The worst case scenario has become reality. Disney announced today that it will destroy the classic Muppets and MuppetVision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make way for a new Monsters Inc. land and attraction. The company also announced that the modern Muppets (led horrifically by Matt Vogel as Kermit The Frog) will replace Aerosmith in Rockin’ Rollercoaster.
The announcement dropped this morning on the Disney Parks Blog, with company writers doing their best to pretend that this is somehow good news.
“Building off the exciting announcements from last summer’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the new land will include the coaster we’ve all dreamed of – a suspended ride recreating the door vault scene – plus dining and shopping and a whole new theater show,” the Disney Parks Blog said. “To make way for the monsters, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and more of their friends will be moving right along to Sunset Boulevard! But there’s more to the story: The Muppets will be taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, teaming up with some of music’s biggest stars for a rockin’ music festival!”
The Parks Blog also shared a look at the concept art for the new location, complete with a takeover of the Muppet Theater.
Concept Art for the Monsters Inc. Land that’s replacing MuppetVision 3D – Disney Parks Blog
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MuppetVision 3D is the final project worked on by Jim Henson before his untimely death in 1990. It’s the last time he played the role of Kermit The Frog.
MuppetVision 3D is, simply put, the legacy of Jim Henson. It’s a trip into the Muppet Theater where guests can gape up at Statler and Waldorf heckling the show. It features one of the very best pre-show staging areas in all of Disney Parks, put together painstakingly by Disney Imagineers (back when that was a sign of excellence) and Henson creatives.
But none of that matters to Disney’s smirking parks and experiences head honcho Josh D’Amaro, who seems all too happy to spit on the ashes of Henson’s final work despite there being a large empty space just across the park in the animation courtyard. Of course, D’Amaro didn’t personally announce that he was bulldozing The Muppets for Monsters Inc. during his two presentations on the new attraction.
A screenshot of Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios via DocumentDisney YouTUbe
This space currently features the Star Wars Launch Bay, a useless area that displays replica ships from the Star Wars films and features two character meet and greet locations that could be easily relocated. It also has the Disney Jr. Live on Stage theater which has sat empty for years since the show’s cancellation. The space is now reserved for dance parties.
A former Disney animator recently let it slip that Disney was planning on using the Animation Courtyard for the monsters, but that information was either false, or Disney changed its mind.
However, there are executive offices behind the courtyard, and rumors have been swirling that Disney higher ups were pushing back because they didn’t want to lose their posh workspace.
And so, for that, MuppetVision 3D and the legacy of Jim Henson must be destroyed.
The Disney Parks Blog also tried to spin this as a positive, touting the Muppet overlay of Rockin’ Rollercoaster.
A poster for the Muppet overlay of Rockin’ Rollercoaster – Disney Parks Blog
“We know so many of you share our love for The Muppets and know their energy will be a perfect fit for this coaster,” Disney said. “Plus, as the first Disney ride ever to feature The Muppets, 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!
Of course, this attraction won’t feature classic Muppet performers. Disney drove Frank Oz, Henson’s right hand man who originated Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy, away from the property long ago.
A screenshot of Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios via DocumentDisney YouTUbe
“I’d love to do the Muppets again but Disney doesn’t want me,” Oz said. “They don’t want me because I won’t follow orders and I won’t do the kind of Muppets they believe in.”
Disney also fired Henson’s hand-picked replacement, Steve Whitmire, from performing the roles of Kermit the Frog and Rizzo the Rat. They replaced him as Kermit with Matt Vogel, a man whose atrocious performance has utterly ruined the character for old school Muppet fans the world over. Disney seems to know that too. Since Vogel took over the role, the company hasn’t featured Kermit in a lead role for any Muppet project.
There was also a MuppetVision 3D in Disneyland, but Disney closed it down in 2014.
What do you think about Disney getting rid of Jim Henson’s legacy? Should The Muppets be abandoned for Monsters Inc.? Do you think Josh D’Amaro cares? Could this Rockin’ Rollercoaster overlay actually be any good? Sound off and let us know!
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