Say goodbye to the Muppets, friends, but not for a long time. The Muppets Vision 3D is being retired at Disney’s Hollywood Studios pretty soon, giving place to a whole new area inspired by Monster Inc. The Rock N’ Roller Coaster is also changing, with Steven Tyler and the Aerrosmith giving bye bye and giving place to the… Muppets...?
Yes, Kermit and company are keeping busy, as they will still have a place to stay at one of Disney World’s best parks. Today, Disney has announced that the classic 3D movie theater Muppets 3D will close down and the Rock N’ Roller Coaster is changing themes.
Goodbye 3D theater, hello roller coaster
That’s honestly not very surprising, considering that Muppets 3D is one of the oldest 3D movies in any theme park. Seriously, this ride is just as old as I am, and I am almost four decades old. Ouch. It was Henson’s last work before he passed away in 1990, and is probably the first ever 3D theater at the Happiest Place on Earth in Florida.
Muppet Vision 3D is a very charming attraction, even if it feels a bit dated by today’s standards. Guests have stopped visiting it, and it was very rare for the ride to have wait times longer than ten minutes. Changes were needed, especially since the large theater took up a significant amount of space in Hollywood Studios.
Disney has also promised to keep the 3D video alive in some form - the one that plays during the attraction and features Kermit and friends playing with 3D technology. Since this was Jim Henson’s final work, it makes sense that the short video is beloved by Muppet fans everywhere.
Thank you, Steven!
The Muppets are leaving their theater and moving to the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, replacing Aerosmith. Rumors that Aerosmith was leaving Hollywood Studios aren’t exactly new, and now we have confirmation that Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and the rest of the band are finally retiring from Disney World. It makes sense for Disney to put the Muppets there, since they save some money as the owners of that IP, and they can update the ride, giving it a fresh coat of paint and inviting more and more guests to enjoy it.
I don’t expect anything truly revolutionary when the Muppets take over the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but I do wonder what kind of music will play. One of my favorite things about the coaster was listening to Walk This Way and Love in an Elevator during the ride, but I don’t think we’ll be hearing Steven Tyler’s lovely voice anymore. Maybe Disney will feature some rock classics instead?
Okay, here’s an idea, Mickey: let us ride it while listening to Through the Fire and Flames, or create brand new rock versions of classic Disney songs.
Thank me later, Bob.
