Walt Disney World has introduced that “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” is coming to Hollywood Studios as a newly-reimagined stage present. This publish shares the announcement and official particulars, plus our commentary concerning the upcoming addition. (Up to date January 24, 2025.)
“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” is a completely reimagined theatrical manufacturing. The present is impressed by the Walt Disney Animation Studios traditional film, and can debut within the newly-refreshed theater in Animation Courtyard. The present was initially slated to debut final fall, however now’s on monitor to debut alongside Villains Unfairly Ever After in Summer season 2025.
As a part of the continued funding within the parks expertise, Disney Stay Leisure has been dreaming up modern methods to deliver new life to the beloved story of Ariel’s journey to be a part of the human world. When it opens, the present will characteristic gorgeous new set items, cutting-edge results, and a daring new design that captures Ariel’s creativeness and feelings by way of her distinctive view of the world round her.
Though not explicitly said by Disney, one factor to notice is that “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” is anticipated to debut across the similar time that MuppetVision 3D and Muppet Courtyard closes on the opposite facet of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
It’s seemingly that the 2 new stage exhibits will decide up the slack and capability of dropping MuppetVision, particularly at a time when Walt Disney World attendance has been softening. In any case, anticipate “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” to debut someday round June 7, 2025. Our greatest guess is that it opens earlier than then, however that is purely speculative.
Turning again to “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey,” right here’s what else we all know…
“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” can have company flipping their fins to musical numbers impressed by the movie together with “A part of Your World,” “Poor Unlucky Souls,” and extra. Based on Walt Disney World, that’s “an all-new addition that captures the magic of this recent manufacturing.”
That’s not all that’s new in “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey.” The reimagined present options all-new bodily units, forged of puppets, reside performers, and gorgeous visuals. Actually, Walt Disney World is treating it as an brand-new present as a result of a lot has modified as in comparison with its predecessor, Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
“We thought of what Ariel’s room could appear to be and got here up with this collage type that you just’ll see woven all through the manufacturing,” stated Sarah Schmidt, Inventive Idea Artist & Illustrator for Disney Stay Leisure. “This new look actually knowledgeable each design resolution – from scenic, to the puppets, even the customized digital content material being created for the present.”
To tug off this suave mix of sensible and projected scenic design, of actual and digital puppetry, the Disney Stay Leisure workforce is pairing some tried and true strategies (the blacklight puppets are again!) with state-of-the-art expertise.
“We’re utilizing some actually cutting-edge instruments like movement seize expertise, which you might have seen utilized in blockbuster movies,” stated James Silson, Present Director. “Principally, we’ve a reside performer in a swimsuit coated in sensors, and the information captured from their efficiency helps us create a digital animation of the character, which our animators then use to deliver them to life on stage.”
This cutting-edge digital imagery can be used all through the present to accent what is occurring on stage, bringing to life characters like King Triton, Ursula, and even Ariel’s sisters, who kick the manufacturing off with an all-new “Daughters of Triton” quantity.
As prompt above, it is a reimagining of Voyage of the Little Mermaid. “Kiss the Lady” and “Daughters of Triton” are all-new additions, however different songs can be ported over from Voyage of the Little Mermaid.
There have been rumors concerning the destiny of Voyage of the Little Mermaid since Summer season 2020. If I recall appropriately, rumblings on the time indicated that the theater had been gutted and the stage present completely retired.
Even then, it was unclear what “gutted” meant–the seats had been in fairly tough form, and different exhibits (MuppetVision being a major instance) have seen lots of updates during the last couple of years. Had these occurred suddenly in the course of the closure, one may’ve dubbed that “gutted” and erroneously concluded it was being completely retired.
It wasn’t (and isn’t) in the least stunning that Voyage of the Little Mermaid would finish its prolonged run–the present is actually sufficiently old to purchase a spherical of drinks from BaseLine Faucet Home. It had been exhibiting its age for years with circa-1992 innovative results consisting of lasers and different outdated lighting.
Like just a few exhibits in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Voyage of the Little Mermaid was/is overdue for an replace or outright alternative. Personally, I appreciated its blast-from-the-past vibe and comforting Nineties high quality–however I nonetheless understand that the present wanted to be overhauled or outright changed. That is very a lot excellent news from that perspective–I’m not lamenting the change.
Following these rumors, Walt Disney World refreshed the outside of the constructing and stored up the marquee. Subsequent stories prompt that the Voyage of the Little Mermaid may reside on–with a alternative present within the spirit of the unique arriving “quickly.”
I began listening to these rumors in both late 2021 or early 2022 (it’s been lengthy sufficient that my reminiscence isn’t 100% correct). Truthfully, I assumed the concept had been deserted as a result of it had been so lengthy.
I assume not. On the one hand, I’m at all times joyful to see extra normalcy restored at Walt Disney World. And that is extra than simply that–it’s a stage present that has been overdue for an replace for at the least a decade getting a correct reimagining. Equally, it’s nice to see Disney Stay Leisure get some love (and price range).
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey can be much-needed ’spherical out the day’ capability at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which ought to assist offset the park’s top-heavy experience roster. So all of that’s nice information. I don’t need to diminish any of that.
However (in fact there’s a however…) it’s additionally a little bit tough to get enthusiastic about this given the encompassing circumstances. To start with, as a result of even with a alternative for Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the Residents of Hollywood and Jedi Coaching Academy are nonetheless MIA. To not point out an precise fireworks present at DHS.
These could seem to be minor issues, however Disney’s Hollywood Studios has the very best wait occasions (on common) of any park at Walt Disney World. The park actually wants extra to supply that doesn’t contain 60+ minute standby waits or Lightning Lanes. (See Walt Disney World May Repair the Visitor Expertise by Bettering These Issues.) The one fast repair for these points is leisure.
Truthfully, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Magnificence and the Beast – Stay on Stage, and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular all ought to’ve been refreshed in early 2019 earlier than the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. That was the time to do all of this, when the park was gearing up for a large attendance enhance and would badly want added capability. Walt Disney World didn’t do this; they had been extra preoccupied with slicing leisure prices as an alternative.
The subsequent finest time to do that would’ve been Summer season 2020 when there was one other (albeit unanticipated) lull and Walt Disney World would’ve had a possibility to make modifications with out taking away wanted capability from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
However I assume you might argue that there was an excessive amount of uncertainty and building was tough as a result of dynamic. (It didn’t cease different initiatives round Central Florida, together with at Common–however let’s simply fake Disney is, someway, totally different and couldn’t probably have constructed in the course of the downtime.)
The subsequent finest time to do that would’ve been someday in 2021 or 2022. By that time, issues had been going again to regular and pent-up demand was arriving in full pressure. Although the capability was very a lot wanted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the undertaking may nonetheless have moved ahead since Voyage of the Little Mermaid wasn’t being proven, anyway. The capability had already been misplaced; it was a nonfactor.
As a substitute, we’re getting an announcement now for The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey. A reimagined model of an current present that’s been ‘quickly unavailable’ for almost 4 years…coming virtually one other yr from now. Possibly I simply awakened on the fallacious facet of the mattress–or possibly it’s the distinction of this information with what Common is doing–but it surely’s actually tough for me to get enthusiastic about Walt Disney World belatedly doing what they need to’ve finished years in the past, and taking perpetually within the course of.
I’d’ve anticipated one thing extra. That whole nook of the park is nicely previous its prime, with Star Wars Launch Bay being a tragic shell of its former self. Transferring these meet & greets to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (some form of ‘portal’ or some story nonsense if essential to sidestep timeline points) and remodeling that house into the long-rumored clean slate darkish experience–or actually anything–can be welcome.
Once more, Disney’s Hollywood Studios wants much more to do, and it is a very underutilized nook of the park. Supposedly, Josh D’Amaro and Bob Iger need to redevelop areas like this to enhance capability! (For no matter it’s price, we imagine them. As mentioned in Why a fifth Theme Park Will NOT Be Constructed at Disney World within the Subsequent Decade, that is the extra environment friendly strategy.)
I’m positive The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey can be a enjoyable stage present that we’ll actually take pleasure in. I’m already trying ahead to taking Megatron to it! So I’m not attempting to be a debbie downer or destructive nelly or no matter.
I’m only a bit pissed off by Walt Disney World’s lackadaisical strategy during the last a number of years. It looks as if the one issues finished with a way of urgency are upcharges, cutbacks, and Disney Trip Membership building. For all the pieces else, there’s the implicit expectation that we, as followers, ought to merely be appreciative about no matter Walt Disney World–an costly trip vacation spot–chooses to provide us.
Truthfully, it additionally bothers me that there was loads of price range to develop two new stage exhibits for Disney Jollywood Nights, the arduous ticket Christmas get together at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, however not deliver again or refresh leisure for normal day company.
It’s no secret to anybody in park administration that DHS wait occasions are excessive. That folks depart the park early out of frustration. That extra stability is required within the attraction and leisure lineup. And but, they selected to allocate assets to that versus expediting The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey (and extra).
To be crystal clear, this isn’t a knock on the creatives or workforce at Disney Stay Leisure engaged on The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey or Disney Jollywood Nights. Although I didn’t love the occasion as a complete, these Christmas stage exhibits weren’t the rationale why–they had been completely improbable (and I actually hope they reside on, a technique or one other). It’s not the fault of creatives that one factor will get price range and one other doesn’t. They’re enjoying the playing cards they’ve been dealt.
Let’s hope that subsequent yr and in 2025, they begin being dealt higher playing cards, as a result of it’s not simply the exhaustion of pent-up demand that’s going to be an issue for Walt Disney World. There is perhaps loads of individuals who defend all the pieces Disney does, however there are additionally lots of longtime followers beginning to get pissed off. And, as we mentioned in Is Common “Beating” Walt Disney World?, the opening of Epic Universe is correct across the nook.
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Your Ideas
What’s your response to The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey? Are you merely excited on the prospect of a newly-reimagined stage present and one thing else to do at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Or is your response extra combined, with frustration that it’s taking so lengthy to perform so little? Assume we’re being too harsh or completely honest? Do you agree or disagree with our take? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!