Muppet*Vision 3D to Close, Muppets to Take Over Nearby Ride

Muppet*Vision 3D will close at Walt Disney World, ending months of fan outcry following TheWrap’s exclusive report back in August that Walt Disney World management and Walt Disney Imagineering, the arm of the company responsible for the theme parks, were mulling the fate of the Jim Henson attraction.

Disney on Friday revealed that Muppet*Vision 3D, a 15-minute 3D movie featuring the Muppets, will indeed shut down, along with the rest of what was once known as Muppet Courtyard. Additionally, a re-theme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, located in the same park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has been announced. The attraction that was previously themed to Aerosmith will soon get a Muppet-y overlay, at least giving the Muppet characters a place elsewhere in the park. Hey, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem know how to rock.

“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!” the official Disney Parks Blog read.

Disney released vague concept art of the area, which will see the arrival of a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed coaster and a new theater show in the former Muppets Theater. When the “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land was announced at this summer’s D23, additional retail and dining locations were also alluded to (and clearly visible in the concept art). Currently, the land has a Rizzo the Rat-themed pizza place with notoriously subpar pizza. Could it soon become Harryhausen’s, the sushi place from “Monsters, Inc.?”

Disney did say of Muppet*Vision 3D that they were “having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future.” The attraction had been cloned in California for Disney California Adventure. It closed in 2014 to make way for a “Frozen” sing-along, and more recently, a West Coast version of Mickey’s PhilharMagic, an animated 3D show. Could Muppet*Vision return to the Disneyland Resort?

There are a few reasons why fans are so upset about the removal of the attraction. For one, there really wasn’t anything else like it. It was a 3D movie that combined live performers (including classic Muppet character Sweetums), animatronics, in-theater effects and projection mapping for a truly one-of-a-kind experience. The attraction opened in 1991 and for pure creativity alone, it has never been finished.

But for most, the real loss is the fact that this was one of the last projects that Jim Henson worked on and the last time he performed as Kermit. Henson died in 1990. The 3D attraction was meant to be one of the first of many Muppet projects at the theme parks. At the time of his death, he was in advanced negotiations to sell his company, including the Muppet characters, to Disney. Disney’s then-CEO, Michael Eisner, had been a great supporter of Henson’s, dating back to Eisner’s days as an executive at ABC, and Henson looked forward to being able to exclusively worry about creative projects, without the need to fret about financials (he would have been put on a retainer for 15 years following the sale). When he suddenly fell ill and passed away, the deal was deemed too complicated and costly for the family. At one point, they threatened to prevent the attraction from opening.

Fortunately, it did open, almost exactly a year following Henson’s death. It would be his final masterpiece – and a huge success. It was such a hit, in fact, that a version was seriously considered to replace Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln on Main Street. It eventually wound up across the esplanade, opening with the rest of Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. The Muppets eventually became part of the Disney portfolio in 2004.

No time frame for the attraction’s closure – and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s re-theme – have been announced. But next time you’re at Walt Disney World, you might want to pay your respects.