Disney's Hollywood Studios Gets a New Little Mermaid Show!

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for anything related to "The Little Mermaid." For as long as I can remember, Disney's Hollywood Studios had a short stage show dedicated to their animated adaptation called "Voyage of The Little Mermaid." The show, which I refer to as "watching the movie on fast forward," got shut down during the COVID lockdowns of 2020. During this time the theater grew a mold infestation, which forced them to do renovations and give the show a much-needed update. Today is the official premiere date of "The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure," a new stage show located in the same theater as "Voyage of The Little Mermaid." I am so pleased that they took this opportunity to update their "Little Mermaid" show at Walt Disney World instead of replacing it with something entirely different, like they did with Ariel's Grotto restaurant in Disney's California Adventure.


"The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure" is five minutes longer than "Voyage of The Little Mermaid," a small amount that makes a huge difference in how much of the story they can include. The new show features five musical numbers from the film's original score, compared to the previous three, and takes full advantage of modern projection technology to use new animation and effects instead of simply replaying scenes from the film on a movie theater-style screen. Ariel's sisters, King Triton, and the sea creatures of Atlantica have been reanimated into CGI puppets who interact with live actors onstage. Real puppets are used for more important animal sidekicks such as Flounder, Sebastian, and Max, creating a 2.5D effect that seamlessly blends real life with animation. You can watch the full show along with an introduction from Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel, in the video below.


The most similar aspect of the new show to the previous one is the massive tentacled Ursula puppet who sings a snippet of "Poor Unfortunate Souls." All of the other puppets and costumes look new and improved with modern technology. The show even uses a wire or platform effect to make it look like Ariel is "swimming" across the stage, something the Broadway adaptation tried desperately to avoid. I particularly enjoyed the 2D silhouettes of a human girl dancing behind Ariel while she sang "Part of Your World" and made a deal with Ursula to become human. With so much modern CGI, this simple effect hearkened back to the film's hand-drawn origins. Another new addition came at the end of the show after King Triton gave Ariel her happy ending and said, "I'm sorry you had to lose your voice for me to hear you." This was similar to a line from the new "Little Mermaid" show on the Disney Wish, which is more inspired by Disney's live-action adaptation.


I am so glad this theater is sticking to its roots with an updated version of the same show instead of trying to modernize it or take it in a new direction. Jodi Benson was the perfect spokesperson to introduce this new retelling to the world and remind us of the film that inspired it.  "The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure" is the perfect blend of live theater, puppetry, animation, and projection effects to bring this classic story to a new audience. The extra five minutes make a huge difference in terms of how much of Ariel's story they can tell. The addition of her sisters as CGI renderings and the "Kiss the Girl" boat scene with Prince Eric broadens the scope of Ariel's world compared to the previous show. It also takes cues from other live adaptations, such as the 2019 television production of The Little Mermaid Live!, which altered the performance of "Under the Sea" to include Ariel in the number.


"The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure" is a delightful update to the classic "Voyage of The Little Mermaid" stage show. By incorporating modern technology, new animation, and additional musical numbers, the show brings a fresh yet familiar feel to this beloved Disney story. The blend of live theater, puppetry, and projection effects creates a magical experience that will enchant both old and new fans of Ariel's underwater world. I'm thrilled that Disney chose to update and improve the show rather than replace it, and I look forward to seeing parkgoers from around the world enjoy this magical production for years to come. Do you agree that this show is an improvement, or do you prefer "Voyage of The Little Mermaid" and wish they would bring it back? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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