An opening date has been announced for Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, new shows coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After
The new show will open on May 27, 2025. It replaces Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, located in Sunset Showcase on Sunset Boulevard, which closed in October 2024 to make way for the new show.
The show will feature appearances by dozens of Disney villains. Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent will each break through the Magic Mirror’s glass as they take to the stage for live production numbers.
The immersive stage show brings the villains into our world as they share their side of the story and guests get to decide who has had the worst time as a villain and been treated most unfairly.
Work on the show recently became visible at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with green scrim up on the side of Sunset Showcase. Cruz Ramirez and DJ were finally removed from the courtyard as well. Disney filed a general construction permit for the theater in October 2024 and another notice of commencement permit in January 2025.
Disney describes the show as follows.
Enter the realm of the Magic Mirror—where dozens of villains are trapped! They want the Mirror to reveal the truth: which villain has been treated the most unfairly of them all?
Watch as Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent present their cases on stage, persuading with wicked wisdom and wisecracks. Will you be swayed by their hijinks and humor?
It’s a spellbinding show with moving music and a most memorable finale—where you help decide who has been treated most unfairly.
The show will feature a brand-new stage with the latest technology and comfortable theater seating. Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After has a 40-minute runtime.
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure replaces the former Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and also opens on May 27, 2025.
The new adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” will feature puppets, digital characters, and more. Disney previously shared photos of Max and a neon turtle puppet. Other puppets include flamingos, like the ones that appear during the “Kiss the Girl” scene, and frogs seated on lilypads.
In March, the former “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” billboard was removed from the side of the Animation Courtyard Theater ahead of the new show.
Disney has stated that when the show opens it will “feature stunning new set pieces, cutting-edge effects, and a bold new design that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her.”
The show will include the same songs as its predecessor, plus “Daughters of Triton.” It will be based on the original animated film.
Disney also released a teaser graphic for both shows, along with their opening date.
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