“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” Officially Delayed Until Summer 2025. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to undergo some major changes in the coming years with the addition of a new Monsters Inc. Land and indoor roller coaster. Plus it was recently announced a new Villains Stage Show is coming in 2025. In the meantime, we were already supposed to be watching a brand new version of The Little Mermaid stage show in Animation Courtyard, originally announced for the fall of 2024. Unfortunately for Ariel fans, it has officially been delayed until summer 2025.
There has been no reason given for the delay. The only thing we know so far is Disney has filed permits for a brand-new marquee for the show will be installed soon. This is needed because the sign took a little beating during Hurricane Milton and the Florida sun over the past few years. The marquee is faded and one side is loose.
The original show opened in 1992 and the show closed in March of 2020 when Walt Disney World closed for Covid. The show never reopened. There were reports of the show’s puppets being sold off, but that was never proven.
When it does open, the show will join the Beauty and the Beast stage show, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Indiana Jones Stuntacular, and the new Villains Show that is replacing Lightning McQueen’s Racing Acadamy, FANTASMIC!, and the Disney Jr Stage Show.
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Fall 2024 “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” will make a splash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios when it opens in fall 2024. The reimagined theatrical production is inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic “The Little Mermaid” and will be presented in the newly refreshed Animation Courtyard theater.
Guests will experience a sea of sensations through the magic of breathtaking set pieces, cutting-edge effects, and a bold design that brings Ariel’s world to life. They can also join in the fin-flipping fun with musical numbers like “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and other music from the beloved Disney animated classic.
Disney Live Entertainment’s creative team working “behind-the-seas” on “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” – an all-new theatrical production coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this fall, has released new information along with new photos.
And when I say all-new, I do mean all-new! This reimagined production of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic “The Little Mermaid” will feature brand-new physical sets, an impressive cast of puppets, live performers, and breathtaking visuals.
“We thought about what Ariel’s room may look like and came up with this collage style that you’ll see woven throughout the production,” said Sarah Schmidt, Creative Concept Artist & Illustrator for Disney Live Entertainment. “This new look really informed every design decision – from scenic elements to the puppets, even the custom digital content being created for the show.”
In development are blacklight puppets, integral to this enchanting new production. To pull off this artful blend of practical and projected scenic design, of real and digital puppetry, the team is pairing some tried and true methods (the beloved blacklight puppets are back!) with cutting-edge technology.
“We’re using some really innovative tools like motion capture technology, which you may have seen used in blockbuster films,” said James Silson, Show Director. “Basically, we have a live performer in a suit covered in sensors, and the data captured from their performance helps us create a digital animation of the character, which our animators then use to bring them to life on stage.”
This cutting-edge digital imagery will be used throughout the show to accentuate what is happening on stage, bringing to life characters like King Triton, Ursula, and even Ariel’s sisters, who kick off the production with an all-new “Daughters of Triton” number.
“We’re really blending the line between real and digital in ways we’ve never done before to completely fill the stage for these show-stopping scenes,” said James. “You’re going to see these large new physical set pieces we’ve created blend seamlessly with a digital environment in a way that really fills the stage. You’ll see digital puppets transform into real ones right before your eyes. You’ll even see animated characters performing in the same space as real actors. It’s going to feel like magic!”
