A new permit filed by Walt Disney World suggests that there is some extensive steel work coming to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster as part of the Muppets-themed reimagining. The permit comes just weeks before the Aerosmith version of the ride will close permanently. When it reopens, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will be themed to The Muppets. Here’s the latest on the permit.
Steel Work Coming to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
The new permit was filed by the Facility Asset Management (FAM), which is the maintenance branch of Walt Disney World. This would suggest that the work is routine in nature and not part of a new creative element. If it were a creative permit, we’d expect to see Walt Disney Imagineering listed as the owner. That said, the permit is still very interesting due to who is listed as the contractor.
The contractor listed is Coastal Steel. Coastal Steel has been a longtime contractor for Walt Disney World, working on a number of roller coaster projects in addition to other attractions and experiences. The scope of work is simply listed as “general construction”.
When it comes to roller coasters, we’ve seen them listed as contractors for work related to TRON Lightcycle Run, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Other work from Coastal Steel includes work for Test Track 3.0, work on the former NBA Experience, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Mission: SPACE, Cinderella Castle, and even the demolition of the Sorcerer Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
In terms of what Coastal Steel could be working on for the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster retheme, it’s anyone’s guess. Unlike Coastal Steel’s work over at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster ride track will not be rebuilt.
Exterior and interior elements are expected to remain similar once the Muppets take over the attraction. There will be a repainting of the iconic giant guitar at the entrance to the ride. Inside, there will be a retheming of the pre-show to include Muppets characters and new Audio-Animatronics. On the ride itself, we still expect a high-speed, twisting, turning, and screamingly fun road trip across Hollywood to reach the concert in time. Disney says that the iconic scenery and landmarks of Tinseltown will feature a Muppet twist.
It’s possible that Coastal Steel could be doing some work inside the show building, but if that were the case, we’d expect the permit holder to be Walt Disney Imagineering.
For everything we know about Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring The Muppets, check out our dedicated attraction page below!
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