Opening Date Announced for The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After at Hollywood Studios

3 days ago in "Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After"

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Villains Show concept art

Posted: Wednesday March 26, 2025 8:05am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has officially announced that two new live entertainment productions—The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After—will both debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 27, 2025.

Villains Show concept art

The long-awaited opening date marks the first time both shows will be performed for guests, bringing major new additions to the park’s entertainment lineup just in time for the summer season.

The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure

Performed in the newly refreshed theater in Animation Courtyard, The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure is a fully reimagined stage production inspired by the 1989 animated classic. The show will feature bold new set pieces, updated effects, and familiar musical numbers including Part of Your World, Poor Unfortunate Souls, and Kiss the Girl. The production replaces Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which closed in 2020 and did not return after the pandemic shutdown.

The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure concept art

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After

Taking over the Sunset Showcase Theater, Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is a brand-new musical stage show starring Hades as he assembles a lineup of iconic Disney villains to rewrite their endings. The show was originally announced as part of Disney’s summer 2025 entertainment lineup and will be a permanent offering, not tied to seasonal events. The production replaces Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, which permanently closed earlier this year.

Villains Show concept art

Both shows represent a major boost in live entertainment at Walt Disney World and will debut just days before the start of summer break for many U.S. schools, likely making them a central draw for visitors heading into the busy season.

More details on showtimes, virtual queue availability (if any), and potential previews are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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Animaniac93-982 hours ago

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

lazyboy97o4 hours 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 H4 hours ago

This seems like statire of that trope.

James Alucobond4 hours 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.

BrianLo4 hours 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.

donaldtoo4 hours ago

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

James Alucobond4 hours 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.

BrianLo4 hours ago

I think there’s just a bit too much irrational hope for me to fully onboard that the are putting in a brand new show, just to immediately replace it with something they just ditched. Ya there’d be logic for Muppet Vision to go there and migrate Villains… but then why not do that in the first place.

WondersOfLife5 hours ago

If muppets goes there, they really need to make sure they keep EVERY. SINGLE. PHYSICAL. EFFECT. Sweetums coming out, animatronics, waldo projections, bubbles, arrows, fireworks, wall destruction, pengiun orchestra... Also... all the little muppets details that were actually in the theater too.

raymusiccity6 hours ago

Muppet 3D seems to be the likely candidate. It hasn't been a big draw for some time. This theater seems to be the perfect fit.

raymusiccity6 hours ago

jrhwdw11 hours ago

If its the same Vision that's closing this June, I don't understand why DHS would wait till MK's Villains Land to Return It??? I believe it was said on Here that the Contract for DHS Villains only goes till Feb 2026. Why not return MV 3D Summer 2026 and spare Fans Years of wondering MV 3D's Fate??? That's the problem MK has. It's been 8 Years of wondering if MK would replace MSEP 2010-2016. Hopefully we see That Answer before MNSSHP 2025!!!