Hall of villains 😈

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the most misunderstood of all in the hall of Disney Villains?

That’s what I’m calling Disney’s new live stage show.

Listen well, In the Loop: Theme Park Scoops subscribers. It’s Haley.

This week, I attended the previews for “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” now open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney live entertainment has made quite the comeback recently, and these two shows have heart, humor, and flair.

For ‘Villains,’ I was eager to see the transformation of the Sunset Showcase Theater, going from bench-style seating for Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy to traditional theater seats.

Think of “Villains” as a game show. Magic Mirror is your host, and Maleficent, Captain Hook, and Cruella de Vil are the contestants.

What makes this show different from your average Disney live production is that audience participation is required to determine which of the three performing villains is the most misunderstood.

Maleficent won over our crowd, which had me wondering how many times the Mistress of All Evil will be victorious on a daily basis.

What impressed me most about “Villains” is how the entire stage is utilized. There are dozens of “mirrors” that act as portraits and part of the set scenery.

Even though we’re only graced with the live presence of Maleficent, Captain Hook, and Cruella de Vil, all of the Disney Villains make an appearance in some form.

I got the chance to talk to one of the production designers after the show about the challenge of creating a new story that incorporates these classic Disney characters.

On a final note, if Disney is capable of putting together something this fun about its Villains, imagine what it has in store for Villains Land.

A fin-worthy pin 🧜‍♀️

It’s nice to see the theater at Animation Courtyard come alive again with the addition of “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure."

It’s been dark since March 2020, when “Voyage of the Little Mermaid” sunset.

This reimagined show has gotten quite the upgrade, with the laser effects, puppetry, and animatronics. The little ones should be well entertained.

There was a good dose of nostalgia from the 1989 animated film, like the Seahorse Herald and hearing the song “Daughters of Triton.”

Speaking of the film, watching the performance with the voice of Ariel in the audience made it all the more mer-memorable.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Jodi Benson after the show and included a quote and link to my X account of my interview with her in this web story.

Seeing how she keeps Ariel and “The Little Mermaid” so close to her heart makes it obvious as to why Benson is a Disney Legend.

I was fine just being able to talk to Benson, but when she offered a photo, it became a fast pin.

Starlight, star bright 🌟

The Magic Kingdom has been without a regular nighttime parade for nearly 10 years, and it’s been greatly missed.

Disney will be filling that void this summer with the addition of “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.”

I’ve been reminiscing about the Main Street Electrical Parade, mainly the soundtrack. It appears the music, floats, and all that is planned for this all-new parade will indeed dazzle and not disappoint.

ICON Park

The ‘Epic’ effect 💰

In June 2020, I remember taking in the view of a giant dirt plot from the top of the Orlando Eye that overlooked what is now Epic Universe.

Five years later, Universal Orlando’s fourth theme park is boosting business at ICON Park.

When Blue Man Group moves into their new home this year, they will drum up even more business.

SeaWorld Orlando

Drones over SeaWorld 🐬

Disney World isn’t the only Central Florida theme park that is adding to its nighttime entertainment lineup.

Culminating in the park’s signature Ignite fireworks show will be a first-of-its-kind drone show over the central lake.

SeaWorld hasn’t announced the official launch date, but shows will begin next month.

There’s a lot planned at SeaWorld this summer. Click here for a rundown of events.

That’s a wrap for this week.

Feel free to keep me in the loop through my email or reach out to me on my X or Instagram.

We’ll touch base in June.