Walt Disney World has introduced the deadlines of Grand Avenue at Hollywood Studios, with the sights and eating places in Muppet Courtyard, together with the Mama Melrose and PizzeRizzo eating places, in addition to MuppetVision 3D. Right here’s every little thing we learn about when these experiences will completely shut in 2025, together with ideas on what this implies for the development timelines and every little thing else.
In case you’re new to this saga, that is a part of an enormous shakeup at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that started with the announcement of a Monsters Inc. Door Coaster and Monstropolis miniland again on the D23 Expo final 12 months. What was not introduced was the place it’d go, with the entrance runners on the time being Animation Courtyard or Muppet Courtyard. Animation Courtyard appeared just like the apparent selection as a consequence of its useless mall vibes and housing nothing of worth.
Sadly, you’re studying this text so the loser within the Monstropolis sweepstakes was Muppet Courtyard. Walt Disney World has introduced that they’ll be opening ‘new doorways’ for Muppets and Monsters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On a constructive be aware, this implies the Muppets taking up Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster and changing Aerosmith.
It additionally means MuppetVision 3D closing to make means for the Monsters, Inc. Doorways Coaster and Monstropolis. Nonetheless, there are causes to stay cautiously optimistic, as Walt Disney World additionally mentioned this: “As we transfer ahead with these adjustments, we’re having artistic conversations and exploring methods to protect the movie and different components of the expertise for followers to take pleasure in sooner or later.”
Shortly thereafter, the Jim Henson Firm launched a press release that they have been trying ahead to the “subsequent act” of MuppetVision 3D after it vacated its present location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
That brings us to at present’s information, which is that Walt Disney World has introduced the closure dates of the impacted choices.
To make means for the monsters, the Grand Avenue space will start a part closing in Might 2025. The final day to dine at Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano will probably be on Might 10, 2025. Following that, Muppet*Imaginative and prescient 3D and PizzeRizzo will shut, with the final day to expertise each places on June 7, 2025.
However, the Muppet foolishness doesn’t cease there — Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and extra of their buddies will probably be shifting proper alongside to Sundown Boulevard! The Muppets will probably be taking up Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, teaming up with a few of music’s greatest stars for a rockin’ music pageant!
Walt Disney World has not offered a time limit for Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith, nor opening dates for something.
My sturdy suspicion is that the Muppet Mayhem reimagining of Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster isn’t that far in improvement. The idea in all probability didn’t obtain the greenlight till shortly earlier than the announcement was made final vacation season, and wishes extra time earlier than work is able to start.
I nonetheless would count on Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster to shut in its present incarnation and reopen because the Muppets Mayhem model earlier than Monstropolis. Being a curler coaster at the hours of darkness with minimal props, there’s in all probability a good quantity of prepwork that could possibly be executed after hours whereas the attraction remains to be operational with out friends noticing. The trickier adjustments will occur within the queue and pre-show.
Regardless, the turnaround time on a Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster reimagining needs to be 6 months or much less.
Disney beforehand indicated that work would begin on Monstropolis in 2025. Our expectation has been that the miniland and Monsters, Inc. Doorways Coaster would open in 2028, versus earlier or later.
Whereas Disney has but to substantiate this, Monstropolis is the only venture of the foremost new lands, so it’ll virtually assuredly open earlier than Automobiles Land and Villains Land in Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World possible desires a cadence of 1 new huge addition coming on-line per 12 months–and we already know Tropical Americas is debuting in 2027. That places Monstropolis in 2028 by means of elimination.
The massive shock of this information is how quickly MuppetVision–and every little thing else, for that matter–is closing.
Our earlier expectation was that the present visitor areas would stay open via at the very least Summer season 2025 and shut within the low season on the earliest. Perhaps someday in September, maybe instantly after the Vacation spot D23 fan occasion.
Our hope was that we’d have a good longer goodbye, with MuppetVision 3D not closing till someday in early 2026, if not even later than that. In any case, there’s an incredible quantity of labor that must be executed backstage. The development of the curler coaster and gravity constructing round that, together with the queue and facade for the Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster, all will take for much longer than making ready the MuppetVision theater for a brand new present.
It appeared doable that Walt Disney World would pull from an identical playbook as is getting used with Dinoland USA, the place Dino-Rama simply closed to get replaced by the Encanto Madrigal Casita darkish experience–a brand new construct–however the place DINOSAUR and every little thing else that’s simply being reimagined or repurposed received’t shut till early 2026.
With Monstropolis presumably debuting in 2028, it stood to cause that MuppetVision would have much more time because it’s assumed to be one other extra easy reimagining. Given every little thing we thought we knew, it wouldn’t have been unrealistic for MuppetVision to shut in early 2027. Properly, we thought flawed.
There are a few doable explanations for this. The primary is that Walt Disney World administration feels that Disney’s Hollywood Studios doesn’t want the capability provided by the eating places and MuppetVision over the course of the following couple of years and is choosing the longer closure to save lots of working bills. (Whereas DINOSAUR and the remnants of Dinoland are integral to the already gentle lineup at Animal Kingdom.)
This wouldn’t shock me within the least. It’s frequent observe for Walt Disney World to seek out methods to save lots of on working bills at occasions when capital expenditures are growing. On prime of that, it’s unlikely that there will probably be any natural development this 12 months at Walt Disney World, so the corporate will resort to cost-cutting to attain no matter targets it might need.
The second chance is that this venture is extra concerned than beforehand thought, and it’s not a easy repurposing of the present restaurant, retail, and attraction areas.
This could possibly be the case, however we doubt it. The idea artwork strongly suggests we’re getting one-for-one replacements of those eating places and a brand new present within the MuppetVision theater. It doesn’t appear to be they don’t seem to be being basically remodeled.
I absolutely count on the desk service Mama Melrose to grow to be the desk service Harryhausen’s. It’s possible that PizzeRizzo goes to reimagined right into a counter service restaurant with an similar footprint in a fashion just like the conversion of Pizza Planet into PizzeRizzo. And MuppetVision will possible grow to be a brand new present. There’s nothing within the latest Monstropolis idea artwork (above) to recommend any main structure adjustments to Muppet Courtyard/Grand Avenue.
A last chance is that Disney has opted to fast-track Monstropolis, or at the very least a portion of it, and it has leapfrogged Tropical Americas for a 2026 opening. Or that each will debut in 2027, however with Monstropolis within the first half of the 12 months and Tropical Americas within the second half.
Disney fast-tracking tasks would defy current traits, however it definitely is doable, particularly if the corporate anticipates building prices rising. So there is perhaps motivation to frontload a few of this work, versus backloading every little thing. This coupled with the operational cost-savings of shuttering Grand Avenue venues throughout a timeframe they received’t be “wanted” strikes me as essentially the most believable clarification.
The whole thing of Monstropolis opening in 2026 strikes me as not possible–and Walt Disney World has possible discovered its lesson about doing phased openings after this space’s subsequent door neighbor, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, fell flat upon its partial opening in mid-2019. My greatest guess is that Monstropolis remains to be coming after 2026, with the one query being whether or not it’s now a 2027 venture or nonetheless 2028.
Exterior of Monstropolis, the closure of MuppetVision has implications for the remainder of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Walt Disney World purposefully selecting totally different deadlines for Mama Melrose and MuppetVision suggests to us that the brand new Villains Unfairly Ever After and Little Mermaid stage exhibits will debut someday after Might 10–and doubtless proper round June 7, 2025.
Our expectation for some time has been that Walt Disney World may have some splashy summer time celebration that bundles the brand new DHS stage exhibits with Disney Starlight Night time Parade and different thriller leisure at EPCOT and/or Animal Kingdom. The chances-on favourite for all of that debuting has at all times been round Memorial Day, however every week earlier than or after that will make sense.
I’m nonetheless hopeful that every one of that rolls out prior to Memorial Day, identical to what Disneyland is doing with the seventieth celebration and return of Paint the Night time. Not solely does that supply a launch valve on opening evening/week crowds by pulling ahead demand into shoulder season, however it could additionally give diehard followers who plan journeys round Starlight an opportunity to say their goodbyes to MuppetVision on the similar time. So selfishly, I’m nonetheless hoping that is what occurs.
As for commentary past that, I’m principally simply heartbroken.
I’ve principally come to phrases with MuppetVision completely closing, at the very least at Walt Disney World, and not being relocated to the Creativeness pavilion at EPCOT or the Mickey Shorts Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Although I do assume there are pretty apparent underutilized areas at Walt Disney World the place MuppetVision could be an asset.
I’ve wished to carry out hope that if sufficient passionate followers make their voices heard, plans would change. That if the gang will get collectively and places on a present to lift $10 million, they’ll save the present. In my coronary heart, I do know all of that isn’t true. Walt Disney World and Imagineering took their time on this one as a result of they wished to guage all doable choices and suggestions, and that is the conclusion of the saga–not a place to begin for a narrative about saving MuppetVision.
However, I believed all of us had extra time to say goodbye to MuppetVision 3D. I actually anticipated this to be a terrific summer time–Disney Starlight Night time Parade and the brand new exhibits at Disney’s Hollywood Studios debuting, and saying goodbye to the entire departing stuff. Opening one chapter and shutting one other, so to talk.
I used to be assured about MuppetVision sticking round into 2026, particularly as soon as it was confirmed DINOSAUR wouldn’t go extinct till then. In any case, if DINOSAUR being reimagined into Indiana Jones Journey will solely take 16-18 months, why on earth would remodeling MuppetVision 3D into a unique present take longer than that?
The reply is that it received’t, so hopefully Walt Disney World has a very good cause for this strategy, somewhat than simply shuttering Muppet Courtyard early to economize. That might be insult on prime of harm for a lot of longtime followers.
Past that, I’m undecided what else to even say–so I’ll simply repeat what I’ve written earlier than. It’s no secret that we’re large followers of MuppetVision 3D, and think about it alongside the OG Nation Bear Jamboree as one in every of Walt Disney World’s candidates for UNESCO World Heritage Websites.
It’s not possible for me to be unbiased in the case of MuppetVision, however I personally imagine that it nonetheless stands the check of time. It’s not only a easy 3D movie, it’s really an attraction and the funniest at Walt Disney World.
The creative significance of MuppetVision 3D is sort of immeasurable. It owns a particular place in each Walt Disney World historical past and American tradition. It’s one of many final tasks that Muppet creator Jim Henson was concerned in previous to his passing. It’s extensively thought to be an exemplar of Muppet humor and storytelling; a real masterpiece and murals.
Lastly, I need to as soon as once more direct your consideration to this excerpt from Jim Henson: The Biography: “Disney could be good for the Muppets as nicely. If there was any group that knew find out how to protect and promote iconic characters past the lifetimes of their respective creators, it was the Walt Disney Firm.”
“For Jim, discovering such an acceptable residence for the Muppets was essential…and if he couldn’t at all times are likely to their well-being, he wished to make sure they have been with another person who would. ‘Wanting means again down the street to once I cease sitting in my rocking chair and dealing Kermit the Frog, I actually like the thought of characters residing on within the Disney parks,’ mentioned Jim. ‘It’s an exquisite future for these characters. It’s as near an everlasting life as somewhat inexperienced frog can get.’”
Whereas there’s some fact to the superficial sentiment that “Disney isn’t a museum” that’s bandied about by followers and the corporate to justify in any other case poor choices, 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 match this invoice. Amongst a sure phase of followers, this additionally extends to MuppetVision 3D. I’m a kind of followers, so I’m fairly heartbroken about this information. That’s nonetheless the case though this does include a comfort prize: Muppets taking up Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you shocked that MuppetVision 3D and every little thing else in Muppet Courtyard is closing so quickly…or did you count on this? What do you consider Monstropolis changing MuppetVision? Is that this addition nonetheless “price it” to you now that it’s changing Grand Avenue and MuppetVision 3D? Ideas on preserving the movie in some way? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
