It’s official: Jim Henson’s final Muppets project — Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World — will close for good in a matter of months.
The news is not shocking at this point; Disney announced the beloved attraction would close to make way for a new Monsters Inc. area back in November. And the plan for this Monsters Inc. land — and the possibility that Muppet*Vision 3D may have to close to make room for it — has been publicly known since August.
Which is exactly what’s happening. According to Disney Parks Blog “the Grand Avenue area [where Muppet*Vision 3D is located] will begin a phase closing in May, with the last day to dine at Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano on May 10.”
Muppet*Vision 3D and the adjacent PizzeRizzo restaurant will then close on June 7.
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Muppet*Vision is a 3D movie with additional in-theater effects; it opened at the park (then called Disney-MGM Studios) in 1991. Although Henson died in 1990, before the attraction officially debuted, he directed the film as well as puppeteered Kermit the Frog and several other Muppet characters in it, making it one of the very last parts of the Muppet world he touched before his passing at the age of 53.
That aspect makes the film even more significant to longtime Muppet fans. Casual parkgoers just enjoy the attraction itself, which is whimsical and fun and makes excellent use of its 3D and 4D effects.
Disney has already said that while the Muppets are losing their theater, they will become the stars of another Disney Hollywood Studios attraction apparently in need of a refresh. They will become the new subjects of the park’s Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, which currently features the songs and likenesses of Aerosmith. (Disney has yet to announce a final date for the Aerosmith version of that ride.)
As for Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney previous claimed they were “having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future.” What that might mean is unclear; perhaps they will release the actual film on home video, minus the in-theater effects. Or perhaps some of the physical elements of the show building could make their way over to the Muppets’ new home at Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster. Or the conversations could amount to nothing, and this could be the true final curtain for Jim Henson’s final Muppets film. If that’s true, you’ve got until June 7 to see it.
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