Walt Disney World Resort’s third theme park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, looked quite a bit different on Sunday after the permanent closure of Muppet*Vision 3D on Saturday, June 7. The shuttered attraction and entire surrounding land, the Muppets Courtyard, was completely blocked from guests. A Disney cast member stood guard to prevent visitors from entering the area.
Rumors of Muppet*Vision 3D’s demise trickled out after D23 Expo 2024, when Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced that a Monsters, Inc. (2001) themed land and door roller coaster were coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Early concept art suggested that Walt Disney Imagineers hadn’t decided whether to put the Pixar-themed area in the Muppets Courtyard or the Animation Courtyard. Many Disney Parks fans begged Imagineering to leave Jim Henson’s last major project alone.
Muppet*Vision 3D’s fate was sealed last fall when Walt Disney World Resort officially announced that the Monsters, Inc. land would take over Muppets Courtyard and much of Grand Avenue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The 3D show would close, as well as PizzeRizzo and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano.
However, this wasn’t the end for the Muppets in Central Florida. Imagineers promised to retheme Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith around The Muppets Mayhem, a musical television series available on Disney+.
On June 7, thousands of guests flocked to experience Muppet*Vision 3D on its final day of operation. Fans waited in a line stretching to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and competed for a coveted wristband for the show’s last public performance. By Saturday evening, the Muppets said their final goodbyes.
Overnight, Disney cast members blocked off the entire Muppets Courtyard from guests. A photo shared by Redditor u/Ok_World_8819 shows a single employee standing in front of rolling planters concealing the whole area:
The first look at Muppet Vision 3D after it closed. It and the whole Muppet Courtyard is blocked off by planters.
The first look at Muppet Vision 3D after it closed. It and the whole Muppet Courtyard is blocked off by planters.
byu/Ok_World_8819 inWaltDisneyWorld
Walt Disney World Resort also removed the Muppets Courtyard and Muppet*Vision 3D from the My Disney Experience app. The official Disney’s Hollywood Studios map now shows trees and other greenery in the area near Grand Avenue.
This is typical for construction projects at the Disney parks. The app shows the same visual for the closed parts of DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, currently being transformed into the Tropical Americas-themed Pueblo Esperanza.
Just like Muppet*Vision 3D’s closure announcement came with news of a Muppets-themed Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, its final day of operations brought a much-awaited update about the reimagining. On Saturday, Walt Disney World Resort announced that the rethemed Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction will reopen sometime in 2026. Guests can enjoy Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith through the end of 2026.
As for Muppet*Vision 3D, the show isn’t going away for good. Disney has promised to preserve it and explore ways to make it available to fans in the future.
Construction on the Monsters, Inc. land is set to begin this summer. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an opening date for the area or its attractions.
Do you agree with Walt Disney World Resort’s decision to replace Muppet*Vision 3D with a Monsters, Inc. land? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!
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