DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Moth]

My date bets are

•if it's a phased opening: front-half late 2026 for the show and PizzaRoz, Harryhousen's would 100% open with the coaster in this situation. Later half opens spring-summer 28.

•if all together: it opens spring 28.

So far, outside of POSSIBLY the Electric Mayhem retheme, I don't think Disney has anything planned for 2026 to open? I think the Monsters Show, whatever it may be, would be a thing they can pen down to get something in the books for 2026, alongside a redone Big Thunder Mountain.

Me thinks

25: Test Track 3, Villains show, Mermaid and Zootopia. Spaceship Earth closes after TT opens, maybe?
26: Electric Mayhem and maybe the Monsters Show.... Spaceship Earth? Mando-Falcon film.
27: Maybe Spaceship Earth goes here. Tropical Americas. Imagination closure
28: Monsters Inc full land/door coaster.
29: Larry the Cable Guy and Owen Wilson land. Imagination 4?
30: Villains. Probably some other project they haven't announced yet.

 

[mattpeto]

My date bets are

•if it's a phased opening: front-half late 2026 for the show and PizzaRoz, Harryhousen's would 100% open with the coaster in this situation. Later half opens spring-summer 28.

•if all together: it opens spring 28.

So far, outside of POSSIBLY the Electric Mayhem retheme, I don't think Disney has anything planned for 2026 to open? I think the Monsters Show, whatever it may be, would be a thing they can pen down to get something in the books for 2026, alongside a redone Big Thunder Mountain.

Just MFSR Mando/Grogu...that's all we have to date.

 

[erasure fan1]

Lost in all this is that they continue to leave Animation Courtyard rot.

That's my beef in all this. Yea I'm a Muppets Homer, full admittance. But this is about having space that isn't being utilized. I see no reason muppet vision needs to go. And because it's easier to put it in the Muppets instead of having to relocate some offices isn't valid. It's supposed to be about the guest experience. It's the same issue with cars. Once you have used all the space, then come to me with removing Muppets or RoA...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

stockholders can absolutely replace them if they aren't making as much as the stockholders think they should. So, unless you want to lose your job, you need to make enough to keep Wall Street happy.

Since Disney+ lost money for years with no issue from the stockholders I don’t think it’s realistic that the parks can’t properly expand in a way that should increase their profits long term.

 

[Casper Gutman]

We should probably wait for an insider to say ANYTHING about the Muppets replacement that appeared out of thin air AFTER D23 before guessing it will open next year.

 

[James Alucobond]

We should probably wait for an insider to say ANYTHING about the Muppets replacement that appeared out of thin air AFTER D23 before guessing it will open next year.

My assumption with the delay was just that they anticipated both it and Cars would be poorly received, hence the non-mention of the former and the lack of clarity around what exactly the latter would replace until the more detailed art came out later. Even with the obfuscation, some lady in the audience let out a massive darthvaderno.gif at the Cars announcement.

 

[Casper Gutman]

My assumption with the delay was just that they anticipated both it and Cars would be poorly received, hence the non-mention of the former and the lack of clarity around what exactly the latter would replace until the more detailed art came out later. Even with the obfuscation, some lady in the audience let out a massive darthvaderno.gif at the Cars announcement.

True, but that once more conjures up the problem of why we should assume more sincerity in the sudden mention of a direct Muppets replacement show then we do in the intentional obfuscation of the location of Monsters Land at D23. Disney has demonstrated a willingness to deceive regarding this project.

Its worth wondering if the final nature, indeed even the existence, of a Muppets replacement depend on the degree of backlash to Muppets removal.

 

[GoofGoof]

My date bets are

•if it's a phased opening: front-half late 2026 for the show and PizzaRoz, Harryhousen's would 100% open with the coaster in this situation. Later half opens spring-summer 28.

•if all together: it opens spring 28.

So far, outside of POSSIBLY the Electric Mayhem retheme, I don't think Disney has anything planned for 2026 to open? I think the Monsters Show, whatever it may be, would be a thing they can pen down to get something in the books for 2026, alongside a redone Big Thunder Mountain.

Me thinks

25: Test Track 3, Villains show, Mermaid and Zootopia. Spaceship Earth closes after TT opens, maybe?
26: Electric Mayhem and maybe the Monsters Show.... Spaceship Earth? Mando-Falcon film.
27: Maybe Spaceship Earth goes here. Tropical Americas. Imagination closure
28: Monsters Inc full land/door coaster.
29: Larry the Cable Guy and Owen Wilson land. Imagination 4?
30: Villains. Probably some other project they haven't announced yet.

For Rockin Muppet Coaster how long do you think the overlay would take? Tiana and Frozen took around 18 months each give or take a few months. I kinda feel this could be quicker but I am still thinking a year of down time. So if Muppet Coaster is ready to debut in 2026 they will have to take RNRC down some time this year. I’m thinking if anyone visits DHS to see one final show at MV3D you may want to hit RNRC too.

 

[lazyboy97o]

My assumption with the delay was just that they anticipated both it and Cars would be poorly received, hence the non-mention of the former and the lack of clarity around what exactly the latter would replace until the more detailed art came out later. Even with the obfuscation, some lady in the audience let out a massive darthvaderno.gif at the Cars announcement.

Announcing the show at D23 wouldn’t have been a dead giveaway as to the location. Venues can be built, but the Animation Courtyard area also has three existing facilities that could be utilized to hold a show of some sort.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Its worth wondering if the final nature, indeed even the existence, of a Muppets replacement depend on the degree of backlash to Muppets removal.

In my opinion, TWDC does not care about backlash about anything.

They just do what they do for their own reasons.

 

[Dranth]

Since Disney+ lost money for years with no issue from the stockholders I don’t think it’s realistic that the parks can’t properly expand in a way that should increase their profits long term.

Creating a new business unit or product is always going to have losses up front but how Wall Street responds depends on the current metrics. If you remember, all streaming was being measured by number of subs so that is what all streaming companies were focused on. Doing so drove all of them up with DIS topping off over $200 a share despite parks closures, capacity restrictions, theaters being closed, linear still dying, etc.

As soon as Wall Street decided subs were no longer enough and instead insisted on these streaming platforms making an actual profit, the stock tanked going from $200 a share to $81 a share. Anyone think the stock collapse didn't help Chapek out the door? Even once Iger came back we ended up with a proxy battle because a few stockholders didn't think the company was making enough.

I would say D+ caused a ton of issues.

As for parks expanding, they can and they (kind of) are, but they also need to show how that will create more money and if not, they will get push back. Going back to that proxy battle, remember Peltz wanting Iger to explain how the announced investment was going to increase investor value? He even mentioned at one point (think it was in his massive white paper manifest) that Disney was wasting investor money on new stuff because it is cheaper to retheme existing attractions and just as many people would show up.

 

[James Alucobond]

Announcing the show at D23 wouldn’t have been a dead giveaway as to the location. Venues can be built, but the Animation Courtyard area also has three existing facilities that could be utilized to hold a show of some sort.

Oh, I read “Muppets replacement” in that post as referring to the Muppet coaster replacing RNRC. My bad. I should’ve read upthread a bit farther.

 

[Agent H]

Creating a new business unit or product is always going to have losses up front but how Wall Street responds depends on the current metrics. If you remember, all streaming was being measured by number of subs so that is what all streaming companies were focused on. Doing so drove all of them up with DIS topping off over $200 a share despite parks closures, capacity restrictions, theaters being closed, linear still dying, etc.

As soon as Wall Street decided subs were no longer enough and instead insisted on these streaming platforms making an actual profit, the stock tanked going from $200 a share to $81 a share. Anyone think the stock collapse didn't help Chapek out the door? Even once Iger came back we ended up with a proxy battle because a few stockholders didn't think the company was making enough.

I would say D+ caused a ton of issues.

As for parks expanding, they can and they (kind of) are, but they also need to show how that will create more money and if not, they will get push back. Going back to that proxy battle, remember Peltz wanting Iger to explain how the announced investment was going to increase investor value? He even mentioned at one point (think it was in his massive white paper manifest) that Disney was wasting investor money on new stuff because it is cheaper to retheme existing attractions and just as many people would show up.

See? Peltz was not going to be a savior he would have made it worse.

 

[Moth]

For Rockin Muppet Coaster how long do you think the overlay would take? Tiana and Frozen took around 18 months each give or take a few months. I kinda feel this could be quicker but I am still thinking a year of down time. So if Muppet Coaster is ready to debut in 2026 they will have to take RNRC down some time this year. I’m thinking if anyone visits DHS to see one final show at MV3D you may want to hit RNRC too.

Depends how ambitious the overlay wants to be. I can see an 18 month turnover but also a much shorter frame if they're preparing stuff off-site and already have stuff filmed for it. I definitely think RNRC closes before the year is up though.

 

[etc98]

For Rockin Muppet Coaster how long do you think the overlay would take? Tiana and Frozen took around 18 months each give or take a few months. I kinda feel this could be quicker but I am still thinking a year of down time. So if Muppet Coaster is ready to debut in 2026 they will have to take RNRC down some time this year. I’m thinking if anyone visits DHS to see one final show at MV3D you may want to hit RNRC too.

I have a feeling it will be more like the DCA Tower of Terror to Guardians retheme, which took about 6 months. Although that was ridiculously fast compared to anything else they’ve done recently.

But I’d think closer to that than 18 months

 

[erasure fan1]

In my opinion, TWDC does not care about backlash about anything.

They just do what they do for their own reasons.

I agree 100%. Disney stopped caring about backlash long ago. Disney is of the mindset whatever they do, the fans will just eat it up. No matter if it's prices, ride closures, rethemes, removing items or experiences... they just do what they want. And for the most part they've been right, people still flood the parks for the most part.

 

[eddie104]

Depends how ambitious the overlay wants to be.

What would be considered an ambitious overlay for attraction ?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Unfortunately, I believe this project was canceled over the weekend. Look what I found on clearance:

Rest in power, king.

 

[Moth]

What would be considered an ambitious overlay for attraction ?

Good question.
Ambitious is more like, a complete interior overhaul (turning the queue into the Muppet Studios backstage entirely), all new effects for the track, new AAs built for this, either queue or ride, it's hard to put into words?

 

[GoofGoof]

What would be considered an ambitious overlay for attraction ?

I think both Frozen and Tiana were pretty ambitious. They both kept the ride systems but the interior was mostly gutted. Something like the holiday overlays they do at DLR would be very basic and quick. I think this falls in the middle of those 2 options. The main difference I see here is most of the overlay will likely be in the queue/pre-show and maybe post ride. The ride itself has limited show scenes anyway so that probably won’t change. Frozen and Tiana both had large show scenes added to the ride itself.

I have a feeling it will be more like the DCA Tower of Terror to Guardians retheme, which took about 6 months. Although that was ridiculously fast compared to anything else they’ve done recently.

But I’d think closer to that than 18 months

Wow, I didn’t know that was done so fast. It was mostly the lobby but they did add some stuff during the drops. I would not expect Rockin Muppet Coaster to be done that fast, but now we have a point of reference to show that if they wanted to they could make it happen in even less than a year.