Big changes are happening at Disney World in Florida. The company has announced that it plans to shutdown a popular Muppets attraction to make room for a new Monsters, Inc.-themed area and ride. And there was bad news for Aerosmith fans, too.
On November 22, Disney confirmed the online rumors and announced its plans to officially shut down Muppet Courtyard and the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction, both of which are located in the same general area of Hollywood Studios in Disney World Orlando. Muppet*Vision3D has been around since 1991.
“That’s right, humans will be able to enter the world of Monsters, Inc. when it is added to the south side of Disney’s Hollywood Studios,” announced Disney.
The new Monsters, Inc. area—inspired by the Pixar animated franchise that started in 2001—will contain a new roller coaster that is set to recreate the famous closet door vault scene from the original movie. The Monsters, Inc. area will also include new dining and shopping options as well as a “whole new theater show.”
In the blog post announcing the news, Disney confirmed that it was having “creative conversations” about how to “preserve the [Muppet*Vision 3D] film” and other parts of the show so fans can “enjoy” it all in the future.
“To make way for the monsters, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and more of their friends will be moving right along to Sunset Boulevard,” said Disney.
What that actually means is that the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which opened in 1999 in Hollywood Studios, will be re-themed as a Muppets ride featuring various characters from the franchise. Goodbye, Aerosmith, the band the ride has been attached to since it opened. Apparently, Disney also plans to have “music’s biggest stars” team up with the Muppets, but didn’t share any details on what that will entail.
As with any change to a Disney Park, there was a mix of excitement from some online as well as a lot of complaints. Many older fans aren’t happy that Disney is removing more of the park’s history and replacing it with more movie tie-in rides and areas. In August 2024, Disney announced plans to remove the Rivers of America and replace it with a new Cars-inspired area and ride.
The Muppet*Vision 3D attraction and show isn’t closing right away and Disney says people will have time to enjoy it one last time. Disney has yet to provide any specific dates for when it will close and when to expect the new Monsters, Inc. area to open.
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