to the elegance of water, this Cirque du Soleil show features a variety of acrobatics, synchronized swimming, and other interesting performances.
Throughout the show, you can expect to see aquatic zebras dancing on the water, a ghost ship arising from the mist with multiple acrobats on board, and aerial hoop choreography.
“O” runs twice a night from Wednesday - Sunday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas strip.
Ticket prices range from $120 - $330 per seat, depending on where you choose to sit.
REVIEWS
According to TripAdvisor users, "O" is one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas with an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
While most reviewers feel it's an excellent show, those who didn't enjoy it had a wide range criticisms. Some felt that there was too much going on, while others described it as "dull."
That said, a vast majority of audiences disagree with these assessments, insisting that it's a great family-friendly show that is akin to a "weird, illogical dream."
Ka
This Cirque du Soleil show is all about combat, and the battlefield is a giant moving stage where acrobats must pull off fantastic feats in order to accomplish their goals.
With such a unique setting, you’ll have an opportunity to see what gravity defying battle would look like. At one point, the battlefield becomes so tilted that the cirque performers are forced to do vertical combat!
Ka runs twice a night from Saturday - Wednesday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip.
Ticket prices range from $90 - $320 per seat, depending on where you choose to sit.
Purchase Ka Las Vegas tickets..
TIP: The Go City Las Vegas Pass includes admission to this show at no extra cost. If you’re planning to enjoy several fun activities, this could be a great way to save money. Groupon also frequently offers discounts on tickets to Ka and many other Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows.
REVIEWS
This isn't the best rated Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, but most TripAdvisor users still enjoyed it, giving the performance an overall score of 4 out of 5 stars.
While most audiences enjoyed this show, some felt it was a bit dull and criticized their use of similar acrobatic actions as you'll find in most of the other cirque shows in Las Vegas.
Even so, others note this is one of the few Cirque du Soleil shows with a cohesive story, describing the experience as engaging and memorable.
Mystere
Take a trip into a world of imagination, full of bright colors, silly acrobatics, and even a few gags.
This is one of the more traditional Cirque du Soleil shows, with a somewhat basic story that ties together a variety of creative performances.
Mystere has been impressing audiences since 1993, making 2024 its 31st anniversary. You can see the show twice a night from Friday - Tuesday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm at Treasure Island on the Las Vegas Strip.
Ticket prices range from $120 - $290 per seat depending on where you choose to sit.
Purchase tickets for the Mystere Cirque du Soleil show.
REVIEWS
As with Ka, Mystère also has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. While those who enjoyed the experience described it as one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas, others found it a bit too creepy.
One critic went so far as to say this show is "not for Christians," while others were simply disturbed by some of the imagery in Mystere.
Thankfully, one thing even the harshest critics agreed upon was that the performances of the acrobats and dancers were all very good.
If you're up for a wild cirque show, this might be one of the best options. However, if you're sensitive to some types of imagery, you might want to consider another choice.
The Beatles: LOVE
As the name implies, this Cirque du Soleil show of course focuses on the music of the historic rock band The Beatles. Fans of the Fab Four can expect an acrobatic representation of a Rock n’ Roll poem inspired by the lyrics of their music.
There are performances based on hits such as All You Need is Love, Get Back, Help!, Here Comes the Sun, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Strawberry Fields, Twist & Shout, Yesterday and more.
The Beatles: LOVE runs twice a night from Tuesday - Saturday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm at The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip.
Ticket prices range from $75 - $350 per seat depending on where you choose to sit.
Purchase tickets for The Beatles: LOVE Cirque du Soleil show.
TIP: Make sure to check discount sites like Groupon, because they frequently offer great deals on tickets to this and other Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows.
REVIEWS
This is one of the better rated Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, garnering a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor.
As of August 2023, almost 15,000 reviewers felt that this was actually a 5 out of 5 show, with fewer than 300 critics coming to the conclusion that it's actually a 1 out of 5 experience.
Those who enjoyed it described the performance as "incredible from start to finish," with some reporting they've actually seen the show multiple times.
The harshest critics seem to simply be more of a fan of the other shows such as Mystere and Ka. Based on these critiques, this might be a better option for audiences who are not familiar with Cirque du Soleil.
Michael Jackson: ONE
This is another popular Cirque du Soleil show that is heavily focused on the music of the artist that inspired it. In addition to a variety of acrobatics and dancing performances, you can expect a lot of iconography and imagery from throughout the life and career of Michael Jackson.
Audiences can expect to hear plenty of MJ’s best music, including favorites such as Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Thriller, Bad, Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, Black or White, Billie Jean, and many others.
Michael Jackson: ONE runs twice a night from Thursday - Monday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip.
Ticket prices range from $90 - $300 per seat depending on where you choose to sit.
Purchase tickets for the Michael Jackson: ONE Cirque du Soleil show.
TIP: Discount sites such as Groupon often provide pretty good deals on tickets to Michael Jackson: ONE and other Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows.
REVIEWS
As with The Beatles: LOVE, this popular Las Vegas show has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, and an overwhelming majority of reviewers gave this experience 5 out of 5 stars.
Those who enjoyed it described Michael Jackson: ONE as a must-see, some even stating it's the most amazing show they've ever seen.
Many reviewers note that there's more dance than acrobatics in this Cirque du Soliel show, but that makes perfect sense given that Michael Jackson was very well known for his dance moves!
Those who were not a fan suggest that it's "not a real cirque show," which is a common complaint for both Michael Jackson: ONE and The Beatles: LOVE.
That said, this might be one of the best options for audiences who aren't familiar with Cirque du Soleil, as it's a more traditional show.
Which Cirque du Soleil Show is the Best?
This is a difficult question to answer, but it's also a common question that people have when they're considering which of these shows to see.
Each of the Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas has a rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, so figuring out which one is the most entertaining isn't exactly an easy task.
That said, the reviews for these shows do indicate a few important things to consider.
"O" is the most popular traditional Cirque du Soleil show
Of all the cirque shows in Las Vegas, this one has the best rating among those considered more traditional within the context of this form of art.
Both Ka and Mystere are described as either too heady or even creepy for some audiences, while this one seems to be popular with both those well-versed in cirque and those who are new to the experience.
The Beatles: LOVE and Michael Jackson: ONE are wildly popular
The music themed Cirque du Soleil shows tend to be quite popular among both those new to the performances and those who are more familiar with the art form.
That said, some cirque purists feel these are not "real cirque," because these shows are a bit different than others, focusing more on dance and music than on acrobatics and other performances.
Ka and Mystere are the least popular Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas
Due in large part to what audiences describe as confusing plots and disturbing imagery, Ka and Mystere aren't often the most beloved cirque shows in Las Vegas.
Even so, it should be noted that purists often consider these to be among the best cirque shows, and even though they aren't as popular as other options, they still have an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor.
So what is the best Cirque du Soleil show? While it is up to interpretation, here are our recommendations for various audiences:
If you're new to Cirque du Soleil... consider going to either The Beatles: LOVE or Michael Jackson: ONE, as they are most popular among audiences that aren't usually a fan of traditional cirque shows.
If you're familiar with Cirque du Soleil... consider either Ka, Mystere, or O. These are more traditional cirque shows, and you'll probably have a better time with them.
If you're still unsure... consider going to see O in Las Vegas. This is one of the most popular across the board, so it's likely to be a hit with a majority of audiences.
Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas Discounts
There are a few easy opportunities to save money on tickets for various Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas shows. Depending on which deal you choose, you could save anywhere from 10% - 50% off or more.
Las Vegas Tourist Passes
There are a few different discount passes offered in Las Vegas, and depending on when you choose to visit Sin City, chances are at least one of them will include admission to a Cirque du Soleil show.
At the moment, only tickets to Ka by Cirque du Soleil are included with the Go City Las Vegas Pass. However, they usually offer additional options throughout the year, so make sure to check and see what’s available during your trip to Vegas.
You might also want to check the Las Vegas Sightseeing Pass, because although they don’t currently offer any Cirque du Soleil shows, there’s always a chance they will in the near future.
For more details, make sure to read our full post covering Las Vegas tourist passes and how to use them.
Discount Sites
There are a few different sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial that offer discount prices on a variety of fun activities, attractions, and entertainment in Las Vegas.
They’re currently offering pretty good prices on at least a few of the Cirque du Soleil shows listed in this post.
In addition to their already decent prices, they also offer additional coupon codes to help you save an extra 10% - 20% off or more on local activities.
