2
Credit: DisneyDisney fans were thrilled yesterday over an update on an upcoming park project, but it turns out that excitement may have been slightly premature.
Change is the theme at Walt Disney World Resort for the next few years. As Disney continues to make good on its promise to invest $60 billion into its theme parks, the majority of the resort is set to receive some kind of upgrade, with Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom all set to receive new attractions. (Sorry, EPCOT – at least you’re getting a new version of Test Track).
Magic Kingdom Park is arguably receiving the biggest changes of the group, with a new Cars land – one that’s reportedly totally different to that found at California Adventure – that will controversially replace Tom Sawyer Island, a Disney Villains expansion that promises to show guests “a darker side of your favorite fairytales,” and a new nighttime parade known as Disney Starlight.
Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom has finally bid adieu to the majority of DinoLand U.S.A. as it prepares to welcome Tropical Americas, a land inspired by both Encanto (2021) and the Indiana Jones franchise. The Tree of Life will also debut a new show – Zootopia: Better Zoogether! – with It’s Tough to Be a Bug! closing next month to make way for the production.
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the newly-announced Monsters, Inc. (2001) land has proven extremely divisive, considering the fact that it will replace the beloved Muppet*Vision 3D. The Muppets aren’t saying a permanent goodbye, however, as they’ll be taking over Rock ‘n Roller Coaster at some point in the future (hopefully sooner rather than later).
New Disney Villains Show
A brand-new Disney Villains show is also set to premiere at the park this summer, racing Disney Starlight to become the first of these additions to actually come to fruition.
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will replace Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy – which closed down for good in October 2024 – on Sunset Boulevard. It been described as “fiendishly funny and fantastical stage show,” and is said to see “Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent present their cases on stage, persuading with wicked wisdom and wisecracks.”
Yesterday, Disney seemingly dropped the official runtime for the show, listing it on the Walt Disney World Resort website as 40 minutes long.
While this may seem lengthy, it’s only 10 minutes longer than both Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, another of the park’s productions, Fantasmic!, and For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. However, that does still leave it at the longer end of the spectrum of Disney World shows.
Fans were impressed by news of the runtime, arguing that it will add some much-needed capacity (and AC refuge) to a park that’s already struggling with lengthy wait times. Parkgoers also noted that it would allow for more in-depth storytelling, potentially winning over both adults and children alike (although they also shared concerns about sitting on the current bench seating in the venue for that long).
“Really helps smooth out wait times for rides in HS,” said one X, formerly known as Twitter, user. “This is a W for once.”
Another added, “Yipeee!!! There is nothing to do at Hollywood Studios! This will be a huge addition!!!”
Disney Backtracks Over Runtime
Hyped though fans may have been for a 40-minute Disney Villains extravaganza, this runtime has sadly now been scrubbed from the site.
Disney also reached out to several sites last night to confirm that the show will not be 40 minutes long and that this runtime was uploaded in error. It didn’t provide an updated runtime.
For now, the show’s exact length remains a mystery. Realistically, a 40-minute long show was always going to be a long shot, but with the fandom reacting so positively to the news, hopefully this is a sign to Disney that parkgoers are open to the prospect in the future.
Would you have enjoyed a 40-minute Disney Villains production?