New Disney World Villains and Little Mermaid Opening Dates Announced and Top Summer Attraction Delayed

Two new shows are set to debut for the summer at Walt Disney World! We have been eagerly awaiting more details as these shows are both going to greatly expand the offerings at Hollywood Studios.

Entertainment at the Disney Parks is one of the best things about the theme parks as it gives Disney an opportunity to showcase their storytelling and helps space out crowds. This is something we wish Disneyland would remember as they continue to limit entertainment offerings at the parks.

Walt Disney World has just released the opening dates for these two highly anticipated shows and I’m pleasantly surprised at the timeline of their debut.

Opening Date for New Disney World Stage Shows

Disney villains
Photo via Disney Parks Blog

READ MORE – We Visit Disney Parks Weekly. You Really Don’t Want to Forget These 10 Things During Your Disney Vacation.

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid- A Musical Adventure will both debut on May 27, 2025 at Walt Disney World.

Disney World Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed

Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.

It’s great that both of these shows open around the same time this summer to maximize the offerings for this time of the year. Especially with a new kids discount ticket offer plus a brand new nighttime parade coming to Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, we still don’t have an opening date for the new Disney Starlight parade. This will be the biggest draw of the summer.

Disney has revealed that the parade will debut “later this summer” which could mean an opening date as late as August but hopefully sooner! Many of us had hoped that the show would be open by the beginning of the summer some time around Memorial Day as counter programming to the new Universal Epic Universe theme park.

There’s even more to look forward to this summer as Disney has announced new limited-time experiences for young kids in the theme parks and hotels plus a new summer discount offer. We also got news of a major Buzz Lightyear ride refurbishment.

Shows Feature Disney Villains and Little Mermaid

“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” Rendering
Photo via Disney Parks Blog

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will feature appearances by dozens of villains, including Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent, who will take the stage in live numbers. In the show, the Disney Villains are given the chance to tell their side of the story with the Magic Mirror summoning each one for the audience to hear them out. This show takes place at Hollywood Studios and replaced the Lightning McQueen Racing Academy.

The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, also in Hollywood Studios, will reopen with new sets, puppets, live performers, and visuals. The show also will include two new musical numbers added to the show, “Daughters of Triton” and “Kiss the Girl.”

Both of these new shows will greatly expand the entertainment offerings at Hollywood Studio this summer which might take some of the pressure off the attractions in the park which are some of the most popular at the resort. More offerings at Hollywood Studios helps space out the crowds in the park which make touring the park far easier in the morning and using Lightning Lane.

Read More Disney Planning Advice

For the best resource and helpful information for planning your Disney trip, make sure to subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter​. We’ll provide you with helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.

Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed

Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.

Disclosure: We have used all the products recommended on Mickey Visit. We may receive compensation when you click on links to some products featured.

About Lindsay Brookshier

Lindsay Brookshier has been recognized as a Disney expert since 2017 and has been featured by outlets including CNBC, SFGate, NerdWallet, and Visit Anaheim. She holds a Master’s degree in English and visits Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando multiple times each year, giving her first hand insight into park operations, seasonal trends, crowd patterns, and touring strategies.

Her experience also extends to Disney Cruise Line, where she has sailed on every class of ship, visited both of Disney’s private islands, and participated in specialty sailings such as Marvel Day at Sea and Very MerryTime cruises. This depth of travel allows her to provide practical, data informed travel guidance across Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Universal theme parks, and related destinations.

As Content Director of Mickey Visit, Lindsay oversees editorial strategy and daily content. She also leads the development and analysis of Mickey Visit’s crowd calendars, using historical wait time data, ticket pricing trends, and seasonal attendance patterns to forecast park crowd levels. Lindsay writes touring plans, authors in depth reviews, and offers expert analysis on Disney experiences. She also serves as an expert on Disney discounts and merchandise, tracking ticket offers, hotel promotions, seasonal deals, major merchandise collaborations, and collectible releases across the parks and online.

Lindsay comes from a lifelong Disney family and has been visiting Disneyland since the 1990s. She is currently planning a Disney Cruise Line wedding and her favorite ride is the Haunted Mansion.

See her Muck Rack profile here.

MickeyVisit - Ultimate Disneyland Guide

Get Latest Mickey Visit Stories When You Search on Google

Get the latest Disney news and planning tips every day, live from the parks. Add us as a Google preferred source to see our stories when you search. Unlike mainstream media chasing clicks, Mickey Visit delivers fan-first Disney coverage. We do this because we love Disney too.

MickeyVisit - Ultimate Disneyland Guide

Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed + DISCOUNTS

Join 100,000+ Disney fans and vacation planners on our free newsletter. Get essential trip dates, ride closing alerts, new ride details, and exclusive limited-time discounts on tickets, hotels, and gift cards.
“Essential for planning your trip!” – Helen, Portland, Oregon