Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy Permanently Closes to Make Way For New Villains Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios

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Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy Closed - October 8 2024

Posted: Tuesday October 8, 2024 9:30am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy has permanently closed its doors at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, marking the end of the Cars-themed attraction that has entertained guests since its debut in 2019.

Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy Closed - October 8 2024

The closure of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy paves the way for the new Villains-themed live entertainment experience, which is set to open in the summer of 2025. This new show, featuring iconic Disney villains like Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent, will be staged in the Magic Mirror’s mysterious realm, bringing guests closer to these notorious characters through immersive live production numbers.

Villains Show concept art

Permits for the construction work were filed earlier this year, assigning Whiting Turner Contracting Company to oversee the transformation of the venue.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy was known for its cutting-edge racing simulator, where guests could watch Lightning McQueen and other characters from the Cars franchise on a 200-degree screen in a high-energy show.

Construction will ramp up in the coming months, and more details about the Villains show are expected to be revealed soon.

Villains Show concept art

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jrhwdw1 day ago

This Commercial has both forms of Mal...... If This ends up with a real F! like Dragon......This might be more popular than we're expecting......

Gusey1 day ago

The new Summer advert shows the Villains show with a dragon. Do you think the show's actually going to have a dragon or it's just to say Maleficent is in the show?

HauntedMansionFLA1 day ago

Cost too much money for Josh to okay it 😉

EagleScout6102 days ago

Its a joke.... I do that

Mr. Sullivan3 days ago

Is there like a cash prize involved for how many threads can get turned into Splash Mountain discourse because you all are hungry for it

Giss Neric3 days ago

Aint this villain show on a limited time? They could move Muppets 3D there after knowing they would improve the seats and its right next door to another Muppets themed ride 😉

EagleScout6103 days ago

If being banished by the company counts as being "Treated unfairly" we have our winners -

Animaniac93-983 days ago

Glad the show will have comfortable seats as apposed to uncomfortable seats as originally rumored ;)

lazyboy97o3 days ago

Part of the appeal of theme parks is that they are highly designed and ordered experiences. People assume that their creation must be similarly ordered. The idea that the park operators thinks and cares as much as oneself is comforting and common narrative in the fan community. This isn’t the only thread where people are trying divine decisions that won’t be made for years by entirely different people.

Agent H3 days ago

This seems like statire of that trope.

James Alucobond3 days ago

I agree that Muppet*Vision probably wouldn't get ported in. It requires a purpose-built space. However, I could definitely see them wanting to convert it back to something with fewer live entertainment roles at some point, and I wouldn't immediately discount something Muppets-related if the RNRC retheme goes over well.

BrianLo3 days ago

It’s the jump of logic that they already know what they are going to do “afterwards”. I realize it is sort of a black box theatre. Though Disney rarely carries through. And we have very mild precedent of popular things moving like the Lion King Show. Still, it’s too much foresight for a company that loves to fly by the seat of its pants in decisions sometimes.

donaldtoo3 days ago

I don’t even understand the concept of “unfairly treated villains”…WTH does that even mean…they’re freakin’ villains…?!?!?! :cyclops:

James Alucobond3 days ago

Lightning McQueen lasted five or so years. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume this might have a similar lifespan unless it becomes unexpectedly popular.