Walt Disney World: May 2025
- Bobby Spina
- May 1
- 5 min read
Following the quiet month that April was, we enter May - aka the unofficial kick-off to the Summer season in the world of theme parks. With the grand opening of Universal’s Epic Universe in just 3 short weeks, this month officially begins what I’m calling “The Battle for the Summer.” What I mean is, Disney will finally begin unveiling some new experiences and offerings to “respond” to Orlando’s newest theme park just a few miles down the road. That’s what we’ll be talking about today.
Join me as we discuss everything new and exciting happening in May 2025 at the Walt Disney World Resort!
May 2025
Even though we’re still in the midst of Spring, Summer in Florida is basically here. And while Disney won’t be debuting anything I’d consider to be “major” during this month, it’s a solid start nonetheless.
Sunday, May 11th
We’ll start at Disney’s Hollywood Studios… with a closure. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano over in the corner of Grand Avenue will close permanently on this date, with its final day of operation being the day before on Saturday, May 10th.
This closure marks an important milestone as construction will officially begin on the reimagining of Grand Avenue into the new Monsters Inc. Land coming to the park. You may recall that Disney originally released a statement back in January saying the construction walls would be present by the end of March, but for unknown reasons, that failed to happen. At the time of writing this article, there are a total of zero construction walls present inside of Grand Avenue. But come May 11th, and that will all change.
With the closure of Mama Melrose’s, we can expect to see a slew of construction walls surround not just the restaurant, but also the shuttered Stage 1 Company Store as Disney begins its imminent demolition. (Quick side note: Disney recently shared that the Stage 1 Company Store will be utilized one final time during Star Wars Day on May 4th to sell exclusive merchandise for Disney’s unofficial holiday. This likely explains the reasoning why construction walls did not end up surrounding the store in March.)
It’s also possible that land clearing may begin in a portion of the Cast Member parking lot for the one thing that will constitute this land reimagining as a park expansion, with that being the highly anticipated Door Factory suspended rollercoaster. While it’s not a guarantee that work will begin on this yet, construction is pretty much guaranteed to start later this Summer with the closure of the remainder of Grand Avenue, but I’ll save that for my June 2025 article…
As for Mama Melrose’s, according to official concept art, the restaurant is set to be rethemed to the popular Harryhausen’s from the film. You have just over a week left to experience this classic Hollywood Studios eatery, so don’t miss your chance to do so!
Wednesday, May 14th
Are you a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder? If so, the following information is something you won’t want to miss!
V.I.P Passholder Summer Days are back at Walt Disney World - now longer than ever! Lasting from May 14th - July 31st, V.I.P Passholder days are a way to show Walt Disney World Passholders a sense of appreciation by providing some extra seasonal perks. Perks include the following:
40% discount at select Walt Disney World restaurants (Monday-Thursday).
Passholder-exclusive Lounge in the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT (May 14th - July 13th).
20% off for select online purchases at the Disney Store.
New complimentary magnet for Passholders to pick up at the Creations Shop at EPCOT (magnet design still has yet to be announced.)
Previously, V.I.P Passholder Days would only last for about a month and a half, but now Disney has extended their appreciation for an extra month. Make sure to reap those benefits while you can and make the most of your pass this Summer!
More details about discounts and perks can be found by visiting the Walt Disney World Annual Passholder Website.
Wednesday, May 21st
Our next date on our list takes us from the regular parks over to the Walt Disney World Water Parks! For the first time in years, both Typhoon Lagoon AND Blizzard Beach will operate simultaneously during the Summer months.
In years past, only one water park would operate while the other one would close for a seasonal refurbishment, but now guests will have the chance to experience even more fun in the sun at both water parks from May 21st - July 11th.
Tuesday, May 27th
Ending our monthly article is arguably the most important date to keep our eyes on.
Heading back over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney will debut the first of many new anticipated Summer offerings, with that being not one, but two new stage shows!
The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Memorial Day Weekend. The new iteration of the Little Mermaid show will open in Animation Courtyard, while the Villains show will be tucked away in the corner of Sunset Boulevard in the Sunset Showcase Theater (right next to Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster: Starring Aerosmith). Here's some info about the two shows from Disney:
The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure: "Nestled in Animation Courtyard, Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, Prince Eric, and more will take to the stage to retell the classic story of The Little Mermaid. This fully reimagined show will feature stunning set pieces, imaginative costumes, cutting-edge special effects, skillful puppetry, and a bold new design aesthetic that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her."
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After: "This immersive musical stage show brings the most devilish foes into our world to figure out, once and for all, who is the most misunderstood of all. It’s time for these baddies to share their side of the story in a show full of theatrical magic, witty humor, and plenty of mischievous charm. But in the end, it’s you who decides who has been treated the most unfairly."
All things considered, I am genuinely looking forward to these two new shows. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has an incredible legacy of providing next-level live entertainment and theatrical productions, and I think it’s great that Disney is investing the time and money into bringing two new permanent shows to the park. Especially considering that all of Grand Avenue will be closing down the following weekend, this is sure to add some much needed capacity to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The question is, will it be enough to draw the crowds Disney is hoping to see this Summer? At first, no, I don’t think they will. But as we progress deeper into the Summer season and Disney debuts more of their highlight offerings (looking at you Disney Starlight and Test Track 3.0), then I think the shows will pull in some bigger numbers… eventually. Regardless, these are two new productions that Disney has been marketing pretty heavily lately, and as they kick off the Summertime at Walt Disney World, the pressure is definitely on.
That’s all for now as we enter May 2025! I hope you found the information in this article useful, and I’ll see you all in the next one. Stay tuned for some new videos on the channel coming your way soon as well. Take care everyone!
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