NEWS: New Details–Villains Show and Nighttime Parade Coming to Walt Disney World

This summer, Walt Disney World will debut a new stage show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom! Disney has released new details about both of these offerings. Learn more below!

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Joey McElroy:

2025 is here! Since one of my New Year’s resolutions is to make more magic, it feels like a great time to share some exciting details on the upcoming experiences Disney Live Entertainment is dreaming up for Walt Disney World this summer.

Let’s start with Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where work is well underway on “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” – an all-new show starring your favorite Disney Villains.

If you asked them, our villains would probably try to convince you that they’ve been treated pretty unfairly over the years. In this show, the Magic Mirror has summoned us to hear them out. Never ones to let a dramatic performance pass them by, fiendish foes Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent will break through the glass and take the stage to prove once and for all why they are the most misunderstood. In the end, it will be on you to make the final call in a delightfully wicked finale filled with dozens of the most infamous evildoers awaiting your decision from within the Mirror’s realm.

A dedicated team has spent nearly two years developing the cutting-edge stage design, thrilling effects, and catchy live musical numbers that will celebrate the villains we love to hate. There will be drama, there will be laughs, there will be something for everyone when the show opens this summer alongside “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” – another spectacular new production sure to make waves at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Switching gears to Magic Kingdom Park, “a nod to the past with our eyes firmly set on the future” has become a bit of a motto for the creative team bringing “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” to life. As they prepare this all-new nighttime parade for its debut this summer, the team is drawing inspiration from not only the rich history of nighttime parades at Magic Kingdom (trust me fellow parade lovers, there are more than a few easter eggs), but also some of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ earliest animated features.

This reverence for the past will be on full display in the parade’s recently revealed princess unit, which pays homage to Disney Legend and artist Mary Blair’s original concept artwork for Disney Animation’s “Cinderella.” Anchored by a gleaming fountain of light that overflows to illuminate a cosmic ballroom, the float is just one piece of the constellation of classic and contemporary stories that make up this new parade. Moments from Disney Animation’s “Moana,” “Peter Pan,” “Frozen,” “Encanto” and more will unfold on a bed of starlight as the cavalcade floods Main Street, U.S.A. with some of your favorite tales.

Anyone who’s seen a good parade knows the floats are just one piece of the magic. That’s why members of the Disney Live Entertainment Costuming team have been hard at work designing a whole fleet of glimmering garments for “Disney Starlight.”

Using a blend of innovative lighting techniques and whimsical custom-fabrics, the team is constructing each look to be “kissed by starlight.” When you look at the photo below of one of the prototype costume pieces for the parade, try to imagine it swirling down the parade route, layers of shimmering fabric picking up the glow of the surrounding floats, each light twinkling in perfect synchronization with the music.

Speaking of music… You know what? It’s only January. I don’t want to reveal too much just yet! Keep an eye out as we share more exciting first looks in the coming months.

RELATED ARTICLE: 11 Things in 2025 We’re Excited About for Walt Disney World

by Chad and Cindy Nykamp

Happy 2025! If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation this year, there’s a lot to be excited about! Keep reading to find out the eleven things we’re excited about for Walt Disney World in 2025.

1 – FREE Dining Offer for 2025 Summer Vacations – Book Through February 10

Enjoy a FREE dining plan when you purchase a nondiscounted minimum 3-night, 3-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resorts Collection hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option—for arrivals most nights from:

• • May 27 to June 26, 2025
  • July 7 to August 6, 2025

This deal is limited and may sell out before February 10. Free Dining offers usually have only been offered in the fall. If you’re visiting this summer, this deal may be for you!

For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.

2 – FREE 1-Day Water Park on the Day of Arrival for Resort Guests – 2025

A brand-new offering in 2025 for those checking in to any Disney Resorts Collection hotel is free admission to a Disney Water Park on their arrival day – included in their stay. With this water park benefit, you can splash into fun on the day you arrive at either Disney Water Park. Get ready to zip down thrilling water slides, relax on sandy beaches, float along a lazy river… and let your cares drift away. This benefit is exclusive to registered overnight Guests staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel with a check-in date from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.

3 – Last Chance for Dinosaur – 2025

DinoLand, USA, is on its way out to make way for a new Tropical-Americas-themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, construction will begin in phases. Disney announced that the first wave of closures will occur on January 13, 2025. The last day of operation for TriceraTop Spin, Fossil Fun Games, and Chester & Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures will be January 12, 2025. Walls will go up on January 13. However, the Boneyard, Restaurantosaurus, and Trilo-Bites will remain open. Also, Disney has confirmed that DINOSAUR will remain open “through 2025.” While we’re not excited that DINOSAUR is going extinct, we’re very happy we have one more year to “go get that dino.”

4 – Spaceship Earth Lounge – Late Spring 2025

An elegant and elevated lounge experience is coming to Spaceship Earth in late spring. This lounge will offer guests a comfortable and intimate setting inspired by the stories and legacy of the iconic structure. Guests can savor culinary creations developed to complement the timeless yet timely drinks, each reflecting the elegance of the extraordinary setting. With sweeping views of World Celebration Gardens and a unique perspective of the nightly fireworks, this secluded retreat invites guests to raise a toast to the enduring spirit of EPCOT.

5 – “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” – Summer 2025

Deep in the shadows of Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, an all-new live stage production is about to cast its spell in the summer of 2025. “Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” invites guests into the Magic Mirror’s mysterious realm, where the most fiendish of foes – Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent – take center stage. With witty humor, mischievous charm, and dazzling performances, this delightfully wicked show will keep audiences spellbound as Disney’s most infamous evildoers gather for some diabolical fun. Guests of all ages should prepare for a magical encounter where villains finally get their moment to shine!

6 – “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” – Summer 2025

After some delays, “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” is making its splashing debut in summer 2025 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! This all-new theatrical production of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic brings Ariel’s undersea world to life with dazzling physical sets, vibrant puppetry, live performers, and breathtaking visuals.

Fans of the beloved film can expect plenty of nods to its nostalgia and iconic animation style, along with unforgettable songs like “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World.” Plus, audiences will be treated to two new musical numbers, “Daughters of Triton” and “Kiss the Girl.” Perfect for fans, young and old, this under-the-sea adventure is sure to have everyone singing along!

7 – “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” – Summer 2025

Summer 2025 will shine brighter than ever with the debut of “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away”, a breathtaking new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom Park! Continuing Disney’s legacy of dazzling evening entertainment, this all-new spectacle invites guests to dream the night away with a perfect blend of nostalgia, innovation, and enchanting storytelling.

Featuring beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios classics like “Peter Pan” and “Pinocchio” alongside modern favorites from “Encanto,” “Frozen,” and “Moana,” each float is a radiant celebration of Disney magic. Join the Blue Fairy from “Pinocchio” as she weaves the transformative magic of starlight throughout the parade to illuminate the stories in a stunning constellation of wonder, hope, and imagination.

8 – Test Track presented by General Motors – Late Summer 2025

With work on this reimagined experience already underway, guests are in for a thrilling ride when Test Track presented by General Motors makes its returning lap in late summer 2025 at EPCOT. Pushing the boundaries of innovation, Walt Disney Imagineering has been working with General Motors on a new storyline for this beloved attraction. Guests should be on the lookout as the cars return to the track with their new look early in the year!

9 – Pirates of the Caribbean-Inspired Tavern – Late 2025

Ahoy, mateys! Making landfall in late 2025, bandits and buccaneers-to-be are invited to step into a swashbuckling world of fun and adventure and join the crew at a new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired tavern in Magic Kingdom. This immersive lounge experience will welcome pirates of all ages with a sea-worthy selection of grogs and grub and more than a few mysterious and magical surprises in store!

10 – “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!” – Winter 2025

In winter 2025, The Tree of Life Theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will debut an all-new 4D production, “Zootopia: Better Zoogether!”  Families can join their favorite herd from the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios movie, including Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and more, for an exhilarating new wild story.

11 – Recurring Fun – 2025

Alongside these amazing additions to Walt Disney World Resort fun in 2025, guests can also experience beloved fan-favorite festivals and hard-ticketed events. From the different EPCOT festivals to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and everything in between, there are more than 200 days of themed, seasonal, and limited-time magic on the horizon.