Two New Disney World Shows That’ll Have You Coming Back for Seconds

Entertainment is doing the real Imagineering at Hollywood Studios

There’s something thrilling happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios right now—two new stage shows that not only surprised me, but genuinely left me floored. Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure couldn’t be more different on the surface, but under the hood, they share a creative heartbeat that blends classic stagecraft with cutting-edge technology. And somehow—almost magically—both manage to make an old 19th-century illusion feel like the future.

Let me explain.

A Tale of Two Stages

I walked into Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After with zero expectations. I figured it’d be another screen-heavy experience, the kind we’ve all seen too many times lately. But what unfolded was a wild, high-energy spectacle hosted by the Magic Mirror and starring some of Disney’s most iconic villains—from Maleficent to Hades to Captain Hook! The production sizzles and sparks with live performances, physical sets pieces, mapped projections, surround sound, 3D animation, and lighting cues that rival a rock concert.

Not to mention, the theme song “Magic Mirror” is a total jam!

This show is intense, layered, and alive.

Then, over at The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, you’re treated to a much more traditional, theatrical experience—but one that still incorporates similar tech in completely different, elegant ways. The show leans into Broadway sensibilities: live puppeteering, subtle animatronics, seamless projection transitions, and a sound design that makes the entire room breathe with the sea. It’s a performance that feels more like something you’d catch in the West End than a theme park. It’s emotional, intense and hilarious. Sebastian will have the adults hollering with his mannerism and Ursula is a tech marvel that blends so much magic, your eyes will be questioning what is real!

And in both of these productions, an old favorite quietly steals the spotlight...

Pepper’s Ghost: Still Haunting, Still Wowing

It never fails to blow my mind how something as old as Pepper’s Ghost—an illusion technique first demonstrated in 1862—still plays such a central role in Disney attractions. This effect, which uses angled glass and specific lighting to “summon” ghostly or transparent visuals into the real world, has been around longer than electricity.

But when it's done right—when it's layered with projection mapping, motion capture, and soundscape—it still delivers jaw-dropping moments. In both of these shows, Pepper’s Ghost and its variations are used so subtly, you might not even realize what you’re seeing. Is that a puppet? An actor? A screen? All of them?

That blurred line is the real magic.

Technology Takes Center Stage

Don’t get me wrong—these aren’t just tech showcases. They’re emotional. They’re funny. They’re explosive. But what really caught me off guard was how well the technical crew has been elevated to co-stars. Behind every sea turtle puppet or vanishing villain is a team of artists manipulating lights, shadows, screens, and puppets in real time. And they do it with grace.

Frankly, these folks deserve a curtain call. At The Little Mermaid, especially, the puppeteers are the true stars. They bring characters to life in a way that makes you forget about the performer entirely. It's immersive. It's seamless. And it’s an art form.

Why You’ll Come Back for Seconds

The first time I saw Unfairly Ever After, I walked out buzzing. I returned two days later and caught even more nuance I had missed the first time, not to mention the interactive variant endings! Same with The Little Mermaid. These shows are layered experiences—the kind you want to revisit, like a great movie or stage performance. There's always something new to appreciate, whether it’s a bit of choreography that suddenly clicks, or a clever use of perspective that fools your brain again.

And here’s the kicker: both shows seem to be paving the way for the future. With a dedicated Villains Land in development, Unfairly Ever After might just be the tone-setter. It’s dark, playful, chaotic—in the best way. Meanwhile, The Little Mermaid feels like a love letter to the past and a blueprint for how to keep legacy characters alive in modern spaces. The folks behind these shows are leading the future of Walt Disney World experiences.

Final Thoughts

It’s rare that I leave a theme park show thinking, I’d pay Broadway prices for that. But both of these shows had me thinking exactly that—and that’s not hype, that’s the honest reaction of someone who’s seen a lot of theatre and is still stunned when something fresh hits the stage.

So if you’re heading to Disney World soon, don’t miss these two new productions. Whether you’re a theater nerd, a tech geek, a casual Disney fan, or just someone who loves great storytelling, you’re going to find yourself coming back for seconds. Maybe even thirds.

Bravo!