We were at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this morning, and our own Jeremiah noticed some absent advertising in the park’s Animation Courtyard.
UPDATE (9/11/2020):
- That was a quick turnaround! The signs outside of Voyage of the Little Mermaid are back in place and they look great!
- As we headed back to the park this afternoon, we were delighted to spot that three large posters have been returned to the exterior of the building:
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Star Wars Clone Wars and Rise of Skywalker
Previously:
- While we were at Disney’s Hollywood Studios earlier today, Jeremiah noticed and snapped a few pics of some missing billboards on the exterior of the Voyage of the Little Mermaid attraction in the park’s Animation Courtyard.
- The most noticeable billboard that is missing is the single Voyage of the Little Mermaid one that hung behind the theater’s marquee. The other two on the side of the soundstage most recently were Star Wars themed, leading up to the Star Wars: Launch Bay attraction at the other end of the courtyard which is now used as a guest relaxation zone. These two change on a rather frequent basis, formerly advertising new Star Wars productions, Disney Junior productions, or back when the building was primarily used for Walt Disney Feature Animation, the latest animated film to be released.
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid opened in 1992, outside of the former Magic of Disney Animation tour at what was then known as Disney-MGM Studios, replacing a Muppets-themed stage production, Here Comes The Muppets. The show follows the same plot as the film, following Ariel’s Journey, and features live performers, puppets, and in-theater special effects to tell the story of the Academy-Award winning film, The Little Mermaid. Aside from a few minor changes, the show has remained relatively the same since it opened.
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid closed temporarily when the park did due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and even though the park has reopened, this show, like many others at Walt Disney World, did not reopen.
- In April, many of the theatrical performers of the shows of Walt Disney World were furloughed. About 800 of these performers fall under the Actor’s Equity Association union contract. Though the contract is far more specific and detailed, generally speaking, Equity performers are performers who are mic’d performing a script and/or singing in a theatrical performance, improvisational actors, or dancers with a choreographed routine on a stage. Voyage of the Little Mermaid features performers who are represented by Actor’s Equity.
- Although the performers were originally recalled to work for the parks’ reopening in July, due to a conflict in negotiations, that offer was rescinded until recently when Disney and Actor’s Equity signed a memorandum of understanding which allows for the return of the performers who fall under the agreement.
- At this time, there have been no announcements on when Voyage of the Little Mermaid or numerous other stage shows at Walt Disney World will return.
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