Disney Headlines for November 24th, 2024
This week’s Disney Headlines are entirely theme park-related.
So, let’s discuss the oddities of a Muppets roller coaster and Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
The Muppets Conundrum
Here, let’s start with something pleasant. Have you ever watched this Muppets video?
That’s a clip from the short-lived ABC series, The Muppets, which aired in 2015 and early 2016.
Disney+
ABC canceled the show in mid-season due to its lack of popularity, which is a recurring theme here.
Since Disney purchased The Muppets in 2004, the company has struggled to maintain mainstream success for these beloved characters.
Disney+
There was a modestly successful film in 2011, a less popular sequel in 2014, and this failed sitcom.
Since then, we’ve had a series that never came to fruition called Muppets Live Another Day, which had a stellar assemblage of talent.
Image Credit: @joshgad/Twitter
Josh Gad would have been one of the writers, while the husband/wife team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez would have created the music.
Folks, that’s basically a Frozen reunion right there! Somehow, the project never got off the ground, though.
Instead, Disney+ streamed Muppets Now, a six-episode series few watched, and The Muppets Mayhem, which told the story of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
Disney+ doesn’t release streaming numbers, but inside reports suggest that the performances were disappointing at best.
Credit: Disney
Perhaps the greatest Muppets success story of the past decade is the delightful Muppets Haunted Mansion, which is a personal Halloween favorite.
Still, the underlying point here is obvious. Disney keeps trying with The Muppets, yet nothing seems to work.
The company’s inability to charm new generations of kids into becoming Muppets fans has spilled over at the parks.
The lone Muppets attraction, Muppet*Vision 3D, rarely requires more than a 10-minute wait, with audiences usually half-full at best.
Jim Henson
Demand simply isn’t where it should be for Jim Henson’s final project, a 3-D interactive Muppets mini-movie.
The Muppets Fallout Continues
Last week, Disney finally revealed something that park officials lacked the courage to stay at the 2024 D23 Expo.
Muppet*Vision 3D will permanently close at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, presumably at some point in 2025.
Disney
That’s when construction begins on Monstropolis, the themed land based on the Monsters, Inc. franchise.
Disney hasn’t announced a final date for Muppet*Vision 3D, but we know it’s coming soon since Monstropolis construction begins in 2025.
And let’s just say that the outcry over the shutdown is near-unanimous.
Here are The Wrap and San Francisco Chronicle discussing the impending closure. And here is Cracked of all places assailing Disney.
In case you can’t read the one Twitter/X quote, it claims that nobody involved with Muppet*Vision’s closure is getting into Heaven.
That’s right. Fans are bringing theology and the afterlife into the conversation because they’re so averse to this decision.
It’s not like Disney didn’t know this was coming, either. As The Wrap’s Drew Taylor previously revealed, park officials were braced for this.
The original plans for D23 called for the announcement to come then. Fortunately, someone at Disney had the wisdom to intercede.
Photo: Disney
This savvy individual recognized that the outcry over Muppet*Vision 3D would negate any goodwill from Monstropolis.
They were right, and the worst part is that Disney spent three months trying to come up with a Plan B.
Photo: Disney
Nobody could do it. So, here we are with another classic attraction dying in a trade for an upcoming one.
On the bright side, we will receive a Muppets version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster as a consolation prize…and an excellent one at that.
Photo: Disney
To a larger point, Disney stalled on this announcement out of fear.
Based on what fans have said this week, the company needs to relocate Muppet*Vision quickly. Fans are ANGRY!
Making Sense of Premier Pass
Photo: Disney
When Disney announced the Lightning Lane Premier Pass, I wasn’t a fan.
Later, I tried the service and posted a fairly positive review.
Frozen Ever After
Frankly, Premier Pass would be phenomenal at half the price. At its current cost, the lack of a Park Hopper option is mystifying to me.
So, I’ve tried to learn everything I can about how well Premier Pass is performing at the parks.
Photo: Disney
From what I can tell, the results had been decidedly mixed…until this week.
On Thanksgiving Day, every Walt Disney World theme park has sold its allotment of Premier Passes.
Now, you may think, “Sure, but that’s a holiday.” And you’d be right, except for the fact that Premier Pass has sold out on other days this week, too.
Therefore, we have at least some anecdotal evidence that the new Lightning Lane option is selling better than expected.
Conversely, we just got a data point that states otherwise. Disney has expanded Premier Pass sales to all its official resorts.
Management wouldn’t do that if Premier Pass were selling well daily.
After all, one of the tactics here was to entice guests to stay at more expensive hotels.
As a reward for doing so, these tourists received access to Premier Pass. That was the thinking anyway.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Instead, Disney just allowed more than twice as many hotels to book Premier Passes.
The only logical conclusion for that is its sales haven’t met Disney’s projections yet.
Now that we’ve reached the busy season at the parks, Premier Pass sales should increase dramatically, as they appear to be.
However, Disney is more concerned about the even distribution of Premier Passes on all dates, not just during Thanksgiving Week.
Photo:visitorlando.com
So, this story is one to track. Thus far, Premier Pass has triggered some mixed signals.
Just for Fun
(Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)
I know I said this week would be park-exclusive, but I’ll throw in a fun little thing that may help you.
The Hill, which is largely a political site, just posted this story about Disney memorabilia.
Photo: Disney
Basically, you may be sitting on a goldmine with some of your Disney merch, whether you realize it or not.
So, I’d suggest you read the article and then maybe search a bit to learn whether you have anything valuable at home.
Photo: Washington Post
You may find you’ve got some stuff you’re not using that’s worth a bit of cash this holiday season! Good luck!
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Feature Photo: Sony
