Walt Disney World has announced Monsters, Inc. is replacing MuppetVision 3D. Unsurprisingly, there’s been a huge fan backlash to this news that a theme park classic and the capstone of Jim Henson’s career will go extinct…or will it?! Both Disney and the Henson companies have offered statements suggested that MuppetVision will, in fact, live on in some capacity. (Updated January 26, 2025.)
To quickly bring you up to speed, Walt Disney World has announced that they’ll be opening ‘new doors’ for Muppets and Monsters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On a positive note, this means the Muppets taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and replacing Aerosmith.
It also means MuppetVision 3D closing to make way for the Monsters, Inc. Doors Coaster and Monstropolis. Since the original announcement, Walt Disney World has followed up with phased closure dates for MuppetVision and the restaurants in Grand Avenue, which will all close by June 8, 2025.
However, there are reasons to remain cautiously optimistic, as Walt Disney World also said this in its original announcement: “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.”
Shortly thereafter, the Jim Henson Company released a statement that they were looking forward to the “next act” of MuppetVision 3D. While somewhat reassuring, it is worth noting that the Henson Company has no control over the future of MuppetVision, unless Disney offers them the show and they find somewhere to show it….which seems unlikely.
With the announcement of the closing date, there has been no further clarification as to what, exactly, this means. Because preserving the film and other parts of the experience is very ambiguous, and could be a very good thing…or a very underwhelming thing. Our best guess is that it skews towards the latter. Disney likely would’ve announced its intentions along with the closure date if there was an actual plan, and it were one that would blunt the blow of the upcoming attraction closure.
So let’s explore possibilities for a potential preservation or relocation of MuppetVision 3D, both within Walt Disney World and beyond…
Muppets Miniland (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
No good idea in Imagineering ever dies. That’s something I tell myself whenever I read about amazing unbuilt attraction concepts. That sentiment is also, from time to time, true. This very project is proof positive of that, since the Monsters, Inc. Doors Coaster is a project that was developed shortly after the first film came out, and the rumor of it happening has swirled in fan circles for (literally) two decades.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets could set the stage for the partial realization of the Muppets Studio land concept from the 1990s, back when Disney was on the precipice of acquiring the Henson Company. The land was supposed to feature not just MuppetVision 3D, but also a Great Muppet Movie Ride, plus two restaurants: “The Great Gonzo’s Pandemonium Pizza Parlor” and “Swedish Chef’s Cooking School.”
Obviously, MuppetVision 3D came to fruition (that’s why this post exists), and so too did the restaurants, albeit as Mama Melrose and what’s now PizzeRizzo (so in a roundabout way, that restaurant reimagining from several years ago was an example of a good idea never dying). The Great Muppet Movie Ride was supposed to be the anchor of the land, taking over the Backlot Theater space, and that did not happen in any form.
This Muppets miniland could still happen, albeit in very different form. Moving the Muppets to the back corner of Sunset Boulevard has a lot of potential. Reworking the entrance and queue to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster could open up this area, which could be a bona fide Muppets Studio land. Sunset Showcase could be replaced with another Muppets attraction once the Villains Magic Mirror Show is finished, and there’s probably also space for a restaurant, if needed.
At the very least, it could be a cohesive land, as opposed to what it currently is. Sunset Showcase feels tacked on, like it isn’t really part of the park. That’ll remain true once Villains Unfairly Ever After opens. This was always one of the big impediments to Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy finding more of an audience–it felt like you were leaving Sunset Boulevard and entering this makeshift area and venue.
Obviously, the impediment to this is that Villains Unfairly Ever After was just announced and has yet to even open. It’d be unlike Disney to replace something that’s still new, or even announce its replacement. This is already one of the tentpoles for Walt Disney World’s 2025 marketing campaign (although the competition isn’t exactly fierce).
However, as we’ve said from the day Villains Unhappily Ever After was announced, we view it as an interim show. It’s likely that Disney wants to do in-park market research on villains, while also freeing up that Lightning McQueen AA for Cars Land in Magic Kingdom. Once Villains Land opens in ~2030, it’s unlikely that Villains Unhappily Ever After has much of a future. It probably has a ~5 year shelf life, similar to Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy.
The chances of Walt Disney World moving MuppetVision to Sunset Showcase a few years after the previous version of the attraction closes nevertheless seem unlikely. The cloud of outrage will have long since passed. Since Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets is also probably a shorter-term overlay, they’ll face the same problem in another decade or so, with another wave of angry Muppets fans. From Disney’s perspective (not mine), it’s probably better to rip the band-aid off all at once.
From a fan perspective, a Muppets miniland at this awkward dead-end of Sunset Boulevard is the best possible realistic solution. It’s plausible, kills multiple birds with one stone, and makes Disney’s Hollywood Studios a better and more cohesive park. It is also the least likely to happen. Walt Disney World would be incurring considerable expense for a decades-old 3D film, and in an area of the park that is ripe for future redevelopment in the mid-2030s.
Mickey Shorts Theater (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
A more realistic home for MuppetVision is just around the corner in the Mickey Shorts Theater, which is currently home to the “Vacation Fun” animated Mickey Mouse short (hence the name) and some photo ops (including fan-favorite Potatoland).
This space isn’t as large as the theater that houses MuppetVision 3D, but it could be converted fairly easily to house a revamped and scaled-down version of MuppetVision. You’d likely lose some in-theater destruction and Statler & Waldorf, but it’s workable. It could even run in rotation with “Vacation Fun,” similar to what the France pavilion does.
The impediment to this, aside from cost (which applies to literally all of these), is that Mickey Shorts Theater is much newer than MuppetVision. It was made as a counterpart to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, so it’s only been around for 4 years. Also, it fills a valuable role as easy, air-conditioned family-friendly fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is rare.
Honestly, if we’re opening the door to various theaters that are disconnected from Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, we might as well expand our search beyond Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There’s at least one better candidate…
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (EPCOT)
As far as flexible theater spaces go for a modified MuppetVision, the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival is the ideal option. It’s one of our lowest ranked attractions in all of Walt Disney World, barely outperforming Star Wars Launch Bay (hmmm).
This isn’t necessarily because it’s bad; it’s because these are cartoon shorts that you could watch on Disney+ shown in a 3D theater with effects thrown into the mix. The shorts are delightful…when viewed at home. In the park, they’re nothing special. And this “attraction,” even though much newer than MuppetVision, has long outlived its shelf life.
We originally thought it was an interim film once Captain EO ended its second run but before the Journey into Imagination reimagining. We clearly thought wrong, because that was nearly a decade ago. With seemingly nothing else on the horizon at EPCOT, MuppetVision could give the park a bit of a spark with fans…kind of how Captain EO’s reprisal did previously!
Speaking of Journey into Imagination, it’s one of the reasons that MuppetVision would be perfect for the Magic Eye Theater. Armchair Imagineers talk about how Inside Out and other IPs would be complements to Figment. But really, the best fit would be the Muppets. The imaginative legacy of Jim Henson is perfect for the Imagination pavilion.
Monsters Laugh Floor (Magic Kingdom)
With Monstropolis coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland becomes redundant. I’m not sure how the Muppets pass as futuristic, but then again, the same could be said for Monsters, Inc. I’m sure Imagineers could concoct backstory or a framing device that passes muster.
On second thought…leave Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland (because who cares if franchises are represented in more than one park–see also, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, etc) and use that framing device to explain how Muppets have been invited to the Monster World to tell their jokes and power Monstropolis or whatever.
There’s no chance of MuppetVision moving to Tomorrowland. This was just an excuse to present that pivot.
Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
There have been rumors and speculation for years about the Muppets Presenting Hall of Presidents. Maybe that could finally happen, and additionally, MuppetVision could be presented in a rotation–similar to how Disneyland will soon run “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” and also “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.”
As I’ve said before, I’m not advocating for a Hall of Presidents replacement. I think it’s a great attraction. But I also suspect that the writing is on the wall, and it won’t exist a decade from now. If that’s the reality of its future, I would happily take a Muppetified version of the attraction as opposed to rolling the dice on a National Treasure: Book of Secrets 3D film or whatever random concept they choose to eventually replace Hall of Presidents.
Again, this one isn’t happening. Hall of Presidents will be replaced at some point, but it’s probably safe for at least the next 4-8 years.
Hollywood Backlot (Disney California Adventure)
MuppetVision was once shown at Disney California Adventure, but was replaced by Mickey’s PhilharMagic some time ago without any fanfare. (In hindsight, maybe there should’ve been more fanfare…but I think most fans figured that as long as the OG MuppetVision remained, all was fine.)
MuppetVision could be restored at Disneyland Resort, but I view this as unlikely. Mickey’s PhilharMagic has more mainstream appeal and is newer. Not only that, but we still don’t know where, exactly, Pandora is going (probably in this area!) or what portions of the current Hollywood Land it’ll eat up if it does go here.
Academy Museum (Los Angeles)
There are a handful of museums in California where MuppetVision could land. One of these is the new Academy Museum in Los Angeles, which has a Jim Henson exhibit. Another is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Sooner or later, there should probably be a Jim Henson Museum.
All of these options also seem unlikely, unless MuppetVision were to be presented in film-only form. Although an inexpensive attraction by Walt Disney World standards, the operational and upkeep expenses for MuppetVision would likely make it cost-prohibitive for the average museum. Even a well-endowed one backed by George Lucas or Hollywood power players.
With that said, there are a ton of celebrities who are diehard Muppets fans and have vanity projects throughout Southern California and beyond. Maybe one of them could save MuppetVision and operate it at a loss for fun! (Don’t laugh…there’s a whole documentary about how Trey Parker and Matt Stone blew over $40 million on a restaurant.)
Disney+ (Streaming Service)
In our heart of hearts, we all know this is where MuppetVision is ending up. It won’t be 3D and it won’t feature the in-theater effects and everything else, but it’ll be the film and pre-show as a bonus feature. Maybe they’ll even record a virtual reality version that puts viewers at home back inside the Muppet Theater. That could approximate the experience of being there far better than a simple Disney+ recording could.
I hate to be a debbie downer, but I think this is the most likely and realistic best-case scenario. Fans might think that preserving “other parts of the experience” means something more than just standard 2D source video of the film itself. And hopefully they’re right. But it could also mean saving props from the queue, the Audio Animatronics for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, or who knows what else.
It doesn’t hurt to hope for more or demand more from Disney, but I think recording and preserving the experience as an immersive or virtual reality experience is probably the best we can actually expect. Honestly, this would be so much better than most extinct attractions. It would also be more than Disney normally releases–we know there’s high-quality footage of many long lost rides and shows, but the company declines to release them. I’m not saying we should settle for this fate with MuppetVision–we shouldn’t. But we should also take some amount of solace in the likelihood that MuppetVision will probably be preserved and accessible long after it goes extinct.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you think MuppetVision 3D will be relocated within Walt Disney World? Think it’ll end up replacing another theater show? Or do you expect it to head somewhere else entirely outside the parks? Are you upset about the Muppets replacing Aerosmith, Monsters replacing MuppetVision, both or neither? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
