News Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[ToTBellHop]

What does it mean to say “WDI has a few weeks to decide…”? They get to choose where this goes? That would be surprising, if true. I thought they drew up plans for the two locations and leadership then made the call.

 

[BrianLo]

So, this is interesting. If Monstropolis is both the coaster and a show (plus a playground?), I like the plans for it a heck of a lot more. Interesting that I suppose if that is the plan then either replacing MupperVision or replacing Disney Jr could be the location for a show. Of course, Disney Jr isn't a proper theater and would need a lot more work to make it viable.

And on that note, if they were adding the door coaster but otherwise keeping the MuppetVision building that would they'd have to be putting the coaster at least partially on what is currently backstage (I'd guess they would remove Mama Melrose and use the footprint plus space behind it)

I... don't hate it. I think AC is better as there is less of value there, but I'm not so wedded to MuppetVision that I feel like it can never disappear, especially if the Muppets get some other attraction (or it gets put somewhere else).

A big reason I like AC better is that thee is potentially a lot more room and they can build more with the land. Monstropolis would definitely need more than just the door coaster in terms of attractions. My biggest issue with losing MuppertVision would be that the park needs that capacity especially as an all ages continuously running show. It wouldn't be ideal to lose that during construction, but it wouldn't be as terrible as losing MV and only getting the door coaster

I like muppet vision, but there is an eventual shelf life to it. I think it has skated by so well because it is mostly live action and there’s some other lower lying fruit (Little Mermaid… seriously Beauty and the Beast). But is Muppet Vision an attraction that can run unaltered for 50 years? It’s already long removed from DCA.

The initial suggestion sounded horrible. But if Star Tours is surviving and a replacement show is dreamt up and we get an added attraction and most of the dining is repurposed, that’s perfectly fine with me. I see the logic in it and it could be done somewhat quickly. Particularly if the Muppets are the compromise that keeps a version of Hall of Presidents afloat. Heck it even gives us a more clear 2026 project (Hall of Presidents).

I don’t like the dead ending proposal for Animation Courtyard. The park flow needs to be released over there.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

It is funny to describe WDI as a secretive cabal who make decisions about what stays and what dies.

 

[Stripes]

Have not heard anything about this, have also not been told that I would need to find a new parking lot to use

I shan’t divulge where/what I do, but I would be impacted by either of these things and haven’t heard anything yet

Corless is reporting that some DHS cast members are being informed that the office behind AC is moving and the parking garage will be inaccessible.

Heard anything?

 

[Horizons '83]

Corless is reporting that some DHS cast members are being informed that the office behind AC is moving and the parking garage will be inaccessible.

Heard anything?

Would seem little early to start talking about moving the offices considering they haven't submitted any permits yet.

 

[Thanks phoenicians]

I like muppet vision, but there is an eventual shelf life to it. I think it has skated by so well because it is mostly live action and there’s some other lower lying fruit (Little Mermaid… seriously Beauty and the Beast). But is Muppet Vision an attraction that can run unaltered for 50 years? It’s already long removed from DCA.

The initial suggestion sounded horrible. But if Star Tours is surviving and a replacement show is dreamt up and we get an added attraction and most of the dining is repurposed, that’s perfectly fine with me. I see the logic in it and it could be done somewhat quickly. Particularly if the Muppets are the compromise that keeps a version of Hall of Presidents afloat. Heck it even gives us a more clear 2026 project (Hall of Presidents).

I don’t like the dead ending proposal for Animation Courtyard. The park flow needs to be released over there.

I agree with all of this. Imo it's hard to really judge the decision without knowing their end game here (hopefully they even know the end game here). If Muppets stays somewhere in the parks, Star Tours stays, and they have a good plan for Animation Courtyard and the area behind, then personally I'd be fine with it. If it means Muppets is completely done at WDW and they leave AC untouched for a while then it's a failure. A lot will ride on how the other dominoes fall in the future once the first one (monsters land) gets announced.

 

[discos]

Interesting. The Muppets location could have been a much older concept than we think

 

[James Alucobond]

I don’t like the dead ending proposal for Animation Courtyard. The park flow needs to be released over there.

Would it necessarily dead-end things indefinitely? A guest-facing connection between Animation and Highland Avenue seems a bit more realistic than hoping they eventually demolish anything more north of Showbiz Boulevard.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

The Ice Cold Hydraulics Coca-Cola Stand opened on Grand Avenue in February. Unless it is rethemed, it seems like an odd addition before groundbreaking on a reimagining of the area.

It’s not unprecedented though. The riverboat recently had a bunch of refurbishments done to it and the backlot tour trams got a ton of work done just for them to announce it was closing shortly after

 

[Horizons '83]

Interesting. The Muppets location could have been a much older concept than we thinkView attachment 809114

Wow, interesting. Not sure if that determines location, but good to know that was an old idea that they perhaps second guessed when they dusted off the idea.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Interesting. The Muppets location could have been a much older concept than we thinkView attachment 809114

This is true. And it's interesting that the CA rendering does not have a signature.

 

[Purduevian]

Should this be moved to the Studio's redevelopment forum?

 

[Streetway]

No, don’t think so.

 

[orky8]

I bet with all this negative outrage over his parks panel now overtaking the expansion news, he can feel his ceo spot slippping through his fingers.

If anything it shows he has listened to his mentors well and positioned him better to take over - since when has Iger cared about the parks or the fans?

 

[brb1006]

Love this photo of Jim Hill observing the Monsters Inc Land and coaster layout on the last day of D23 2024. Glad that he finally feels vindicated for keeping the rumored Monster Inc Land going for as long as possible.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It is funny to describe WDI as a secretive cabal who make decisions about what stays and what dies.

Yeah I am not sure if people understand how companies run, specifically big corporate publicly traded entities...

 

[Casper Gutman]

But is Muppet Vision an attraction that can run unaltered for 50 years?

Yes. Absolutely. Just like Pirates or Tiki or Spaceship Earth.

This is the same deeply silly “new beats old” logic that has utterly ruined EPCOT and done significant damage to Magic Kingdom.

 

[doctornick]

I don’t like the dead ending proposal for Animation Courtyard. The park flow needs to be released over there.

Yeah, if the option of Monsters Inc going into AC is literally to just use the courtyard (and have the coaster replace Launch Bay) then that's a terrible option too. In fact, worse than Muppets. When I talk something going into "Animation Courtyard", I mean tearing down the entire old Animation building (Launch Bay + offices) and building on current backstage space and connecting it to RNR for guests. Anything going into that area but not doing that stuff - or even worse, cutting off the connection to be able to use backstage - is a big fail.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

Yes. Absolutely. Just like Pirates or Tiki or Spaceship Earth.

This is the same deeply silly “new beats old” logic that has utterly ruined EPCOT and done significant damage to Magic Kingdom.

Sure but all legacy rides have gotten refreshed and touched up over time (for better and worse). How much of that can be done with the muppet film? It’s incredibly dated because it was shot almost 40 years ago. Do I still enjoy it? Sure. But it shows its age

 

[Streetway]

Sure but all legacy rides have gotten refreshed and touched up over time (for better and worse). How much of that can be done with the muppet film? It’s incredibly dated because it was shot almost 40 years ago. Do I still enjoy it? Sure. But it shows its age

I fundamentally disagree. Age does not mean something is bad.