The History of The Voyage of the Little Mermaid Attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Early Development of Disney-MGM Studios

• 💡 The Disney-MGM Studios theme park, initially planned as a third gate for Epcot, faced a challenge due to a limited Disney IP library, leading to strategic deals with other studios.
• 🤝 A significant deal was struck in July 1985 to license the MGM name and film library, aiming to create a working production facility and a separate attraction.
• ⚠️ Disney learned that licensing rights could be tricky, as initial assumptions about including James Bond films proved incorrect, and Ted Turner's acquisition of the MGM library imposed restrictions, such as limiting the use of 'The Wizard of Oz' to two minutes.

The Muppets Acquisition and Early 'Little Mermaid' Concepts

• 💰 In August 1989, Walt Disney Company acquired Henson Associates for $150 million, primarily for Jim Henson's creative talents.
• 📺 Jim Henson's team created puppets for a potential TV show called 'Little Mermaid's Island,' with two pilot episodes filmed in Los Angeles.
• 😔 Sadly, Jim Henson passed away shortly after, impacting planned projects, including a potential 'Muppets' attraction opening at Disney-MGM Studios.

'The Little Mermaid' Franchise Expansion

• 📈 Following the immense success of 'The Little Mermaid' film on VHS and in theaters, Disney sought to expand the brand, but the 'Little Mermaid's Island' TV show project was shelved.
• 📺 A 'Little Mermaid' television series was developed as a prequel, eventually airing in September 1992, while theme park guests expressed demand for Ariel meet-and-greets.
• 🎢 The 'Voyage of the Little Mermaid' attraction was conceived as a short-term show, intended to run for 18 months until other 'Little Mermaid' projects materialized.

Development of 'Voyage of the Little Mermaid'

• 🎭 Creative Entertainment, already working on 'Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage,' had to develop a different experience for 'The Little Mermaid' to avoid redundancy.
• 🛠️ Instead of using Henson's puppets, Disney hired a different company to create puppets for 'Voyage of the Little Mermaid,' which utilized black light, laser water effects, and film clips.
• ✨ The attraction opened on January 7, 1992, and, despite its initial 18-month planned run, became immensely popular and ran for many years.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Park Logistics

• 🚀 Discussions touched upon the development of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, with a focus on pivoting from the Skywalker saga to more popular characters like those from 'The Mandalorian.'
• 🚶‍♂️ The topic of parking lot trams was raised, with the consensus being that they would likely return due to the need for guest convenience, despite the operational challenges of cleaning them during the pandemic.
• 🏰 Measurements were shared regarding the distance between turnstiles and castles at various Disney parks, with Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland having the longest distances.