With the announcement that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith is closing this Spring, and that The Muppets will take over the high-thrill attraction next Summer, we can’t help but think about how bad a fit this ride reimagining is. Yes, Aerosmith overstayed their welcome, and it was certainly time for something new, but adding The Muppets here doesn’t make a lot of sense…if this is the only spot they’ll be found.
Hollywood Studios Needs a Second Muppets Attraction
While riding Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster the other day, I started to feel my age a bit. My head was rattling around, my back was starting to hurt, and I felt a little woozy coming off the ride. It was 9am, so maybe I’d feel a bit better if I rode later in the day, but it was a rough start to the day.
I’m not necessarily a roller coaster wimp, either. I love VelociCoaster over at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and I love Stardust Racers at Universal Epic Universe even more. There’s not a single roller coaster at Walt Disney World that is “difficult” for me to ride, but for some reason, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster was tough that day.
Sitting in a stretch limousine in a dark tunnel, waiting for the track to clear ahead of you, gives you some time to think. After pushing past the headache that was forming, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought that this ride was going to be rethemed to The Muppets next year. The smile wasn’t one of joy, but one of disbelief. How could Disney go from something like MuppetVision 3D, a wonderfully accessible experience for Muppet fans, to one of the most restrictive experiences at any of their theme parks?
To be clear, I don’t necessarily take issue with the Electric Mayhem storyline, as shoehorned as it may end up being. Actually, I think that it is the only way that Muppets can work for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
As a quick aside, I know that we always hear that it starts with story for Walt Disney Imagineering when designing an attraction. While that may be true in many cases, it’s hard to imagine Disney wanting to build Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster from scratch for a Muppets-themed experience. In fact, there have been several ride reimaginings lately where it’s clear that story is not at the top of Imagineering’s list of considerations, but I digress.
With an IP as beloved as The Muppets, it’s amazing that Walt Disney World hasn’t announced a more accessible way to enjoy them in the theme parks after retiring MuppetVision 3D. I think that Walt Disney World needs to announce a second Muppets attraction for Disney’s Hollywood Studios sooner rather than later. And this is coming from someone who is not a Muppets fan (gasp).
Simply put, there are going to be a lot of guests who are unable to enjoy the Muppets IP in the park simply because of how restrictive the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster attraction is. Not only is there a height requirement that will disqualify younger fans, but the ride itself is intense enough that a number of guests simply won’t be able to, or won’t want to ride.
Of course, the easy answer here is to try and get MuppetVision 3D or a similar show to try and work in the nearby Sunset Showcase Theater. Currently, the theater houses the relatively new Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After show. I think it’s clear that the Villains’ setup in the Sunset Showcase is relatively temporary. It has a lot of screens and basically zero theming beyond the stage. It wouldn’t be difficult to get that venue back to a shell to create something new.
I think it’s possible that the Sunset Showcase will play home to a new experience once Villains Land opens, but that would mean that we are years and years away from a second Muppets-themed experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’s too long.
Again, I’m not a huge fan of The Muppets, but I do think that Disney is regressing here if Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is the only spot where guests can engage with the IP. I really don’t think we’ll see a new Muppets-themed ride built from scratch, but if The Muppets can only be found in one of the most intense attractions at Walt Disney World, that seems like a mistake to me.
What do you think? Are you excited for The Muppets takeover of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, or do you wish there was a more accessible way to experience the hijinks of Kermit and crew? Let us know in the comments below or on social media!
Full disclosure: I’m a HUGE Muppets fan… and especially of the Mayhem🤘! So even though I’m also a big Aerosmith fan, I’m still delighted. But I have one question regarding your conclusion: if Rockin’ Roller Coaster is so restrictive for guests, why do I always seem to wait 120 minutes to ride the dang thing! 😂 Otherwise, I agree with you 100% that there needs to be a second Muppets attraction… maybe a third or fourth at that!
Idea: Statler & Waldorf heckling Disney’s bad Star Wars fan fiction
Disney should’ve simply moved MuppetVision 3D to the Sunset Showcase theater, where, together with the re-themed Rock-n-Rollercoaster and some themed food carts, they could’ve had a mini Muppets land. And no, I’m not excited about losing Aerosmith.
They should reinstall MuppetVision 3D in the old Magic Eye theater in Epcot. It would go along with the Imagination theme at that pavilion, bring back guests to an underutilized part of the park and they could add Figment to the end of the film. To me, it’s a perfect answer.
I sent an email to Disney suggesting that in addition to the coaster re-theme, they should move Muppets 3D to the Sunset Showcase and change Tower of Terror to a Muppets theme. Miss Piggy wants to open a boutique hotel, but the monsters have taken over and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker are in charge of the elevators. As much as I love The Twilight Zone, I can’t count the number of the times I’ve stood in line with kids and teens that had no idea what the show was.