During a recent visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we got a look at the former Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano and work that Disney has done to gut the location for a Monsters Inc.-themed reimagining. The building’s entire front face has been removed, exposing the concrete structure, steel columns, and ductwork inside. Nearby, the rest of the facade is wrapped in plastic sheeting as Disney works to transform the building. Harryhausen’s, the Monsters, Inc.-inspired dining location coming to Monstropolis in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is taking shape.
Former Mama Melrose’s Gutted for Harryhausen’s Construction
In This Article
- Interior exposed as front face of the building is removed
- Main facade wrapped in sheeting, facade stripped
- (We think) Harryhausen’s is the planned dining location for Monstropolis
- What we know about the restaurant
- What’s still ahead
Mama Melrose’s Interior Exposed
The most striking view is of the right side of the building, peeking through the trees of Grand Avenue. It’s here that we see the removal of the front face of the facade has left the interior fully open. Steel structural columns are visible across the width of the building, with large HVAC ductwork, conduit runs, and piping exposed throughout. The original pink side wall remains standing, with a portion of Mama Melrose’s iconic Mona Lisa mural still visible on the exterior. A safety rail lines the roofline above.
For a better idea of what part of the facade is torn open here, the file photo below shows the area in question. The torn-open facade is where the dark brick wall is on the right half of the photo. The lighter brick building with the awnings remains enclosed, but stripped of the outer layer of the facade. We’ll take a look at that in a bit.
Here’s a look at a file photo of the side of the building, where the Mona Lisa mural seen in the construction photo above still stands.
From what we can see from our vantage point on Grand Avenue, this looks to be a substantial gutting, not just a cosmetic retheme. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised to find the kitchen infrastructure remains roughly in place.
The former Mama Melrose’s closed permanently on May 10, 2025, as we reported at the time. It was the first closure in the Grand Avenue area ahead of the Monstropolis transformation, with MuppetVision 3D and PizzeRizzo following on June 8, 2025.
Facade Stripped and Wrapped
Next to the opened facade, the main facade of the former restaurant is wrapped in plastic sheeting and secured with red tape. The original arched window detailing of the building’s exterior is still visible beneath the wrap. It’s likely that this part of the facade will be retained to some degree, with concept art showing a familiar design for the building.
What We Know About Harryhausen’s
Harryhausen’s is one of the dining offerings planned for Monstropolis, Disney’s upcoming Monsters, Inc.-themed land at Hollywood Studios. The restaurant name appears in concept art released for the land, though Disney has not 100% confirmed it in the text of any press release yet. The name comes directly from the sushi restaurant in the original Monsters, Inc. film, where Mike Wazowski takes Celia to dinner on her birthday right before the chaos of the movie unfolds.
The concept art suggests Harryhausen’s is in the plans for the land. It fits the story that Imagineers have previously laid out, which picks up after the events of the original movie. Humans are now welcome in Monstropolis, and the monsters need laughter, not screams, to power the city.
As we’ve covered, the centerpiece of Monstropolis will be the Monsters Inc. Door Vault roller coaster, set to be the largest attraction building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster.
What’s Still Ahead
With the interior gutted and the facade in active reconstruction, Harryhausen’s is clearly in the thick of its transformation. Plenty of theming, finishes, and kitchen buildout all remain ahead. We expect progress to continue moving quickly given the broader pace of construction across Monstropolis, though an opening date for the land has not been announced. Time will tell when Disney shares more about the restaurant’s concept and menu.
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!