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DHS New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
david10225
Active Member
Too bad they couldn't have used the magic mirror from Shrek the Musical. More laughs.
Moth
Well-Known Member
Do I need to give a dollar to anyone?
If only...
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I don't want my niece and nephews anywhere near this. Glorifying Villains is not in our family's playbook of raising children. The whole point is to cheer for whichever one we like the most. Fantasmic is a much better use of Villains, you know, because they're BAD and we want them all to lose.
It's not like they couldn't afford him... Why wouldn't they get him?
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I really don’t think the show is meant to be taken that seriously. It’s just a bit of fun, not a lesson in satanism.
DisneyHead123
Well-Known Member
As long as the parents are in agreement, I think it’s a fair stance. Kids are very literal, and the villains in question are, technically, people who attempt to murder children and abuse animals. As adults we see them as fun archetypes, kids might find that confusing. They know the kids in their family best.
SpectroBro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I like it. It’s fun.
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
My nephews in particular are very young and incredibly impressionable. They don't understand the difference between cheering for people ironically (or whatever you would call this) and actually celebrating people.
I don't begrudge people who feel differently, but for the particular people in my family, this is a no. It's just too dang confusing for them.
Also, I stand by what I said about Villains not being something to celebrate. I'm not saying it's satanism (not sure where that came from), but I do think it's a misguided approach to theme park content featuring Villains. If they end up actually making a Villains Land, I want the Villains there to actually be VILLAINS, not tragic, misunderstood anti-heroes. It would be so much more satisfying to defeat Maleficent than root for her. And I don't want some stupid "Resistance vs First Order" role-playing in there either. Just put me in a cauldron, carried by bats, and let my watch Prince Philip take that dragon down (and yes, I'm referencing Dragon Tower from Beastly Kingdom).
To get back to THIS show:
Cruella de Vil is an insane, dog-murdering psychopath. How am I supposed to explain to my five-year-old nephew why the rest of the theatre is applauding for her? He won't get it. Maleficent is literally the mistress of evil, who is so offended by not being invited to the party (because she's evil, implying she has done terrible things), that she conspires to kill Aurora. Yayyyyyyyy. She's definitely misunderstood (/s). At least Captain Hook is a pirate and somewhat silly. I hope he wins every show.
It seems like some people here let their devotion to the "Villains" franchise blind them to the wrong-headedness of this approach.
And I mean, the show isn't even good.
Last edited by a moderator:
StringBeanDream
Active Member
"Hi (insert child name), these are characters, dont do this in real life"
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
It's not that simple. And you don't know my nephews.
Why am I even wasting their time? Let's just go on Star Tours again.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
I will be seeing this stage show, as well as the refreshed ‘Mermaid’ production next week.
I promised to share my thoughts here once viewing them in person, which I shall do when the time comes.
As with all live entertainment, it is always best to experience it in person with an audience around you.
It can be difficult to really get a feel for a show by just watching a YouTube video.
Looking forward to both shows.
Keeping an open mind….and ‘spoiler free’.
I am personally thrilled we now have two new live staged productions operating again at DHS.
The more live entertainment here, the better.
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I promised to share my thoughts here once viewing them in person, which I shall do when the time comes.
As with all live entertainment, it is always best to experience it in person with an audience around you.
It can be difficult to really get a feel for a show by just watching a YouTube video.
Looking forward to both shows.
Keeping an open mind….and ‘spoiler free’.
I am personally thrilled we now have two new live staged productions operating again at DHS.
The more live entertainment here, the better.
-
Coaster Lover
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
From what I've seen, it certainly seems to be a perfectly serviceable show. Better than what it replaced for sure. Biggest complaint for me would be the moderately long segment where there are no live actors on the stage at all (with the battle between Hades and Jafar which is all digital). The voting aspect provides some rewatchability.
Sad that the two best shows in the park (not counting Muppets 3D) are the >35 year old Indiana Jones show and the thrown together Frozen Singalong. After seeing Untrainable Dragon, it has only strengthen my feeling that Disney needs to revisit their plans for a larger, Broadway style, in park theater for a more significant stage production in park.
Sad that the two best shows in the park (not counting Muppets 3D) are the >35 year old Indiana Jones show and the thrown together Frozen Singalong. After seeing Untrainable Dragon, it has only strengthen my feeling that Disney needs to revisit their plans for a larger, Broadway style, in park theater for a more significant stage production in park.
Moth
Well-Known Member
I think you should've led with this, and I agree with this point entirely.
Walk-On Star Tours is the only reason why DHS exists.
Anyways this show is booty, if this is a taste what Villainsland is going to be like, it tastes very sour, half-baked, slightly spoiled, and not appetizing. Just keep the island and boat nobody goes on and move on with our lives. I don't care for the boat or island as attractions but if something has to replace them and the unmatched atmosphere they bring, I'd rather it be Good instead of half-baked.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I’m the one who mentioned satanism; it was said in jest, in keeping with the nature of the show.
I think you’re underestimating children’s ability to get humour. Cruella and Ursula (to name just two examples) were always designed to be funny, and I certainly found them to be so when I was a child. Merchandise featuring these characters has been available for decades. Little girls (and boys!) can even dress up as Maleficent if they so wish. In short, Disney has never treated the villains as characters that children need to be protected from; I don’t see why it should be such a concern now.
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Not the children in MY family. I'm not speaking in generalities; I'm talking about MY nephews! And they wouldn't get it! I don't know that they're representative of the rest of mankind's children, but I imagine they are not THAT unusual.
Fantasmic? Any dark ride? Every film with a traditional villain?
I guess this corresponds with Disney's shift away from traditional villains. Villains aren't just evil anymore. If they're around at all, there's always an element of "Well, they might actually have a point!"
DisneyHead123
Well-Known Member
The applause / approval factor is what makes this a bit different, I think. There’s a lot of psychological study behind how humans respond to watching others receive approval.
The “likes” factor, if you will.
Honestly, I think the show will be fine for a lot of kids. My son has no idea who the villains even are. For kids who are familiar with the movies, some won’t put two and two together (like “Hey, we’re cheering for that lady who likes to make coats out of kidnapped puppies”) and will just roll with it, some will already have the perspective to know that the villains can be taken as over the top archetypes and not literally. But for those who might take the wrong message from it? I don’t see anything wrong with their families skipping this one.