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Fans of Disney’s The Muppets are displeased to learn that Muppet*Vision 3D and the Muppets Courtyard in Disney's Hollywood Studios are being shifted from their original land to make way for the Monsters Inc. Land, Monstropolis.
On November 22, 2024, the company announced on the official Disney Parks Blog that Jim Henson’s creations will "make way for the monsters" and will be taking over the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster in Disney's Hollywood Studios. They further stated that the roller coaster will be transformed into a "rockin' music festival" experience by collaborating with "music's biggest stars."
Muppet*Vision 3D is one of the oldest attractions in Disney's Hollywood Studios, with its first opening in 1992. Meanwhile, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster opened in 1999 and is currently themed around the band Aerosmith. Addressing the upcoming change, Disney said in their official blog:
“There’s sure to be laughter, screams and new tunes for this attraction for fans to enjoy throughout the adventure and plenty of Muppets-themed merchandise on Sunset Boulevard!”
For those uninitiated, Jim Henson, the founder of The Jim Henson Company, created The Muppet Show which included various characters, like the legendary Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Dr. Teeth, and the Electric Mayhem.
Fans were displeased by the recent announcement, as the Muppet Courtyard was one of Jim Henson’s last projects. Henson was in negotiations to work on other projects with Disney after selling The Muppet characters to them; however, he tragically died in May 1990, with his final masterpieces in Disney World becoming a huge success. Reacting to the shift, one netizen commented:
"Jim henson doesn't deserve any of this."
Several others shared similar sentiments, with comments online reading:
“That’s a HUGE downgrade,” an X user said.
“Disneys mishandling of the muppets is something to be studied,” a platform user remarked.
“Why???? Monsters Inc is not as popular or as evergreen as The Muppets,” a netizen commented.
Many were dissatisfied with the change and opined that Disney World often treated Henson's creations poorly. Meanwhile, other reactions read:
“I’m literally going to chain myself to the miss piggy fountain,” an X user said.
“L move,” another user commented.
“Disney can go to hell,” a netizen stated.
The introduction of a Monsters, Inc. land comes as no surprise, as Disney has alluded to it in the past. They had seemingly hinted at opening Monsters, Inc. retail and dining locations, as per The Wrap's report dated November 22, 2024, however, official dates were not announced at the time. Meanwhile, other reactions online read:
“Does Disney even care about the Muppets? Because apparently the Muppets have been in a downward spiral lately,” an X user said.
“The amount of controversy over this. This is sad news,” another user commented.
“Exploring ways to preserve the film”: Disney reassures fans to preserve the sanctity of The Muppets
The Muppet*Vision 3D film has been a part of Disney’s park for years, since May 1991, and fans now wish to preserve Henson’s legacy. Meanwhile, Disney reassured fans in their official statement that they would preserve the film, as they shared:
“We are having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future.”
Screen Crush reported on November 22 that Disney will likely make it available on their streaming platform, with the Muppets Courtyard being removed from the park. However, the same has not been confirmed by the company yet.
The official date for the closure of the attractions was not revealed at the time of writing this article; however, Disney said in their official blog:
“There’s still enough time to catch a super-stretch limo to the Forum to enjoy Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and catch Muppet*Vision 3D again before their final curtain calls.”
Fans now await to see the transformation in the amusement park.
