Muppets Mini-Land / Muppets Courtyard Additions & Refurbishments

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Would this also mean that the Stage 1 Company Store, located right next door (with Kermit statues and a giant Piggy clock) would be removed in that case as well?

I would hope so. They could add a store to the side of MV3D that still looks like a sound stage and theme it to Grand Ave. That would then open up that congested place. That's killing several birds with one stone.
 

wdwgreek

Well-Known Member
I find it fascinating that the same company that doesn't care about a giant unthemed box in epcot at the same time is so hamstrung to ensure the muppets theming isn't visible from star wars. I all for ensuring the star wars area is as immersive as possible including painting or covering up things that could take you out of the land but its curious the company has different philosophies for different parks.
 

Kman101

Well-Known Member
They don't really have a lot of choices for the Guardians box. I hate seeing it, but if they themed it, it would stand out, and coloring it the sky's color doesn't really hide it so .... they don't have a lot of options ... of course they could have just decided NOT to do a coaster :) a Guardians dark ride would have been just as fun but I know people eat up coasters.
 

eddie104

Well-Known Member
They don't really have a lot of choices for the Guardians box. I hate seeing it, but if they themed it, it would stand out, and coloring it the sky's color doesn't really hide it so .... they don't have a lot of options ... of course they could have just decided NOT to do a coaster :) a Guardians dark ride would have been just as fun but I know people eat up coasters.
Yes I do agree with about a dark ride. Show buildings are always a touchy thing when it comes to sight lines. Sometimes it’s easier to blend it together with its surroundings but in FW case it’s hard.
 

mm52200

Well-Known Member
But this side of the building they painted with the mural on it doesn’t even face into Galaxys Edge so I’m not sure why they felt the need to do it...
 

Kman101

Well-Known Member
But this side of the building they painted with the mural on it doesn’t even face into Galaxys Edge so I’m not sure why they felt the need to do it...

🤷‍♂️

They do sometimes seem to like to paint things just because LOL (the kaleidoscope horror show can go anytime now at Epcot ...)

Meanwhile, I'm waiting for paint jobs on other bare peach buildings, like the back of the Great Movie Ride, among other spots that still stand out like sore thumbs. Seems like there should be higher priorities but I guess they have their "reasons" ...
 

SteamboatJoe

Well-Known Member
But this side of the building they painted with the mural on it doesn’t even face into Galaxys Edge so I’m not sure why they felt the need to do it...
It was no longer consistent with the theme of the land or park. The theme of the Muppet area used to be a movie prop and development warehouse (see the Acme Factory in Roger Rabbit) on a backlot of a larger, functioning production studio (Disney-MGM).

The park, despite it's name, is no longer viewed as a studio. Themes and attractions park-wide are being/have been changed or removed to reflect this fact. The same can be said of the Muppet area itself. The backlot theme is being eliminated and replaced with the Grand Avenue theme which, in Muppet Courtyard, is taking the form of a gentrified industrial area in Los Angeles.

I think the mural was also an outdated reference to MGM Studios. Disney has been making efforts to rid HS of ant IPs not actually owned by the company. MGM has not been part of the park's name or brand since 2008.
 
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mm52200

Well-Known Member
It was no longer consistent with the theme of the land or park. The theme of the Muppet area used to be a movie prop and development warehouse (see the Acme Factory in Roger Rabbit) on a backlot of a larger, functioning production studio (Disney-MGM).

The park, despite it's name, is no longer viewed as a studio. Themes and attractions park-wide are being/have been changed or removed to reflect this fact. The same can be said of the Muppet area itself. The backlot theme is being eliminated and replaced with the Grand Avenue theme which, in Muppet Courtyard, is taking the form of a gentrified industrial area in Los Angeles.

I think the mural was also an outdated reference to MGM Studios. Disney has been making efforts to rid HS of ant IPs not actually owned by the company. MGM has not been part of the park's name or brand since 2008.
I just feel like there was space for the Muppets theming to exist even within the new theme of Studios and Grand Avenue. The Muppets have always kind of exploded over whatever area they’re in and put their own take on things and buildings and get a little out of control.

But if they really cared about removing the backlot or studio theme then Indy still wouldn’t be here and they would actually fully theme the exterior of Star Tours
 

SteamboatJoe

Well-Known Member
I just feel like there was space for the Muppets theming to exist even within the new theme of Studios and Grand Avenue. The Muppets have always kind of exploded over whatever area they’re in and put their own take on things and buildings and get a little out of control.

But if they really cared about removing the backlot or studio theme then Indy still wouldn’t be here and they would actually fully theme the exterior of Star Tours

Whose to say they are done with the conversion? These changes sometimes takes Disney years to implement. No one IP should dominate or override the greater theme of a broader land or park.

There is a Muppets show supposedly planned for Disney+ and Muppet Babies seems to be doing well. I don't think they are going anywhere.

I would be interested to know how the Liberty Square show is going from a park ops point of view.
 
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Jones14

Well-Known Member
I just feel like there was space for the Muppets theming to exist even within the new theme of Studios and Grand Avenue. The Muppets have always kind of exploded over whatever area they’re in and put their own take on things and buildings and get a little out of control.

But if they really cared about removing the backlot or studio theme then Indy still wouldn’t be here and they would actually fully theme the exterior of Star Tours
To be fair, they seem to only be remodeling/retheming things that are staying in some form. Why retheme the Star Tours soundstage it you’re just gonna knock it down in a couple of years?
 

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
So PortAventura just outdid every other screen-based shooter ride out there using some really nice animatronics of Sesame Street Muppets, that show just how nice a Muppet Show Muppet dark ride could look at Disney if they actually tried.



Just a bit of armchair imagineering here - for a while now, I've had this idea for a Muppets dark ride. It's sort of a cross between Peter Pan's Flight and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the plot being that you're part of a "Daredevil Academy" that Gonzo set up (behind Kermit's back, of course). In the queue, there's an animatronic Gonzo telling us that today, you'll be learning how to, I don't know, do a stunt involving a rocket or a jet pack or something that flies. You get in the ride vehicle and (of course) the stunt goes wrong and you're sent flying all over the Muppets Studio, with scenes like the Swedish Chef's kitchen, Muppet Labs, and maybe the ride could take you out of the studio and into other locations like a jungle (featuring different Muppet animals a la the Jungle Cruise) or outer space (specifically, the planet Koozbane). Eventually your vehicle finally slows down and as you head to the unload area you go by Kermit screaming at Gonzo for doing something so incredibly irresponsible and dangerous while Gonzo reassures Kermit that the NEXT class will go much better.

The whole thing would be jam-packed with references to Muppet productions, cameos, and gags. One gag I thought of, for example, is that at one point during the ride Rizzo appears with a camera and takes your picture. And then, after you unload, you go by Rizzo again, who offers to sell you the photo for a large price.

I'm still ironing out all the details, but what do you all think?
 

The Grand Inquisitor

Well-Known Member
Just a bit of armchair imagineering here - for a while now, I've had this idea for a Muppets dark ride. It's sort of a cross between Peter Pan's Flight and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the plot being that you're part of a "Daredevil Academy" that Gonzo set up (behind Kermit's back, of course). In the queue, there's an animatronic Gonzo telling us that today, you'll be learning how to, I don't know, do a stunt involving a rocket or a jet pack or something that flies. You get in the ride vehicle and (of course) the stunt goes wrong and you're sent flying all over the Muppets Studio, with scenes like the Swedish Chef's kitchen, Muppet Labs, and maybe the ride could take you out of the studio and into other locations like a jungle (featuring different Muppet animals a la the Jungle Cruise) or outer space (specifically, the planet Koozbane). Eventually your vehicle finally slows down and as you head to the unload area you go by Kermit screaming at Gonzo for doing something so incredibly irresponsible and dangerous while Gonzo reassures Kermit that the NEXT class will go much better.

The whole thing would be jam-packed with references to Muppet productions, cameos, and gags. One gag I thought of, for example, is that at one point during the ride Rizzo appears with a camera and takes your picture. And then, after you unload, you go by Rizzo again, who offers to sell you the photo for a large price.

I'm still ironing out all the details, but what do you all think?
Sounds great!
 
Just a bit of armchair imagineering here - for a while now, I've had this idea for a Muppets dark ride. It's sort of a cross between Peter Pan's Flight and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the plot being that you're part of a "Daredevil Academy" that Gonzo set up (behind Kermit's back, of course). In the queue, there's an animatronic Gonzo telling us that today, you'll be learning how to, I don't know, do a stunt involving a rocket or a jet pack or something that flies. You get in the ride vehicle and (of course) the stunt goes wrong and you're sent flying all over the Muppets Studio, with scenes like the Swedish Chef's kitchen, Muppet Labs, and maybe the ride could take you out of the studio and into other locations like a jungle (featuring different Muppet animals a la the Jungle Cruise) or outer space (specifically, the planet Koozbane). Eventually your vehicle finally slows down and as you head to the unload area you go by Kermit screaming at Gonzo for doing something so incredibly irresponsible and dangerous while Gonzo reassures Kermit that the NEXT class will go much better.

The whole thing would be jam-packed with references to Muppet productions, cameos, and gags. One gag I thought of, for example, is that at one point during the ride Rizzo appears with a camera and takes your picture. And then, after you unload, you go by Rizzo again, who offers to sell you the photo for a large price.

I'm still ironing out all the details, but what do you all think?
I’ve been thinking something similar! I also think they should put in a movie-related show like Great Moments of History. I think it could go above Gonzo’s toilets. It would liven up the courtyard, and be a fun tie-in with the rest of the park, especially if they had Star Wars, Toy Story, and Indy focused shows... Or they could do Oscar winners or Kermit’s trying to talk about iconic scenes, and they turn Muppet-y
 

999th Happy Haunt

Well-Known Member
I’ve been thinking something similar! I also think they should put in a movie-related show like Great Moments of History. I think it could go above Gonzo’s toilets. It would liven up the courtyard, and be a fun tie-in with the rest of the park, especially if they had Star Wars, Toy Story, and Indy focused shows... Or they could do Oscar winners or Kermit’s trying to talk about iconic scenes, and they turn Muppet-y
A show like this would work amazing in Grand Ave in the old Streets of America facades, the Muppets could heckle all the people waiting to get in to Galaxy’s Edge and do a Muppet-fied Star Wars show
 

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