Muppet*Vision 3D to close, Muppets to Take Over nearby

Muppet*Vision 3D is closing at Walt Disney World, ending months of fan outcry following TheWrap’s exclusive report back in August that Walt Disney World management and Walt Disney Imagineering, the arm of the company responsible for the theme parks, were considering the fate of the Jim Henson attraction .

Disney on Friday revealed that Muppet*Vision 3D, a 15-minute 3D movie featuring the Muppets, will indeed be closing down along with the rest of what was once known as the Muppet Courtyard. Additionally, a new theme for the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, located in the same park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, has been announced. The attraction, which was previously themed to Aerosmith, will soon get a Muppet-y overlay, at least giving the Muppet characters a place elsewhere in the park. Hello Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem know how to rock.

“There are sure to be laughs, screams and new tunes for this attraction for fans to enjoy throughout the adventure and plenty of Muppets-themed merchandise on Sunset Boulevard!” the official Disney Parks Blog read.

Disney released vague concept art of the area, which will see the arrival of a “Monsters, Inc.”-themed coaster and a new theater show in the former Muppets Theatre. When the “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land was announced at this summer’s D23, additional retail and dining locations were also hinted at (and clearly visible in the concept art). Currently, the country has a Rizzo the Rat-themed pizza place with notoriously subpar pizza. Could it soon be Harryhausen’s, the sushi place from “Monsters, Inc.?”

Disney said of Muppet*Vision 3D that they were “having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future.” The attraction had been cloned in California for Disney California Adventure. It closed in 2014 to make way for a “Frozen” sing-along, and more recently a West Coast version of Mickey’s PhilharMagic, an animated 3D show. Could Muppet*Vision be returning to the Disneyland Resort?

There are a few reasons why fans are so upset about the removal of the attraction. First, there really wasn’t anything else like it. It was a 3D film that combined live performances (including classic Muppet character Sweetums), animatronics, in-cinema effects and projection mapping for a truly unique experience. The attraction opened in 1991 and through sheer creativity alone it has never been topped.

But for most, the real loss is the fact that this was one of the last projects that Jim Henson worked on and his last appearance as Kermit. Henson died in 1990. The 3D attraction was to be one of the first of many Muppet projects at the theme parks. At the time of his death, he was in advanced negotiations to sell his company, including the Muppet characters, to Disney. Disney’s then-CEO Michael Eisner had been a big supporter of Henson’s going back to Eisner’s days as an executive at ABC, and Henson looked forward to being able to worry solely about creative projects without having to worry about finances (he wanted been put on hold for 15 years after the sale). When he suddenly fell ill and died, the deal was deemed too complicated and expensive for the family. At one point they threatened to prevent the attraction from opening.

Fortunately, it opened almost exactly a year after Henson’s death. It would be his last masterpiece – and a huge success. It was such a big hit, in fact, that a version was seriously considered to replace Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln on Main Street. It eventually ended up across the esplanade and opened with the rest of Disney California Adventure on February 8, 2001. The Muppets eventually became part of the Disney portfolio in 2004.

No time frame for the attraction’s closure – and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s re-theme – has been announced. But next time you’re at Walt Disney World, you might want to pay your respects.