'The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure' Delayed Until Summer 2025 at Disney's Hollywood Studios

12 hours ago in "The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure"

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Posted: Monday October 14, 2024 3:#5pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Fans eagerly awaiting the debut of Disney's The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure at Disney's Hollywood Studios may need to wait a little longer than anticipated.

According to sources familiar with the production timeline, the reimagined theatrical show, which was initially slated to open in fall 2024, is now expected to be delayed until summer 2025. Work begins soon on the exterior, which will include a new marquee.

The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure concept art

The delay reportedly stems from unforeseen challenges during the construction and development of the new show. Disney originally announced that The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure would take over the refreshed Animation Courtyard theater with a bold new design that aimed to immerse audiences in Ariel's world like never before. The production promises stunning visuals, advanced effects, and a fresh take on musical numbers like Part of Your World and Poor Unfortunate Souls.

The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure concept art

The original Voyage of the Little Mermaid show, which premiered in 1992, closed its doors in 2020 amid the pandemic and has yet to return. With this new iteration, Disney hopes to capture the magic of the classic while introducing new elements to modernize the story for today's audience.

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PizzaPlanet6 hours ago

If Monsters goes to AC, is it safe to assume Disney Junior becomes the sushi restaurant? It would make sense since it used to be a restaurant, already has a connected kitchen, etc.

Mr. Sullivan7 hours ago

I am not at all an insider, and I am not at all saying this is an insiders opinion; I am going purely off the vibes of this announcement. But I think we might have just discovered where Monsters Inc. is going and the reason this got delayed is they’re having to make alterations to the building to accommodate it.

dmc4937 hours ago

They set the bar very low recently at DCA with rebranding the main path as "Performance Corridor", so here's hoping they can figure out something for TLM and Walt Disney Presents and that area

mattpeto7 hours ago

The dining is the trickiest part. That’s why I think “Grand Avenue Plan” isn’t going away lightly.

Sneaky8 hours ago

For any of you surprised that this originally (rumored) temporary show is no longer temporary: this is Disney’s Hollywood studios. Why did you expect anything esle?

TrainsOfDisney8 hours ago

Oh not at all - I just meant Old Hollywood, modern Mickey, monsters, mermaid, Toy Story land - it’s quite the cluster. To think we almost had Pixar movies together and the Star Wars and possibly other Lucas movie together as well.

rct2478 hours ago

There's not much space for them to work with and those gift shops are very small footprints partially built into the building. The stage itself is along the wall shared by the queue. I wouldn't be surprised if Walt Disney Presents and Mermaid will eventually be removed.

Disgruntled Walt8 hours ago

What about Brown Derby?

ToTBellHop8 hours ago

I don’t think many will lament the loss of Launch Bay and Disney Jr. As for TLM, I’ve actually been told this queue and exit movement will allow it to stay long term. The playground would replace its gift shop.

dmc4938 hours ago

If they had rotated Roundup BBQ 45 degrees counterclockwise, there could be such a natural pathway towards the AC expansion pad from TSL. it's still feasible but BBQ definitely looks in the way from satellite view. Still leaves Pixar Plaza, WDP-OMD, and VOTLM in a weird purgatory

TrainsOfDisney8 hours ago

That would certainly make sense. What a strange park this will end up being.

ToTBellHop8 hours ago

AFAIK, this delay is partially necessitated by some changes to the queue and exit access required with AC closing next year for extensive demolition.

dmc4938 hours ago

^to be clear I'm not giving Disney carte blanche by any means for some of their delays or choices, just spitballing all the things that can happen in a project big or small

dmc4938 hours ago

I'm always quick to give any project the benefit of the doubt (seeing as construction management is my career), because depending on a million factors, something like a rooftop unit for HVAC systems can go from 16 week leadtime to 6 months with almost no notice, and there's probably several hundred examples of those types of things happening. Bring in the added factors that come with Disney - their proclivity for delaying work to align with fiscal timelines, fluctuations due to creative decision making, or could be as crazy as last-minute-added design changes to accommodate a relocated future expansion (fingers crossed for AC Monsters).... But end of the day, it could totally just be as reported. You have a big idea for how set pieces or something will work in a space, and you go down the road with developing it, all for it to not work as you intended, and you're back to the drawing board. Ya never know. Smaller projects/tasks can sometimes turn out far more difficult than people expect