DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Brer Panther]

I have mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, I love Monsters Inc., hopefully the ride is great and I'm glad that they're moving the Laugh Floor over. I'm also glad that this (hopefully) means we're not getting the Muppets in Hall of Presidents.

On the other hand, it sucks that they're getting rid of MuppetVision (it's one of the few non-thrill ride attractions the park still has that appeals to everyone, not just toddlers, though I suppose the new show and the Laugh Floor moving there helps). I'm not a fan of roller coasters that go upside-down, so I doubt I'll be doing the Muppets Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (even if I think it's a good idea). And Animation Courtyard is still just sitting there empty - why is THAT not a higher priority?

The release for this states Monsters Inc is also getting an all NEW show. That's cool .

What would this new show be, anyway? A live version of Put That Thing Back Where It Came From Or So Help Me? I actually wouldn't be opposed to that... provided it wasn't replacing MuppetVision.

Now Muppets is only for those who meet the height requirement AND can tolerate RnR.

Ee-yup.

I would be shocked if Laugh Floor isn't closed in MK and updated/redone as a new show for the theater.

Only problem is, this means we'll have TWO empty buildings in Tomorrowland now.

So what’s their plan for Animation Courtyard and Launch Bay?

It's probably just gonna continue sitting empty. Either that or we get a Zootopia land.

Yeah, good luck finding that original paperwork.

Roz would not be pleased.

So what the heII are they going to do with the Animation Courtyard then? Leave it to rot for another decade or two?

That's what I'm thinking.

there was a period when Disney was very good at making fun of itself. That’s a distant memory.

Now when Disney "makes fun of itself", the result is crap like that Oh My Disney scene in Wreck-It Ralph 2.

Very few of the attractions built by Disney nowadays have humor in them. Like, at all. I think the only one we've gotten so far with jokes in it was the new Country Bears show.

Yup. Muppets is a bad fit for a coaster. It’s a property that relies on dialogue, characterization, and wit - all things, of course, modern Disney parks don’t do well.

Another good point.

Tomorrowland won't be that dull for long. Trust the plan.

We really need to make sure Elio is successful enough for Disney to give it an attraction. I feel like that's the only way we're gonna get any investment in Tomorrowland.

At least the Muppets will still be in the parks but this just feels like they are slapping some Kermit paint on RNRC to appease fans. What does the below even mean? Is it a Muppets themed coaster or the Muppets playing host to other bands and popstars?

"The Muppets will be taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, teaming up with some of music’s biggest stars for a rockin’ music festival!"

That'll run the risk of making the attraction dated like the current Aerosmith theme is. Though I doubt that'll stop Disney.

Disney is now just grabbing poorly-conceived armchair Imagineering ideas from fans online in a pathetic attempt to pander.

Just like they did with Tiana's Bayou Adventure!

Also important to note that, even with this plan, there’s no reason MV3D couldn’t stay - it’s being replaced by an amorphous “show” that is as likely as not to disappear in the years between now and opening. Not every ride needs a “land” - just build the door coaster in that spot and leave Muppets.

Another good point. They could've just had a Monstropolis with the Laugh Floor and the Door Coaster. If you're not gonna build the Door Coaster where MuppetVision is, what's the point of closing MuppetVision (aside from Bob Iger's hatred of the franchise, of course)?

You can fit several rides on the Indy footprint and increase capacity as well as dramatically shift guest flow in the park.

Iger's Disney is allergic to increasing capacity, for some reason.

Animation Courtyard becomes Muppet Studios. Fits in neatly with Hollywood Studios. Include MuppetVision 3D. Connect it to Sunset Blvd and the new Muppet coaster.

That could work! You could put MuppetVision in the Disney Junior Dance Party building and also add a Muppets dark ride for those not tall enough for the coaster.

Animation Courtyard is going to be used for something bigger.

I'll believe it when I see it.

If Laugh Floor actually gets moved over to the land then instead of having a second show in the current MV3D theater spot they should bring over ride and go seek or the DCA dark ride for that spot instead. Studios could use a dark ride like that

Another good idea.

Have you guys noticed a new trend???

"At least the bears are still here in some way..."

"At least the muppets are here in some way..."

Next one: "At least Figment is here in some way..."

Hear that? It's the sound of Joy laughing her head off.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

Maintaining the show actually represents an expansion. That’s the most positive news.

Don't tell anyone else that... the sentiment is that Disney is old yellering Henson's Legacy.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

So are they saying that the Muppets are “hosting” the coaster and the music is going to rotate? Is it all going to be the same? Each car will have a different song?

 

[MichWolv]

This was the majority of my personal opposition. Maintaining the show actually represents an expansion. That’s the most positive news.

Well, now. That last bit is really good news. If Monsters gets a show in addition to the coaster, we have an actual increase in attraction numbers. A good sign.

 

[Purduevian]

Time to Read the Len Tea leaves...

• There is another shoe to drop
• Not Indy, ToT or Animation courtyard
• Something that isn't generating LL sales...

I only see a few attractions left:

• Beauty and the Beast
• Fantasmic
• Frozen
• Star Tours
• Vacation Fun

Of these, BATB is on a huge plot of land, Frozen and Vacation Fun share a building, and Star Tours would be easy to re-theme... Although aren't we supposed to get an Asoka update soon?

My money is on BATB.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Looks like the kids play area got cut (one of the original concept art pieces seemed to show a Sully colored twisty slide suggesting an outdoor kids area... nothing similar can be seen in the most recent concept art). It's a shame because I feel like DHS could really use a place where kids can just run around and let off some steam without needing to stand in a queue...

 

[Poirot4]

Not seeing any expansion of Rizzo in the art. The section with the teeth is already there.

Yes, I am seeing it now. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[ednamodedarling]

@lentesta casually hoping the shoe to drop is either STAR TOURS or BEAUTY & THE BEAST.

 

[mattpeto]

And the great park in the sky gains another.
View attachment 826886

Not it's not there yet.

It really does sound encouraging that they want to keep MV3D around in some form. When they do that when they close attractions?

 

[lentesta]

@lentesta casually hoping the shoe to drop is either STAR TOURS or BEAUTY & THE BEAST.

My understanding is it's a much more short-term thing. Think about what they could throw into a park with just a few months of planning, that doesn't involve major construction or WDI.

 

[BrianLo]

Disney's said they're spending $60B over 10 years on Parks & Experiences.

Keeping in mind that time is a construct and words have no inherent meaning...consider this.

All the stuff they've announced so far - Cars Land, Villains Land, Tropical Americas, etc. - is basically Phase 1 of the plan, for 2025 to 2029 - the first 5 years of that 10 year spend.

We know this because all of those projects don't add up to anything close to $60B, even accounting for inflation, the fact that nobody's ever said whether it's CapEx, OpEx, or both, and so on.

Since everything they've announced fits into the first 5 years of the 10 year announcement, there'll be a Phase 2 announced probably around D23 2028 or so. I think they need to see how Epic U does, whether the economy returns to pre-pandemic inflation levels, etc.

FYI it’s 12B of CapEx for WDW over 10 years. 5B for maintenance. Supposedly. Your broader point definitely stands, this doesn’t represent the full spend yet. Barely half.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I’m not really bothered by the loss of Muppets 3D but I can’t understand for the life of me why Disney keeps replacing functional areas instead of empty areas like LaunchBay, Wonders of Life, etc that sit empty for decades.

The Muppets area would have been a perfect location to expand Star Wars, so of course they’re putting a completely unrelated Monsters land there. SMH.

I don’t know how they keep overlooking the painfully obvious areas to utilize, the decisions of modern Disney make no sense at all to me.

 

[spectromagic04]

My understanding is it's a much more short-term thing. Think about what they could throw into a park with just a few months of planning, that doesn't involve major construction or WDI.

New nighttime show on Chinese theater or new/returning entertainment act

 

[Coaster Lover]

@lentesta casually hoping the shoe to drop is either STAR TOURS or BEAUTY & THE BEAST.

Star Tours is getting new scenes. Even if they also have Star Tours in Disneyland and Tokyo, I'd assume they'd keep Star Tours in DHS around at least long enough to profit off those new scenes. B&TB, on the other hand, is in it's 33rd year of operations. A swap of shows there could make sense (especially to one of the new "hot" properties like Moana [regardless of how poor a fit that is for that area of the park]).

 

[Disstevefan1]

So Disney updated the seats in Muppets. So at that moment in time they did not know they were going to tear down the place.

This tells me, Disney never has any long term plan for anything and whatever happens, happens and Disney is just does stuff randomly, so even for stuff they announce and create concept drawings for may never happen or may be greatly changed.

We have NO IDEA what's going happen.

 

[HauntedPirate]

FYI it’s 12B of CapEx for WDW over 10 years. 5B for maintenance. Supposedly. Your broader point definitely stands, this doesn’t represent the full spend yet. Barely half.

Don't forget 4 new, larger cruise ships at $1.6 billion each (I think that was the number I saw). Overseas parks getting money out of that pot. DVC builds.

 

[ednamodedarling]

New nighttime show on Chinese theater or new/returning entertainment act

Or a smaller in scope Daytime parade??

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

At this point..not surprised..but absolutely incredibly sad. I was already completely flummoxed and angry and sad and all the weary emotions over Rivers of America (my favorite section of Magic Kingdom being Liberty Square and Frontierland), and now they are actually going through with removing Muppet Courtyard and getting rid of Muppet Vision, a family friendly, all ages, attraction...for another coaster.

My husband told me the news a little while ago before I had gotten the chance to see it myself. I had some VERY choice words. I know many people have the knee jerk reaction of "that's it, I'm done with Disney" after announcements like this, and most often it's not entirely true. But it honestly feels like my lifelong passion for Disney is fading away. That's after decades of questionable decisions from the company, particularly related to the parks. But this year it seems like they've really ramped up the boneheaded moves. It's been disheartening, to say the least, to be a fan of classic Disney parks this year.

 

[Coaster Lover]

My understanding is it's a much more short-term thing. Think about what they could throw into a park with just a few months of planning, that doesn't involve major construction or WDI.

Return of something that was already there? "Music of Pixar Live! A Symphony of Characters" returning?

 

[spectromagic04]

Or a smaller in scope Daytime parade??

I feel like we would’ve heard if it was new built floats by now. Unless we are getting a parade from a different park moved here.