Does Disney’s Latest Update Spell the End of This Classic Hollywood Studios Attraction?

The majority of attractions and events that were paused at Walt Disney World at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have reopened by now, and others are still on the way. While Disney fans have been thrilled to see the return of everything from traditional character meet-and-greets to multiple new and returning dining experiences over the past two years, some attractions have remained missing from the list.

One such attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has remained closed since March 2020, with no updates from Disney on the status of its return; Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

The attraction originally opened 30 years ago in 1992 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then Disney MGM Studios). Since then, the musical performance has run multiple times per day with the exception of routine refurbishments until its closure in March 2020.

In the two years since Walt Disney World closed and began its reopening process, Disney has remained silent on the future of this family-favorite attraction . If you have visited this Disney Park recently, you may have also noticed that benches have been placed under the shaded area that formerly made up the queue Guests would wait in before the doors to the interior of the building opened.

Now, Voyage of the Little Mermaid has been removed entirely from both the official Walt Disney World website and the My Disney Experience app. Previously the show was listed as “temporarily unavailable,” though Disney has since removed the full page of unavailable entertainment from the website as well that was used as a main component of planning a trip earlier in the pandemic.

Disney has not announced that the show is officially closing, but we are seeing the signs and feel compelled to let our readers know. There have been similar instances of past attractions where it became very clear a certain ride or show was not reopening before Disney made any kind of official announcement, (remember Stitch’s Great Escape and Primeval Whirl?)

In the past, an attraction moving toward seasonal operating hours could have been perceived as a sign that it may be closing in the future, but the closure of the entire resort during the pandemic certainly changed this protocol for a few attractions and events.

It is also worth noting, that other live musical performances that have reopened at Walt Disney World have had auditions posted in the months prior to their return. Both Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond held auditions before returning to the Park, as they were likely in need of staffing like most areas of Walt Disney World following the pandemic. No auditions have been posted for Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid was a 17-minute musical performance located in the Animation Courtyard that followed the plot of The Little Mermaid (1989) with all of the iconic characters from the film including Ariel, Prince Eric, King Triton, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, and of course, Ursula with her rendition of “Poor Unfortunate Souls“. The show used singers, dancers, and puppeteers along with brightly colored sets and lighting effects. It was performed multiple times throughout the day, and had been a staple of family entertainment in the park since it opened in 1992.

The future does not look bright for Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but we will be sure to update you here on DisneyTips if Disney confirms that this theme park attraction has closed permanently.