Disney’s Latest Muppet*Vision Update Continues to Give Fans Hope
Last Friday, Muppet fans got the news that they had been dreading when Disney World announced that Muppet*Vision 3D would officially close on June 7 to make way for the new Monsters, Inc. land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
For those who don’t know, Muppet*Vision 3D has been a staple of Hollywood Studios since the show opened on May 16, 1991. In a park bereft of any opening-day attractions, Muppet*Vision was as close as Hollywood Studios has to a legacy attraction.
Muppet*Vision 3D
Perhaps more importantly, the film was also the last Muppet project that Jim Henson worked on before his untimely death in 1990. Muppet*Vision, then, was important not only to the generations of guests who had grown up with the attraction but to millions of Muppet fans around the world.
Disney Knows That Closing Muppet*Vision Is Unpopular
Knowing how beloved Muppet*Vision is, Disney has largely tip-toed around the attraction’s closure. When Josh D’Amaro took the stage at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, he specifically did not tell the audience that the new Monsters, Inc. land coming to Hollywood Studios would replace Muppet Courtyard.
Photo: The Walt Disney Company- Josh D’Amaro (Chairman; Disney Parks, Experiences and Products)
When Disney finally dropped the hammer months later, they went out of their way to soften the blow. To this end, the demise of Muppet Courtyard was paired with the revelation that Kermit and his friends were coming to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Additionally, Disney promised Muppet*Vision would be preserved in some form or fashion.
Concept Art by Disney
“As we move forward with these changes, we are having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future,” they said.
Muppet Fans Continue to Hold Out Hope
As part of their announcement that Muppet*Vision will permanently close in June, Disney reiterated that they are continuing to explore ways to preserve the film.
Photo: Disney
The Future of Muppet*Vision
With the Muppets set to move to Sunset Boulevard for the new iteration of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, fans have held out hope that Muppet*Vision will eventually move into Sunset Showcase.
Currently, Disney is developing Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After for the theater in Sunset Showcase. The theory, however, is that Disney will let the Villains show run its course, culminating with the opening of the new Disney Villains land at Magic Kingdom.
Photo: Disney
At that time, Disney would replace the show with the triumphant return of Muppet*Vision 3D, creating a new Muppet mini-land in the back of Sunset Boulevard.
While this would be the best outcome for Muppet fans (and the general theme of the park), the most likely scenario is that Disney simply adds Muppet*Vision 3D to Disney+.
Nevertheless, it will be a situation worth monitoring.
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