Today, the shoe finally dropped on the Disney’s Hollywood Studios news we have been waiting to hear since D23: Monstropolis will be taking over Muppet*Vision 3D. However, this sad news comes with a shocking surprise as the Muppets will be moving to Sunset Boulevard and taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. To quote Steven Tyler, “Wait a minute… I love that idea.”
I recently went on the record discussing the historical significance of Muppet*Vision and how it will take a very special experience to make it worthy of destruction. I am disappointed that I won’t be able to experience it in the near future. That being said, this seems like a great solution. In fact, it is a bit of a no-brainer. We get a whole new land with multiple experiences, plus the Muppets get to maintain their presence in the park and will likely be exposed to more guests.
While Disney fans often lament when IP takes over an existing attraction, I doubt many will mind this makeover. Aerosmith are not a long-term solution for the experience and have essentially retired from touring, so they won’t be going to the Forum in the future anyways. Indeed, many had hoped that the Muppets were going to be taking over the attraction when it recently went down for refurbishment.
But here is my question about this overlay: was this always the plan or was this a result of fan feedback? I will likely never know the true answer, but I hope it was the latter. If this was always the plan, it raises a lot of questions — such as, why did you just take the attraction down for refurbishment? Why allow these months of speculation and angst? In a presentation filled with musical performances, why not take the opportunity for the Muppets to rock-out the Honda Center? If you were going to do a Muppets overlay on Sunset Boulevard, what not just move Muppet*Vision to Sunset Showcase instead of greenlighting a new villains show?
If this transformation is a result of listening to fans, kudos to Disney. I would never expect them to let Muppet*Vision prevent them from growing Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, if they actually listened to the fans and made a capital investment based on their feedback, that would be a huge signal to show that they respect their fanbase. While Disney has to take a nuanced approach in listening to fans, as not every idea generated on social media is a good one, the ability to thread the needle through creative solutions would demonstrate wise and nuanced leadership.
When Disney announced that they would be investing $60 billion in Disney Experiences over 10 years, they stated that they would not be earmarking all of it to provide flexibility to create experiences for the next unexpected hit. But what if some of that money is being used to react to the feedback they receive as the projects are announced and come online?
I know many fans will still be disappointed in today’s news, and I don’t blame them. But I am going to keep an open mind, perhaps this will end for the best. That being said, in the spirit of fan feedback, here is my advice to Disney:
1) Make the Muppet’s coaster as brilliant and witty as Muppet*Vision. That is a tall order, especially in a rollercoaster environment. Presuming you are keeping the pre-show, spend the time to get that moment right.
2) Bring in creative talent that truly understand what makes the Muppets special. That way, it won’t feel like they are just an Aerosmith stand-in.
3) Whether it is a show or character encounters, supplement the experience. There should be something all ages and heights can experience.
4) Make both Monstroplis and the rethemed coaster so good that it makes the angst worth it. Enough said.
And here is my most important piece of advice: in the announcement, Disney said,“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.” The only worse thing than not listening to fans is to not deliver on your promises. Please ensure you find some way to experience some part of the Muppet*Vision 3D experience in the future.
Ironically, one time that I do remember Disney heading fan blowback also involved Muppet*Vision. After the success of the attraction in Florida, reports indicated that Disneyland was planning on putting their version in the Main Street Opera House replacing Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. The blowback was fast and fierce, and we all know that it luckily never happened. Muppet*Vision was able to be brought to Disney California Adventure and resulted in a win-win for the Disneyland Resort.
Ultimately, although I will always miss Muppet*Vision 3D, I do hope that we will get three new excellent attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.