If you haven’t been to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 10 years, you’re going to be pretty flabbergasted the next time you step into the park.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
With additions in the past several years like Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, plus upcoming changes to Muppets Courtyard (insert sad trombone noise here) and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, the park is pretty much going to be unrecognizable from its MGM Studios days. However, amidst all the somewhat controversial changes, we did get some pretty good news about this park!
One of the biggest problems we find when visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios in recent years is that the wait times for rides are often stinkin’ long. We’ve done our fair share of waiting hours for Rise of the Resistance and getting our hopes up for a good hack to skip the long wait, only to be let down by the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster single rider line (which can sometimes be even longer than the standby wait for the ride). But what would solve this problem? Adding more attractions to soak up the crowds!
Rise of the Resistance entrance
If you’re hoping for those crowds to disperse a bit, then you’ll be happy to know that Disney just announced the opening dates for TWO new shows coming to Hollywood Studios. On May 27th, 2025, both Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure will begin showing in the park.
Hollywood Studios
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is the new theater show taking over the old home of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy at Sunset Showcase. The Cars-themed show closed last year to make way for the villains-based attraction, and it has been revealed that the plot of the new show will feature the Magic Mirror summoning some of our favorite Disney Villains. They will break through the glass to explain why we’ve misunderstood them.
©Disney
Disney says that “In the end, it will be on you to make the final call in a delightfully wicked finale filled with dozens of the most infamous evildoers awaiting your decision from within the Mirror’s realm.” The latest concept art shows that 57 Disney Villains will be part of this new show. Captain Hook, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent will all make appearances onstage, but there will also be some villains featured who you don’t get to see often in the Disney Parks.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is now closed to make way for Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After
Over in Animation Courtyard, the new show is The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure. This show is a reimagining of the previous Voyage of the Little Mermaid show, which hadn’t reopened since the pandemic. The replacement show was announced in 2023, and it has been revealed that the new iteration will still follow the story of the original animated The Little Mermaid film, instead of the more recently released live-action version.
The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure
Musical numbers like “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl” are all set to be featured in the updated show, which will have live actors, puppets, digital animation, and even some live motion capture integrated together. The show is told from Ariel’s point of view, and Disney has shared that the set and stage are “inspired by the way a teenager would decorate their walls.”
©Disney
With both of these shows arriving before the summer starts, you’ll want to adjust your Hollywood Studios itinerary to check out the new offerings! Hopefully, they’ll help balance things out in the park with the closing of Muppets Courtyard to make way for the Monsters, Inc.-themed land, as well as the eventual closing of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (which will be replaced with a Muppets-themed ride).
Muppets Courtyard in Hollywood Studios
If you can’t wait to get to Hollywood Studios and check out these new offerings (as well as say goodbye to some old favorites before they close), reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations to help plan your trip! Their planning services are complimentary, and they offer expert-level advice for your Disney World vacation. They’ll help make sure you’re prepared for a magical experience!
And of course, before your vacation, make sure to check out our video of the must-do things in Disney World this year!
Stay tuned to DFB for more news and updates about all the latest happenings in Disney World. We’ll keep you covered with all the most important things to know!
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