Personally, Disney’s protagonists (especially the princesses) are rarely among my favorite characters. I find antagonists (like Ursula, Maleficent, Scar, and Gaston) much more interesting. So, when a recent trip to the Walt Disney World Resort coincided with added dates for Club Villain at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I made it my mission to score one of the coveted reservations to this intimately small event. I’m guessing the venue hosts 150-200 Guests total. It was incredibly small for a Disney hard ticket event. The day before (thank you 24 hour cancellation policy) I was finally successful in my quest.
Evening of Evil
At check in, the next evening, we received our invitations and a complimentary glass of champagne while awaiting entrance to Sunset Showcase (located just beyond Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster).
I advise Guests not to dawdle. Once inside, lines for the buffet and the two bars (drinks are included) grow quickly. I recommend Guests find their table (noted on the invitation), then immediately queue up for drinks and food.
Villain Vittles
Everything, from the food to the general decor, has a New Orleans flair. Dirty rice, black eyed peas, and gumbo are just of few of the regional offerings. Personally, while I enjoyed everything I tried, the creamy polenta and sautéed shrimp with spicy Andouille sausage were the highlight of dinner.
Impressive and Impish Entertainment
The evening is hosted by Dr. Facilier, of Princess and the Frog, and his club manager, Kanzo. When these two aren’t performing, DJ Thibodeaux spins out some wickedly good tunes and manages to inspire, even reluctant, Guests to strut their stuff on the dance floor. While the entire cast was excellent, Kanzo was truly Broadway caliber.
Before I’d finished my food, the show began. Shortly after, Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, the Queen of Hearts, and the Evil Queen and were introduced before moving to their “thrones,” where they met with Guests at appointed times (located on the back of the invitation) throughout the evening.
Devilish Desserts & Drinks
In addition to meeting with Guests, each of the four villainous friends have a nearby dessert station, offering delights in the true spirit of their individual characters. Each malevolent madam also boasts a themed drink at one of the two bars (my favorite was Maleficent’s Cursed Violet).
Marvelous and Mischievous Meets
While the food, drinks, and atmosphere are top notch, it’s the talent and total immersion of the characters that make the night exceptional. I’ve never been a character hunter, preferring to dine at character meals to meet characters. Club Villain outdid any character meal I’ve enjoyed at Walt Disney World. Cruella was overly flamboyant, Maleficent dished out the condescension with flair, and the Evil Queen maintained a stoicism that was remarkable.
However, above all the mistresses of malevolence, the Queen of Hearts stole the show. She was absolutely insane and committed to it. Asked to take a selfie, she couldn’t contain herself, exclaiming, “selfies, I’m the best at those!” before completely shoving me out of frame. She was rolling around on the floor at another point as Kanzo belted out an amazing rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”
Check out some of my favorite moments from Club Villain on the Magical DIStractions YouTube page:
Cover of “I Put a Spell on You”
While the price ($129 per person) is steep, if you can swing it, Club Villain is a wicked good time.
Additional details for the Club Villain hard ticket event can be found here: http://magicaldistractions.com/club-villain-returns-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-this-fall/
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