Walt Disney World has introduced {that a} new Villains stage present is coming to Hollywood Studios in Summer season 2025. This submit shares the announcement and official particulars, plus our commentary in regards to the upcoming addition and the destiny of what it’s changing.
Let’s begin with the announcement from Walt Disney World. Deep within the shadows of Sundown Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, one thing delightfully depraved is about to take the stage. It’s an all-new dwell manufacturing starring your favourite Disney Villains – debuting summer season 2025!
The artistic minds at Disney Dwell Leisure will remodel Sundown Showcase into the mysterious, reflective realm of the Magic Mirror. The present will function appearances by dozens of essentially the most notorious evildoers, with fiendish foes Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent every breaking by the glass to take the stage in dwell manufacturing numbers.
Earlier than these villainous fiends take the highlight at Sundown Showcase, company ought to velocity on over for an additional lap across the observe at Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy earlier than October 7, 2024.
By way of commentary, let’s begin with that final level–the closure of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. I’m not in the least shocked by this, because it appeared like an inevitability as soon as Walt Disney World introduced two all-new Automobiles points of interest in a reimagined space of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. This isn’t Radiator Springs or a clone of Automobiles Land from Disney California Journey, however it’s sizable sufficient for us to think about it Automobiles mini-land, at minimal.
Whereas Walt Disney World has not shied away from having a number of points of interest from the identical Pixar film in a number of parks (howdy, Toy Story), it’s my understanding that Disney is making an attempt to get away from this. Because of this Monsters, Inc. Chortle Ground’s days are numbered in Magic Kingdom…in addition to a lot of Tomorrowland, which will probably be near a clean slate primed for reimagining as soon as Monstropolis and Automobiles land open.
Talking of which, that is in all probability not the tip of the highway for the Lightning McQueen Audio Animatronics determine within the Racing Academy. It is a really underrated AA and a comparatively latest construct–it even makes our checklist of the High 10 Audio Animatronics at Walt Disney World. I’d think about that Imagineering will give {that a} tune-up and drive it on over to Magic Kingdom.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, however I truly assume that Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is fairly good…for what it’s. To be fully clear, this isn’t me lamenting its loss or complaining about change. On the contrary, this attraction was/is a stopgap meant to assist with capability in the course of the preliminary opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
It’s fulfilled that position admirably, however it by no means fairly gained the traction it may’ve or ought to’ve. In contrast to among the legacy stage exhibits, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy doesn’t have a passionate fan following. So even after solely ~5 years or so, it’s time has come to get replaced. I’m good with this.
Very like the Racing Academy was a stopgap, I’d think about that the identical will probably be true for the Villains Magic Mirror present. My wager is that it lasts about so long as Racing Academy, closing across the time Villains Land opens. Fairly unbelievable if you take a look at the longevity of the opposite stage exhibits round Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with the massive ones relationship again to 1989 or the early Nineties…and nonetheless going robust!
As for the Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present, I’m trying ahead to it. Primarily based on the idea artwork and restricted particulars, my finest guess is that it’s going to be one thing of a montage present for the assorted villains, offered with a combination of dwell performers and screens. (I’m wondering how a lot of the Racy Academy infrastructure they’ll reuse–it doesn’t seem like a lot from the idea artwork!)
My hope is that that is one thing like Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, which makes use of the Sanderson Sisters because the hosts and their story as a framing machine for what’s in any other case a montage medley of villains. That works actually, rather well and elevates the manufacturing far above what you’d anticipate from a traditional montage manufacturing.
In fact, I’d not anticipate this to easily be Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Version. It appears extremely unlikely that Walt Disney World would use the Sanderson Sisters right here, particularly given the cult following of that present, which alone sells tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together. It wouldn’t be sensible to probably cannibalize particular occasion tickets.
Relatively, my hope is that the Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present is of an identical caliber, with different dwell performers and a strong narrative construction along with the villains. This can not–or mustn’t–be a easy position name of the villains popping out to do a superficial little smile and wave manufacturing. Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present must be on par with Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.
For one factor, Disney shouldn’t wish to draw unfavorable comparisons to that. For an additional factor, villains skew older than one thing like Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, so this has to have sufficiently excessive manufacturing worth and present high quality in an effort to resonate with its audience. If it’s simply fluff, it received’t succeed.
And I don’t assume it will likely be fluff or a superficial smile and wave manufacturing. If Walt Disney World needed one thing aimed toward a youthful demographic, it could in all probability be quite a bit simpler and method cheaper to only clone the Mickey’s Trick and Deal with present from Disney California Journey. (That’s surprisingly good for what it’s!)
Lastly, all 4 parks are going to want compelling attracts in Summer season 2025, or else threat attendance falling even additional. Magic Kingdom already has the Disney Starlight Evening Parade, which will probably be an enormous promoting level for that park. Irrespective of how good this Villains Magic Mirror present is, it received’t qualify as counterprogramming to that parade–however it’ll assist.
On a associated notice, again in July we argued that Walt Disney World Wants ‘Summer season Nightastic’ in 2025. It now seems that the primary two items of that puzzle have fallen into place. Now we simply want a competition at EPCOT and a drone present at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Plus a couple of extra ‘little issues’ all through Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World needing a summer season draw in all probability isn’t the one purpose for creating this new Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present. One of many issues talked about within the announcement is the Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom.
Whereas that would simply be filler in a press launch that’s in any other case devoid of particulars, I wouldn’t be in the least shocked if Walt Disney World needs to do extra market analysis on the most well-liked villains with company earlier than making agency commitments for which characters will (and received’t) be represented within the Villains Land. Some are seemingly a given, however I believe there are borderline villains that would make the minimize or miss it based mostly on visitor reactions and surveying from this present.
The Villains Magic Mirror present now additionally offers Walt Disney World to do a comparatively low-stakes take a look at to see how intense, darkish or scary they will get with a villains providing outdoors of a tough ticket occasion. As we’ve talked about earlier than, Alien Encounter is an notorious instance of an attraction that was too darkish for Magic Kingdom and was prematurely shuttered regardless of being moderately well-received by its audience. Disney understandably doesn’t need a repeat of that with Villains Land.
There’s truly a more moderen instance of this at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the course of the Villains Unleashed onerous ticket occasion. That got here courtesy of Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Present, which Disney repeatedly warned was “too intense for younger youngsters.” I’ll always remember the faces of households fleeing from that–I’ve by no means seen so many individuals abruptly exit a present at Walt Disney World. (Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse was truly fairly good, however positively not for young children.)
There’s completely no method the Villains Magic Mirror present will probably be something like Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse, which might’ve been extra at dwelling in Halloween Horror Nights than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together. Nonetheless, there’s undoubtedly a need to check drive a villains idea with most of the people throughout daytime operations earlier than beginning precise building on the Villains Land. Getting an overwhelmingly optimistic response from followers at D23 doesn’t essentially translate to how most of the people will obtain the idea.
To not get too far out in left area, however on the subject of Villains Unleashed…I additionally marvel if this opens the door for a return of one thing like that. After a tough inaugural occasion, Disney managed to salvage Jollywood Nights final yr and it sounds just like the sophomore season will probably be a dramatic enchancment. If all goes properly there, I may completely see Walt Disney World salivating on the prospect of a equally more-adult Halloween occasion at DHS. This Villains Magic Mirror present may function the muse for that, and much more testing for Villains Land at Magic Kingdom.
In the end, I’m excited for the Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present. The idea has a whole lot of potential and Walt Disney World seemingly realizes that it must be achieved proper if it’s going to assist increase attendance in Summer season 2025. That coupled with the closure of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy proper as the brand new fiscal yr begins and the Burbank cash spigot activates all bodes properly from my perspective.
Then there’s the observe document of Disney Dwell Leisure in recent times, which has been fairly robust. Walt Disney World hasn’t seen this as ceaselessly as actually any of the opposite parks, however Disney has gotten fairly good at stage exhibits, together with the montage medley selection.
For that matter, they’re additionally actually good at producing villainous leisure. Minus that bizarre World of Coloration, all the villains exhibits that I’ve seen within the final decade or so have been fairly good. This consists of gone-too-soon productions at Walt Disney World onerous ticket occasions and extra.
As we’ve mentioned earlier than, David Duffy being promoted to VP of Dwell Leisure at Walt Disney World wasn’t a coincidence. After years of neglect and stagnation, Florida is lastly prepared to speculate massive on leisure and spectaculars. If Duffy can work the identical magic he did for Disneyland Paris, leisure may show to be an enormous draw for Walt Disney World throughout a time between massive improvement cycles. The wait till new lands and rides begin opening in 2027 will positive move quite a bit sooner with leisure and different additions. Count on to see loads extra bulletins like this within the months to come back!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What’s your response to Villains Magic Mirror Sundown Showcase Stage Present being formally introduced for Walt Disney World? Pleased about this idea? Happy with this stage present being added to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or are you disenchanted to lose Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
