Disneyland has removed its tribute to legendary songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman from the Main Street Cinema, bringing the exhibit’s roughly 13-month run to an end.
The theater reopened Friday after remaining closed for nearly three weeks while the tribute was removed. According to WDW News Today, all six screens are now showing shorts from the Mickey Mouse television series that debuted in 2013.
New banners depict different versions of Disney’s signature character, while the cinema’s marquee now advertises “Mickey Mouse — Star of the Silver Screen.” Additionally, vintage-style posters reference classic productions such as Steamboat Willie, The Band Concert, and Fantasia, but the theater is reportedly showing only the newer cartoons.
The Sherman Brothers tribute, titled So Much That We Share, opened on July 17, 2025, as part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration.
Its centerpiece was The Last Verse, a three-and-a-half-minute movie celebrating the enduring popularity of “It’s a Small World.” The short also unveiled a final verse written by Richard Sherman before his death in May 2024.
The Sherman Brothers and Walt Disney – YouTube, Good morning America
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Disneyland’s decision to remove the exhibit may disappoint fans who believed it should become a permanent part of Main Street, U.S.A. The Sherman Brothers’ music remains inseparable from the history and identity of the resort.
In addition to “It’s a Small World,” the duo wrote songs for the Enchanted Tiki Room, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, and numerous Disney movies. Their work on Mary Poppins earned them Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
Removal Coincides With End of Disneyland Celebration
However, there is little evidence that Disney intended So Much That We Share to become permanent.
Disney introduced the exhibit as one of several additions celebrating Disneyland’s 70th anniversary. That celebration officially concluded on August 9, shortly before the Main Street Cinema closed for its transformation.
Walt Disney in Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1966), Walt Disney Productions
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Viewed within that context, the tribute’s removal appears less like a deliberate rejection of the Sherman Brothers and more like the scheduled conclusion of a limited-time anniversary offering.
Their presence has not disappeared from Disneyland. Richard and Robert Sherman still share a commemorative window above Main Street, U.S.A.—an honor traditionally reserved for people who made significant contributions to the park.
More importantly, Richard Sherman’s final verse remains part of the finale of “It’s a Small World.” Disney added the lyrics to the attraction alongside the Main Street Cinema exhibit in July 2025.
Newer Mickey Cartoons Replace Historical Tribute
Still, fans can reasonably question whether a collection of readily available cartoons from the 2010s is the best use of the historic space. Disneyland did not restore the cinema’s traditional lineup of early Mickey Mouse cartoons, despite decorating the entrance with imagery referencing those productions.
Mickey Mouse drives the boat in Steamboat Willie – YouTube, Did You Catch This?
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The Sherman Brothers exhibit gave guests a more personal connection to two men whose music continues playing throughout Disneyland every day. That distinction matters because the Main Street Cinema opened with Disneyland in 1955 and traditionally connected guests to the company’s earliest animation history. Replacing a historical tribute with recent television shorts arguably makes the venue less distinctive.
Its removal is not necessarily an insult or evidence that Disney is abandoning its history. Nevertheless, the replacement feels comparatively insignificant, leaving Disneyland without a small but meaningful celebration of the artists who helped give the park its musical identity.
How do you feel about the Sherman Brothers tribute being replaced? Sound off and let us know!
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