Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is a stage show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It replaced the former Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy in the Sunset Showcase building at the end of Sunset Boulevard. The stage show is held intermittently throughout the day. Below, we’ll provide an overview of what to expect and share our review of this offering. Like most of the stage shows, we think that guests will want to take the time to incorporate a performance into their touring plan.
Enter the realm of the Magic Mirror—where dozens of villains are trapped! They want the Mirror to reveal the truth: which villain has been treated the most unfairly of them all?
Watch as Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Maleficent present their cases on stage, persuading with wicked wisdom and wisecracks. Will you be swayed by their hijinks and humor?
It’s a spellbinding show with moving music and a most memorable finale—where you help decide who has been treated most unfairly.
Showtimes: Daily between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can check the Entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app for exact showtimes on the day of your visit.
| Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After | Disney’s Hollywood Studios |
|---|---|
| Location: | End of Sunset Blvd (Past Rock n’ Roller Coaster) |
| Height Requirement: | NA |
| Lightning Lane: | No |
| Early Theme Park Entry: | No |
| Extended Evening Hours: | No |
| Attraction Type: | Stage Show |
| Seating: | Theater |
| Duration: | 18 minutes |
| Good For: | Everyone |
| Must Do List: | Medium to High Priority |
| Perfect for: | Fans of Disney Villains |
| Special Mention: | This show is brand new! Opening Date: May 27, 2025 |
Additional Info: Guests may remain in wheelchairs or ECVs for this performance.
Check our Disney World Lightning Lane Guide to plan your attractions.
Our Review of Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After
Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After sits at the very end of Sunset Boulevard past the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. A large courtyard surrounds the Sunset Showcase building where the stage show is held. Part of the courtyard is dedicated to a waiting area for guests who intend to see the next show. A few umbrellas and fans are set up within the holding pen, but you wouldn’t necessarily want to wait here long during any type of extreme weather.
We’ve seen the stage show a couple of times since its debut and have had good luck arriving about 15-20 minutes before the next performance. Each show is approximately 18 minutes long, and there’s about a 40-minute wait time between each performance. From what I’ve seen, about 10 minutes are dedicated to letting guests out of the theater. Then, the next 10 minutes are dedicated to allowing the next set of guests into the theater. Those toward the front of the line will have the best pick of seats if you want to be close, and opposite for those in the back of the line. We’ve done both, and the pictures below were mostly taken from the back row. I feel like if you or your children want to see the characters up close, the seats toward the front are better. That said, I enjoyed the perspective from the back of the theater and felt those seats offered the unique ability to see “everything” that’s going on throughout the production.
The premise of the show is that all Disney Villains are trapped behind the Magic Mirror. When they get riled up, the Mirror finds it difficult to contain them. Sometimes, it goes so far that the mirrors crack. The villains then begin to pester the Magic Mirror, asking him to recognize which of them had been treated the most unfairly. Of course, the Magic Mirror on the wall is enchanted and can only answer to the Evil Queen. So he asks the audience to help decide.
The setting then transitions to red, black, and white as Cruella de Vil takes the stage. She shows off various fashions in a feeble attempt to get the audience to sympathize with her, stating that fashion comes with a price. At least, she puts on a good show, but I’m not sure she really offers much of a case for her villainous ways.
This act is followed by a bubble drop that everyone seems to enjoy. She might win over the younger audience members with this move.
In the next act, Captain Hook joins the stage. I felt like this was the most well-done of the three acts. Given that the stage set is comprised of screens, I found these colorful and impressive. This act ends with a real ring of smoke that’s shot from a faux cannon. It’s a fun effect that had me looking for what would happen ahead of Maleficent’s exit.
Maleficent was the next to take the stage. At this point, we’d gotten the rhythm of the show down and felt that she would be the winner. Unfortunately, her act left us wanting something more, which was a surprise. Before the finale, I kind of felt like she would be the winner.
Maleficent is followed by a series of villains who only appear in the mirrors surrounding the stage. Here we have Hades and Jafar in a vibrant red versus blue battle.
The Evil Queen finally silences everyone with an “Enough!” It’s now time for a winner to be selected. The Magic Mirror returns to the screen and asks for a round of applause for Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and then Maleficent. On our first screening, Cruella de Vil was selected. Since then, we’ve seen both Maleficent and Hook also win the title of most unfairly treated Disney Villain. So it appears that the villain might be selected by the audience, but I’m not entirely convinced. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just a random order of which villain will return to the stage for the finale.
After the show is finished and the villain has their glorious victory, the lighting in the theater returns to normal. Guests are asked to calmly exit the theater. A pair of restrooms is available to the immediate right just before you reach the door that leads outside. You will want to be prepared if it’s raining. There is no shelter anywhere nearby if you were to exit the theater in a downpour.
Resorts Gal’s Spin on Villains Unfairly Ever After
Overall, we enjoyed Unfairly Ever After and feel that it’s a welcome addition to the park. I would give it the green light and go so far as to say it’s a must-see at least once. The show has a catchy tune, and the performance is well done.
That said, I would not put it in the same category as a stage show like the Frozen Sing-Along or The Little Mermaid – Musical. Those shows offer a plot with multiple actors on stage portraying timeless tales that we all know and love. While well done, Unfairly Ever After, for me, lacks a little sustenance. We aren’t watching a story unfold, and don’t truly get a sense of why we should or should not cast our applause for anyone in particular.
For more stage shows at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you might like the following:
- The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure
- For the First Time in Forever (Frozen Sing-Along Celebration)
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Or browse the entire list of attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
More on Villains: Unfairly Ever After
More Planning
Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Explore our resources, including our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is a wonderful resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.
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