While there was a lot of solid information and announcements made at the Disney Experiences keynote from Chairman Josh D’Amaro at the recent D23 Expo, there are still a few lingering questions as well. Thankfully, fans don’t have nearly as many questions as they did following the 2022 D23 Expo (more on that later), but there are still a few. One of the two biggest questions was answered yesterday when Disney revealed that Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America would be replaced by Cars-themed attractions. This post-Expo news drop was clearly because of the (correctly) anticipated fan backlash, but Disney isn’t out of the woods yet. The hottest topic on DisTwitter right now is where the Monsters Inc. Land will be placed in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We won’t bury the lede here. A recent report from The Wrap suggests that Imagineers themselves are still debating on where to place the Monsters Inc. Land and that the clock is ticking. According to reporter Drew Taylor, a source says that the closure of MuppetVision was going to be tipped during the Disney Experiences presentation by Chairman Josh D’Amaro, but that there was a last-minute swap. If the Monday morning announcement about Cars-themed attractions replacing Tom Sawyer Island was any indication of Disney wanting to avoid backlash during the keynote presentation, MuppetVision being pulled from the announcement passes the smell test.

Indeed, two seemingly conflicting pieces of concept art were shown during the keynote behind D’Amaro and released on Disney’s blog and press site. In this first piece of concept art below, we can see clear identifying marks for the Muppet Courtyard theory. A water tower over Sulley’s shoulder unmistakably matches the current water tower above the PizzeRizzo restaurant, placing the Monsters Inc. building somewhere in the vicinity of the current Mama Melrose restaurant. The shuttered Studio 1 building would be located roughly where the lush park area is currently seen, placing MuppetVision 3D where the corner market is on the right side of the concept below.

In the somewhat outdated Google Earth screenshot below, we can see that there is some room for expansion behind the current set of facades and buildings. Impacting the since-built Cast Member parking lot behind Mama Melrose, and utilizing current infrastructure at PizzeRizzo is likely an appetizing thought, Muppet backlash be damned. With the exception of losing the historically relevant MuppetVision show, this is a really, really good option.

For context, the building seen in the middle of the screenshot above is the shuttered Studio 1 store that is really only open a handful of times per year for special event merchandise releases. It would be an easy demolition and a beautiful lush courtyard. PizzeRizzo has an embarrassingly short operating schedule on a daily basis, and certainly isn’t delivering on the balance sheet like Disney was hoping. Mama Melrose, despite a positively received menu update earlier this year, wouldn’t be a great loss either. It’s also possible that Disney could find a way to reuse the MuppetVision warehouse and put the roller coaster there too.

A second piece of concept art is far more nebulous, with fans suggesting that it reveals that Monsters Inc. Land is taking over the vastly underutilized Animation Courtyard area of the park, with the building sitting on the same plot as the current Star Wars Launch Bay. The city facade to the right in the image below would cover the current Disney Junior Dance Party warehouse, which would likely survive in some capacity due to being connected to the nearby Brown Derby restaurant and housing the park’s Club 33 location.

Animation Courtyard would require a lot more demolition, but I’m sure that Muppets fans would bring their own sledgehammers to help if that meant the preservation of MuppetVision 3D. As seen in the screenshot below, there is a compelling plot of land if the white-roofed Star Wars Launch Bay were to be completely demolished. It’s possible that a bit of the former animation building seen in the upper left of the image might meet a similar fate for the planned roller coaster attraction.

The buildings flanking the exiting courtyard include The Little Mermaid theater to the left, and a multi-faceted building complex on the right that includes The Brown Derby Restaurant, the Disney Junior Dance Party, Club 33, and backstage buildings currently in use by Cast Members. The construction operation here would be a bit more difficult, but if the noise about the removal of MuppetVision 3D is loud enough, D’Amaro might choose the Animation Courtyard option instead.

Perhaps the best news for Disney execs is how easy this coaster will be to place. As seen in our photo below of the Monsters Inc. door-themed roller coaster model, it’s a box. A box is a wonderful thing (as long as it’s hidden), and can be placed just about anywhere. Heck, Disney could demolish the queue building and the launch tunnel for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and put Monsters Inc. Land there too.

While clarity on the Cars-themed takeover of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America was provided quickly after the Expo, The Wrap suggests that Imagineers haven’t made a final decision on the location of Monsters Inc. Land, but that they only have “weeks” to decide with construction slated to begin next year.

In support of the Muppets Courtyard theory is recent work on the removal of a facade that has been standing for some 8 years, and other backstage work in the area. Of course, the removal of a facade is not exactly a canary in the coal mine, but it is certainly interesting.

As for our thoughts, I think that it is certainly possible that the final location for the Monsters Inc. Land has not yet been decided. I think it’s clear that the concept art presented shows two separate areas of the park (and maybe a third area if Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is on the chopping block). That said, I am not privy to the plans. Removing MuppetVision 3D would be a colossal loss not only for Disney’s Hollywood Studios but for the storied history of Jim Henson’s work with The Walt Disney Company in his final years.

The Muppets are currently owned by Disney and are under the umbrella of Walt Disney Imagineering/Disney Live Entertainment. That said, Disney hasn’t found a way for the franchise to resonate with recent theme park projects. We’ve seen The Muppets pop up here and there, but the only staying power has been MuppetVision 3D. The theater has seen some recent updates, but new upholstery and projection effects doesn’t mean that another 30+ years with the attraction is guaranteed.

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!