Several years after it closed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the In Character Shop in Animation Courtyard has reopened to guests.
In Character Shop Reopens
We found that the shop was newly open to guests as of Sunday, May 25, 2025. According to Cast Members, this shop closed in 2019 due to heat issues and then never reopened. The following year, the former show, “Voyage of the Little Mermaid,” shuttered as a result of the pandemic-related closure of Walt Disney World and also never reopened.
The signage for the shop that previously hung on these poles is long gone, but the shop is still labeled as In Character on the My Disney Experience app and Walt Disney World website.
According to the My Disney Experience app, this shop will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Inside, guests will find merchandise themed to “The Little Mermaid,” Disney Princesses, and Mickey & Friends.
Behind the checkout area is framed artwork of Ariel from the animated film, with art of Flounder and Sebastian featured on the counter.
This shop has reopened just a few days ahead of the debut of “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” the new stage show taking over the former “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” theater. It will open on May 27, the same day as “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” in the Sunset Showcase Theater.
Check out a sneak peek at the new Little Mermaid show, and stay tuned for our coverage once it opens to all guests.
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