DHS Disney Confirms Muppets Take Over Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

[HMF]

There really is no logic to the layout of DHS now. especially with Galaxy's Edge and Star Tours co-existing in completely different areas of the park.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I do believe at the heart of it for MV3D and others is the attractions aren’t as popular as we think they are with the common guest.

i have a pretty good idea what the popularity was for mv3d - it held its own quite well and got good scores on touring plans, etc.

That doesn’t mean it was setting attendance records, but it didn’t need to.

 

[jah4955]

i have a pretty good idea what the popularity was for mv3d - it held its own quite well and got good scores on touring plans, etc.

That doesn’t mean it was setting attendance records, but it didn’t need to.

"the beginning of the end" seemed to be when there was only one way in and out (vs. multiple before Star Wars construction)...the only attraction at what was otherwise considered by most guests a "dead end"

 

[James Alucobond]

There really is no logic to the layout of DHS now. especially with Galaxy's Edge and Star Tours co-existing in completely different areas of the park.

The logic will be clearer than it's been in a while, at least. Launch Bay's removal is a step toward paring down the Star Wars sprawl; the changes to Animation Courtyard, RNRC, and Sunset Showcase move toward attractions that feel way less tonally and temporally dissonant with the Hollywood & Sunset core; and you'll now have three complete lands that deliver on the stated new direction for the park. I understand really not liking the new, more generic organizational structure that just strings together lands ripped from movies, but following the current projects, it's basically one new land and one attraction relocation away from being a more or less fully realized turnaround, which to me feels preferable to the state of something like EPCOT, where decisions seem chaotic because they're in service of a moving or elusive target.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Launch Bay's removal is a step toward paring down the Star Wars sprawl; the changes to Animation Courtyard, RNRC, and Sunset Showcase move toward attractions that feel way less tonally and temporally dissonant with the Hollywood & Sunset core;

Agreed - Launch Bay to Animation is a good move - but I wish for all that investment we were getting a family ride in that area as well.

While it’s disappointing to lose the original muppet vision theatre with some truly unique special effects - if a new muppet courtyard can be established with Dr. Teeth etc. - that could end up being a decent win. Muppet courtyard ties into the vintage sunset Blvd. theme better than a modern day recording studio as well.

 

[Brer Panther]

You can thank the clear success of Pixar and some of DreamWorks CG films at the time for this trend, also we have to take DreamWorks’ traditionally animated films and their box office performance at the time into consideration too.

I have a book about the Florida animation studio that claims Disney's "people don't like hand-drawn animation anymore" mindset got started because Toy Story made more money than Pocahontas. Make of that what you will.

How did he make Kermit a “depressed victim” if the writers at Disney are the ones in charge of that element and they have no real say or input in matters?

And didn't Brian claim that Steve made Kermit "too nice" or whatever? How can he be both "too nice" and an "angry, depressed victim"?

And is Brian, the guy who performed Scooter in a movie where he CAGE-DANCED, really one to talk about Steve "ruining Kermit's character"?

My big theory as to why they did what they did, outside of what I just mentioned, is due to the fact they want to stay in good standing with Disney on their decisions, despite truly being frustrated with them.

Isn't it kind of funny how they just so happened to have the money to get The Happytime Murders off the ground after the smear campaign against Steve? Or how they then proceeded to collaborate with Disney on a show for Disney Plus? Or how Brian performed with the Muppets again in Muppets Haunted Mansion?

There's definitely something they're not telling us.

In more positive Muppets news, Rizzo and Bean have made speaking roles in recent Instagram videos, their first since Whitmire left back in 2017.

It's so nice to see Rizzo and Bean again!

Quick update to earlier, it turns out Freeman is both Rizzo and Bean now.
View attachment 898913

Good for him! He sounds great as both characters.

It also resembled the aesthetic of the recent Muppet movies which started strong but fizzled out because of the weak sequel.

I like how they put Animal on one of the banners when he's not in MuppetVision 3D at all.

 

[HMF]

I have a book about the Florida animation studio that claims Disney's "people don't like hand-drawn animation anymore" mindset got started because Toy Story made more money than Pocahontas. Make of that what you will.

My take from that is that Toy Story didn't whitewash historical events. That was the problem with Pocohontas not because of how it was animated. Of course, Iger's Disney has shown us over and over again that they don't respect animation as an art form by how many live-action remakes of animated classics they have done over the last decade plus.

 

[HMF]

The logic will be clearer than it's been in a while, at least. Launch Bay's removal is a step toward paring down the Star Wars sprawl; the changes to Animation Courtyard, RNRC, and Sunset Showcase move toward attractions that feel way less tonally and temporally dissonant with the Hollywood & Sunset core; and you'll now have three complete lands that deliver on the stated new direction for the park. I understand really not liking the new, more generic organizational structure that just strings together lands ripped from movies, but following the current projects, it's basically one new land and one attraction relocation away from being a more or less fully realized turnaround, which to me feels preferable to the state of something like EPCOT, where decisions seem chaotic because they're in service of a moving or elusive target.

The logic is clearer, but it still doesn't make complete sense in that it is still just a random assortment of lands and themes that largely have no connection to each other.

 

[FigmentJedi]

In more positive Muppets news, Rizzo and Bean have made speaking roles in recent Instagram videos, their first since Whitmire left back in 2017. It's good to see them using the characters again after they were pretty much retired with MV3D and PizzaRizzo closing. Maybe we'll see them again for RNRC?

A Christmas miracle

 

[EagleScout610]

After hearing how close Rizzo and Bean sound to Steve, hearing Vogel Kermit again is so jarring.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

After hearing how close Rizzo and Bean sound to Steve, hearing Vogel Kermit again is so jarring.

Yeeeah, they honestly should recast Kermit again at this point. It’s pretty clear the majority also don’t care for the current Kermit performance. As good of a performer Matt Vogel is otherwise, he just doesn’t have the right vocal range to get Kermit right and it’s def distracting. If Disney can get a character like Rizzo practically spot on, they should be able to get Kermit right by this point also.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Granted, I genuinely want the new show pilot to do well if it gets the spirit right the way we’ve wanted all these years. But if not, the suits at Disney are the only ones to blame and I really, truly hope people start pointing the fingers at the right people to blame if the show itself doesn’t. Like, honest to God, the narcs up there in Burbank & Glendale who can’t simply accept that they’re wrong despite the very clear evidence, amount of pushback, and many many many times they’ve been proven wrong also regarding unneccesary & unpopular changes, by both the public ‘and’ well trusted creatives with a great track record, who have very clear knowledge, understanding, love, and passion for their creative works, they need to be fired. And if they’re not or don’t decide to leave on their own accord upon personal reflection or remorse or show any genuine effort to do the right thing, let the internal & public shaming of them begin along with a forced firing or resignation (and possibly a blacklisting if their behavior otherwise is particularly bad), as they then 100% deserve it. I personally don’t think Matt Vogel is to blame directly for any of this, I genuinely think it’s the casting directors, but yeah.

Granted, I think Kermit’s off-sounding voice will be easy to get over if this pilot is as good as it can be in every other way. But again.

Also, the fact that the original Muppet Show is all there for us to see, along with BTS footage & stories of how it was made, now there’s truly no escaping from seeing precisely what people loved & want to see again. But again, we shall see what happens

 

[EagleScout610]

Yeeeah, they honestly should recast Kermit again at this point. It’s pretty clear the majority also don’t care for the current Kermit performance. As good of a performer Matt Vogel is otherwise, he just doesn’t have the right vocal range to get Kermit right and it’s def distracting. If Disney can get a character like Rizzo practically spot on, they should be able to get Kermit right by this point also.

He should just stick to Sweetums and Deadly as he's nearly spot on to Richard and Jerry.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

He should just stick to Sweetums and Deadly as he's nearly spot on to Richard and Jerry.

His performances as deadly are perfection! He’s a talented performer. He’s just not good as kermit.

 

[Brer Panther]

The only character of Matt's that I don't think he's very good at is Robin (apparently even he admitted he had difficulty there, which is why he gave the role to Peter Linz). In my opinion, his other Jerry Nelson characters are good.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

The only character of Matt's that I don't think he's very good at is Robin (apparently even he admitted he had difficulty there, which is why he gave the role to Peter Linz). In my opinion, his other Jerry Nelson characters are good.

Huh, that’s interesting. Then I wonder why he hasn’t given up the reigns on Kermit yet? Keep in mind, he’s still Big Bird, of all characters, on Sesame Street, also. And again, Uncle Deadly has been a constantly recurring character because of how well loved & praised he is. Not just for the character himself, but his performance. It’s genuinely that good.

 

[Brer Panther]

Then I wonder why he hasn’t given up the reigns on Kermit yet?

Apparently, somebody asked Peter Linz at a convention or something why he wasn't asked to take over as Kermit, and he said that he and the other puppeteers didn't think that he was a strong enough puppeteer to lead the Muppets. I'm not sure I agree, but make of that what you will.

Honestly, though, even if Peter DID start performing Kermit, I'm sure there'd still be people complaining about the voice. Of course, there are also a lot of people who believe the claims about Steve being EEEEEEE-VIL, so there'd probably be people complaining if Disney went crawling back to him too.

And it still baffles me that so many people complain about Matt's Kermit but gush over other, far worse examples of iconic characters being recast, such as Chris Pratt's Mario and everyone in the DuckTales reboot.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney is not the Borg. There is no singular course of action. There are an array of assorted, competing and even often contradictory views, desires and goals.

We are the Disney. Thriftiness is futile.

 

[JEANYLASER]

Is scooter and the penguins will be in the Disney's Rock n rollercoaster starring the Muppets for next year

 

[EagleScout610]

Is scooter and the penguins will be in the Disney's Rock n rollercoaster starring the Muppets for next year

Yes