Muppet*Vision 3D is closing down forever next month, and yet Disney seems to have had a change of heart about how it treats The Muppets.
It’s been a running joke inside the Disney community for years that The Muppets are Disney’s least favorite child, but that joke became a little too real last year when the company confirmed plans to axe Muppet*Vision 3D to make way for a new Monsters, Inc. (2001) land (despite the fact that Star Wars Launch Bay is right there).
First opened on May 16, 1991 – exactly one year after Jim Henson’s death, and serving as Henson’s final directorial project – the show combines 3D film with in-theater effects like animatronics and live performers. It follows The Muppets on a tour of their lab and showing off their new movie-making invention: Muppet*Vision 3D. features the Muppets’ signature humor and chaos, with Kermit the Frog guiding guests through Muppet Studios. The attraction is scheduled to close on June 7, 2025, to make way for a new Monsters, Inc. themed land
But just weeks before this date, it seems like Disney has had a change of heart about how it treats The Muppets.
Did Disney Just Backtrack On The Muppets?
Walt Disney World Resort has introduced a new wrap for the Disney Skyliner, featuring Kermit the Frog, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Sam Eagle, and Statler and Waldorf. This also includes the iconic red curtains and archway as seen in The Muppet Show.
get me on the muppets skyliner immediately
get me on the muppets skyliner immediately pic.twitter.com/cTSlCeWiSR
— you’ll always be twittеr to me (@_embersonfire) May 9, 2025
These new wraps came just in time for the 70th anniversary of The Muppets. Yesterday, May 9, marked 70 years since the premiere of Sam and Friends. Featuring a primitive Kermit and other original creations, the five-minute comedy sketches helped Henson refine his approach to character-driven humor and visual performance. The show’s popularity laid the groundwork for Henson’s future in television, eventually leading to national appearances and the creation of The Muppet Show in the 1970s.
Of course, Disney hasn’t exactly done much to platform The Muppets in its parks in recent years. In addition to axing Muppet*Vision 3D, it canceled The Muppets Present…Great Moments in American History. The show, which ran in Magic Kingdom Park’s Liberty Square, saw Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and Sam Eagle perform an abridged account of America’s Colonial era. It also served as the last Muppets production featuring the voice of Steve Whitmire, aka Kermit (and other characters), before he was dismissed from the role. This was last performed in February 2020.
The Future of The Muppets
The good news is that there is more Muppets on the way. While confirming the end of Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney revealed that it plans to add The Muppets to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, eliminating the latter’s current Aerosmith theme after years of rumors. It also plans on recording Muppet*Vision 3D for archival purposes.
Disney has yet to announce when exactly this will happen. However, if the latest park developments are anything to go by, the company intends to finally put The Muppets back into the spotlight – even if it needs to axe Muppet*Vision to make that happen.
Do you think Disney should add more Muppets to its theme parks?
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