Brian Henson has confirmed that the way forward for MuppetVision 3D entails AppleVision, with the defunct Walt Disney World attraction coming to the VR headset. This shares the newest developments post-closing of Muppet Courtyard, plus our commentary and hopes for the way forward for the attraction to discover a new house at Hollywood Studios.
MuppetVision 3D acquired an excellent 13-hour finale final June, with Walt Disney World sending off the attraction totally on a excessive observe. It was a becoming farewell to the enduring attraction (for now?), and Heather Henson was the final visitor to enter the final public demonstration of MuppetVision 3D.
Work started nearly instantly to remodel the closed Muppets Courtyard into Monstropolis. Many of the progress that’s seen as of Winter 2026 has been laying the groundwork for the huge Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster gravity constructing exterior the park. It’s additionally attainable to see work on the facade of the previous theater and, based mostly on new public data, Walt Disney World is spending $22 million on the MuppetVision theater transformation to organize for a brand new Monsters, Inc. stage present.
Quick-forward to late February 2026, and the newest improvement is that Brian Henson has confirmed that MuppetVision 3D is coming Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. This isn’t the primary time that he’s recommended that the attraction’s future past Walt Disney World would contain the VR world.
Brian Henson is the son of Muppets creator Jim Henson and present chairman of The Jim Henson Firm. His newest feedback had been made throughout a Q&A session following a efficiency of his improv puppet comedy present, Puppet Up!, presently working at The Montalbán theater in Los Angeles.
In the course of the Q&A, Henson reiterated that Disney’s staff did an intensive job capturing MuppetVision 3D for the VR expertise, in line with The Every day Dot. Henson added that customers will be capable to sit in any seat in the home whereas watching the present, with the power to alter their viewpoint at any time.
When requested about his opinion on MuppetVision’s future, Henson joked: “It’s higher than it not coming to VR!”
It’s price noting that the Walt Disney Firm was an early adopter of Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. The 2 corporations partnered to offer a devoted Disney+ expertise on the VR machine, and Disney+ subscribers can transport themselves into iconic places whereas watching content material on the Apple headset.
These environments are high-resolution digital areas with real looking soundscapes and hidden particulars. Apple and Disney introduced the partnership again in 2024 and shared lofty expectations. Very similar to Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional itself, these have largely not been realized.
Neither Henson nor Disney have supplied a timetable for when MuppetVision will likely be supplied in AppleVision.
This aligns with Henson has beforehand teased about the way forward for MuppetVision.
Throughout an interview with TheaterMania final summer time, Henson was requested whether or not MuppetVision 3D is gone from the theme parks for good? Right here’s his response:
“They wrapped [MuppetVision 3D] up in the best way Disney does, the place all the things is recorded for historic functions and all of the animatronics are packed away completely. So, theoretically, they may convey it again out in the event that they needed to sooner or later.
From the get-go, they designed it in order that 500 folks might undergo each 25 minutes. It was one probably the most extremely skilled sights, I feel, that Disney ever made. And I used to be very unhappy to see it getting wrapped up.”
A bit irrelevant, however I’d extremely advocate studying the entire interview in TheaterMania. There are some nice tidbits in there about Muppet Christmas Carol, and the director’s dispute with Disney concerning the closing reduce of the movie.
Across the time of the closure, the subject of MuppetVision got here up throughout a Walt Disney Household Museum occasion celebrating the Jim Henson Firm’s seventieth Anniversary. Throughout that, Lisa Henson acknowledged the Henson Firm is “in discussions” with Disney about bringing the beloved movie to VR.
Henson added that MuppetVision was documented utilizing VR cameras earlier than the attraction closed completely, suggesting that preservation efforts are nicely underway and {that a} public launch could possibly be on the horizon.
That fueled optimism that the fan-favorite attraction could reside on in digital actuality by way of gadgets like Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. That is hardly stunning, but it surely’s nonetheless reassuring to listen to from Lisa Henson herself.
Shortly earlier than the attraction closed, a filming occasion was held by Imagineering to archive MuppetVision 3D. The occasion invited choose Solid Members to register for the occasion, the place they served because the in-theater viewers throughout the recording of the combined media present.
On the time, Walt Disney World would solely affirm that Imagineering was digitally recording the total present of MuppetVision 3D. No preservation plans had been confirmed at the moment–solely that the recorded footage would make sure the attraction is documented for any potential future makes use of.
Henson has now confirmed a kind of future makes use of–a digital actuality Apple adaptation! That is no large shock, as we’ve mentioned that chance beforehand in The place Will MuppetVision 3D Be Relocated?
One other latest improvement is the smash success of The Muppet Present revival that debuted in early 2026. The particular occasion drew 7.58M+ multiplatform viewers inside eight days, doubling its preliminary ABC viewers. The particular achieved a 98% essential ranking, topped Disney+ film charts, and rejuvenated the franchise, doubtlessly serving as a backdoor pilot for a brand new sequence. In nearly each conceivable approach, it’s been an enormous hit that has exceeded expectations.
Though I’ve been skeptical and cynical about MuppetVision’s future in-park prospects, just about all the things that has occurred for the reason that closure of MuppetVision has been reassuring. It provides me hope that there are such a lot of Muppets followers inside the Walt Disney Firm and all through Hollywood, however particularly inside Imagineering.
There are high-profile folks championing the Muppets and MuppetVision inside Disney, which is probably going how we acquired the ‘olive department’ of Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring the Muppets within the first place. Based mostly on all the things we’ve heard about that attraction up to now (Audio Animatronics within the pre-show!), it seems increasingly like that attraction isn’t only a 5-year stopgap till they’re prepared for one thing Marvelous. Whereas these Imagineers and others misplaced the battle to save lots of MuppetVision, it’s nonetheless attainable they’ll win the conflict.
We’re hoping this retains the door open for Muppets Courtyard 2.0 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
So much hinges on the reimagined Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring the Muppets, which debuts at DHS this summer time after the eviction of Aerosmith. The success of that journey and The Muppet Present revival particular improve the chance of Muppets Courtyard (revival) that includes a MuppetVision 3D (revival) as soon as Villains Unfairly Ever After ends, which we assume will occur across the time that Villains Land opens at Magic Kingdom
On the very least, it could possibly be a cohesive land, versus what it presently is. Sundown Showcase feels tacked on, prefer it isn’t actually a part of the park. This has all the time been the most important impediments to exhibits on this venue (now Villains and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy it) discovering extra of an viewers–it felt such as you had been leaving Sundown Boulevard and coming into this makeshift space and venue.
Right here’s hoping that we’re standing on the precipice of a bona fide Muppet-aissance. That we glance again at 2026 a long time from now because the yr when the Muppets began as soon as once more dominating popular culture; because the second when Muppets’ fortunes modified!
For reference, right here’s the unique official assertion on the closure of MuppetVision 3D from the Jim Henson Firm that was made in late 2024:
Jim Henson’s closing undertaking was Muppet*Imaginative and prescient 3D, now thought to be a real theme park basic. Innovation was all the time Jim Henson’s north star, and his trailblazing profession led him to a novel problem: a very immersive Muppet expertise the place audiences are a part of the pleased chaos of the enduring Muppet Present.
Initially debuting in 1991, Muppet*Imaginative and prescient 3D mixed 3D expertise with real-world sensible results, alongside animatronic and reside Muppet characters. The consequence was a one-of-a-kind Jim Henson expertise, and an unforgettable capstone to Jim’s magnificent profession. As we be taught of the present’s upcoming closure in its present type at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we look ahead to Muppet*Imaginative and prescient 3D’s subsequent act.
And now, our commentary about why it’s important for MuppetVision 3D to reside on, because it’s an necessary piece of American popular culture, Walt Disney World historical past, and extra…
MuppetVision 3D was final undertaking that Jim Henson personally labored on, as he handed away on Could 16, 1990. The present was completed after his passing by Henson’s longtime collaborators, however bears his fingerprints and trademark humor and coronary heart throughout it.
Jim Henson could not have the identical stature as Walt Disney, however for a big swath of People of a sure age, they’re regarded equally. Each ‘American Originals’ who broke the mould, with few extra impactful inventive folks in our nation’s historical past.
MuppetVision 3D is actually the final legacy of Jim Henson, and when folks (like me) say it’s culturally important and ought to be handled as such, we aren’t kidding. MuppetVision 3D is a main instance of theme parks as artwork and nationwide heritage.
Take into account this excerpt from Jim Henson: The Biography:
“Disney can be good for the Muppets as nicely. If there was any group that knew protect and promote iconic characters past the lifetimes of their respective creators, it was the Walt Disney Firm.
For Jim, discovering such an acceptable house for the Muppets was necessary…and if he couldn’t all the time are inclined to their well-being, he needed to make sure they had been with another person who would. ‘Trying approach again down the highway to after I cease sitting in my rocking chair and dealing Kermit the Frog, I actually like the concept of characters residing on within the Disney parks,’ mentioned Jim. ‘It’s a beautiful future for these characters. It’s as near an everlasting life as just a little inexperienced frog can get.’”
Whereas there’s some fact to the superficial sentiment that “Disney just isn’t a museum” that’s bandied about by followers, there’s additionally fact to the notion that some sights are untouchable. Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and “it’s a small world” all would absolute match this invoice. Amongst a sure section of followers, this additionally extends to MuppetVision 3D.
I’m a kind of followers, and no resolution of the final a number of years pains me as a lot because the closure of MuppetVision 3D. Whereas I admire that it has been preserved and can reside on for the .00000001% of the inhabitants that owns an Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, I actually hope that we see it revived at Walt Disney World.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider MuppetVision coming to Apple Imaginative and prescient? Suppose there’s any likelihood of MuppetVision 3D being relocated inside Walt Disney World or exterior the parks? What do you consider Monstropolis changing MuppetVision? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
