Sad word from Walt Disney World this morning as the reliable folks at ToughPigs report that Muppet*Vision 3D, and indeed the entire Muppets courtyard at Disney Hollywood Studios, will be closed down in 2025, to make way for a Monsters, Inc.-themed corner of the park.
And that’s a shame. Muppet*Vision 3D is one of the last projects to have a bit of Jim Henson’s DNA embedded in it, as it was (mostly) completed shortly before his death in May 1990, even as he was still negotiating the sale of his company to Disney. (In fact, as you can read in Jim Henson: The Biography, Jim and the Muppet crew were hard at work on the attraction without any kind of formalized agreement in place, beyond a handshake between Jim and Disney CEO Michael Eisner–a remarkable show of good faith that got bogged down in details such as Jim’s fee for directing the film for the attraction.) With Jim’s passing, and the deal with Disney ultimately scuttled, plans were abandoned for a Muppet-themed corner of the park, which would have included restaurants and a dark ride called “The Great Muppet Movie Ride”, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of classic movies in which all the information was wrong–a concept that made Jim Henson howl with laughter.
After finally acquiring the Muppets in the early 2000s, Disney kept promising it would take good care of the franchise in the park, but only half-heartedly tinkered with the area over the next two decades. Ultimately, it seemed Disney’s heart was never quite in it–and lacking a certified, gigantic, breakaway Muppets big screen hit, I’m disappointed, but not surprised that Disney has opted to hand a prime piece of park real estate over to a bigger franchise. That means packing up the Muppets and all their accoutrements, including the iconic Miss Piggy fountain at the center of the Muppets Pavilion.
What’s truly sad is that Jim Henson himself had such high hopes for the Muppets at Disney, a company he admired and trusted. “I really like the idea of my characters living on in the Disney parks,” he wrote. “It’s a wonderful future for these characters. It is as close to an eternal life as a little green frog can get.” He had big plans for the Muppets at Walt Disney World, and had loved working with the Disney Imagineers, who usually responded to his crazy ideas with when do you need it? and rarely with no.
Is all lost? Not quite yet. Disney also announced that it’ll be re-theming the fantastically fun, but lamely themed, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith (which, let’s face it, was barely cool thematically when it opened in 1999). Based on the gorgeous concept art, it looks to be focusing on the Electric Mayhem, which makes sense and could be the set up for a seriously wacky experience. And as others have pointed out, the coaster also has its own dedicated merchandise shop as you step off of the ride, which would make a nice home for Muppet stuff in the park.
What else? There are also rumors that Disney is trying to find a home for Muppet*Vision 3D and the Miss Piggy Fountain (hey, how about giving the Muppet Theater a spot on Main Street? Its vaudevillian, old school vibe would be right at home….) Also, remember that quote up there just above: Jim Henson himself said that he liked the idea of his characters living on in the Disney theme parks. Under the new arrangement, the characters are still living on in the parks; we’ll just have to get used to seeing them some place different, trying something new. Which was pretty much one of Jim Henson’s mantras: try something new.
We’ll miss Muppet*Vision 3D, just as we miss what might’ve been in the Muppet pavilion. But we’re gonna try something new.
Brian Jay Jones 