News Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[GoofGoof]

Except you have lots of posts full of, “I’d be really upset about MV3D leaving, but Disney promised a new show and Muppets in RnRC and to ‘preserve’ Muppets, so it’s OK and people getting upset are silly.” Disney’s strategy here is pretty clear.

If folks want to discuss what’s actually happening - MV3D is being removed and a door coaster expansion is being built nearby - great. But until we have significantly more reason to believe that any of the other things are occurring, factoring them in distorts the picture. Ignoring Disney’s behavior over the last two decades doesn’t produce meaningful discussion.

That’s fair. If you want to take it a step further we still don’t know they will actually build a Doors coaster or close MV3D. Anything announced can change so the only way to avoid uncertainty is to wait until it’s all done to discuss. As I said before, I think we can have a discussion about what might happen without continuously clarifying that we know it is not certain to occur.

I am not at all happy to see MV3D leaving. The original concept art from muppet courtyard seemed to show the theater gone and that space used by part of the courtyard and door coaster. This new art shows the theater in place and the coaster back further in a backstage area. Disney also announced a new monsters show coming. So Its not unreasonable for people to consider that at least a better option. We lose MV3D. I can’t even imagine how a new monsters show could possibly exceed that show, but at least a new show keeps the capacity (added capacity with the coaster), especially for people with kids or issues with motion sickness. I reserve the right to come back later and criticize the quality of the new show or trash Disney completely if no show happens. I see no value in preemptively trashing them for cancelling a planned show that hasn’t been cancelled yet. It’s not a productive conversation.

As far as Muppets at RNRC, why not do it? It’s become clear that Aerosmith needed to go and it seems like an easy and more importantly cheap option to keep Muppets in the park. I will be the first to admit that adding something Muppets next to RNRC is more wishful thinking than reality but it could still happen.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

Define a huge success.

A lot more capacity in that area of the park. Guaranteed.

And I am someone who loves Muppet*Vision with my whole heart and do it multiple times on every trip to WDW. But I can love something and still understand that it's way past it's time and doesn't relate to generations under me for the most part.

 

[erasure fan1]

I just wish the announcement for Monsters was coupled with what's happening to MV3D to put finality to it. The announcement of retheming RnRC is nice but still doesn't answer where MV3D is going, if anywhere.

In my eyes that tells me everything. It feels like a PR move to say we're looking at options to soften the blow. They've had how many months at this point to figure it out? I'd love to be wrong on this but I don't see them doing anything but maybe preserving it on disney+. Or a limited edition Blu-ray for the low price of 199.99. And it will come with a statue of Kermit sitting on the end of the firetruck ladder. If they're going to spend a bunch of money to relocate or anything like that. They would just leave it and go with animation courtyard for monsters.

 

[LSLS]

A lot more capacity in that area of the park. Guaranteed.

And I am someone who loves Muppet*Vision with my whole heart and do it multiple times on every trip to WDW. But I can love something and still understand that it's way past it's time and doesn't relate to generations under me for the most part.

Ok so success is just raising capacity in that area? Or attendance too? But isn't correlated to overall gate clicks. Just curious how you were defining that. I would tend to agree it will be more busy (at least in the short term) on that side of the park, but I personally don't think it will increase the overall park attendance by much. We shall see.

 

[mickEblu]

Why doesn’t Disney just cancel the Cars project and get started on Villains land right away. That’s what people really want.

 

[GoofGoof]

In my eyes that tells me everything. It feels like a PR move to say we're looking at options to soften the blow. They've had how many months at this point to figure it out? I'd love to be wrong on this but I don't see them doing anything but maybe preserving it on disney+. Or a limited edition Blu-ray for the low price of 199.99. And it will come with a statue of Kermit sitting on the end of the firetruck ladder. If they're going to spend a bunch of money to relocate or anything like that. They would just leave it and go with animation courtyard for monsters.

I really doubt they will spend money to construct a new theater to hold the film. The best hope of it landing somewhere in the parks would be replacing an existing 3D movie. Here are the options in what I think is Least likely to most likely to happen:

1. Philharmagic at MK. I see close to zero percent chance this happens.
2. Tree of Life at AK. They just announced Zootopia to Tree of Life replacing Bugs. Since Zootopia really doesn’t fit well there anyway MV3D wouldn’t be any more out of place, but it would require some changes to the theater too. I see that as highly unlikely as well.
3. Mickey Shorts theater featuring Vacation Fun (former Sounds Dangerous). I think the movie could be moved here but not sure about all of the physical set pieces. It would also mean Muppets in 2 separate areas of the park.
4. Magic Eye Theater in Imagination pavilion. Muppets would replace the Pixar shorts which are not overly popular there anyway. The theater has a history of swapping out 3D shows. Would people be upset if they moved the movie without some of the physical effects. I think it could ruin the story.
   

 

[James Alucobond]

Why doesn’t Disney just cancel the Cars project and get started on Villains land right away. That’s what people really want.

Because the Cars project is what will provide walking access to the Villains expansion?

 

[JackCH]

Because the Cars project is what will provide walking access to the Villains expansion?

Plus, I think they want that space utilized. And it will be harder to do something there once villains is built since they won't have as easy access.

 

[mickEblu]

Because the Cars project is what will provide walking access to the Villains expansion?

They can’t just make a path on the HM side to Villains land?

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

Why doesn’t Disney just cancel the Cars project and get started on Villains land right away. That’s what people really want.

Cause Cars makes money money than Villains. If anything, Villains will be cancelled since it's a much larger project, and Cars will be all we get.

I sure can't wait for Frontierland to feel like a cramped hallway with giant trees blocking out the view of the cars instead of a nice open river!

 

[Nevermore525]

They can’t just make a path on the HM side to Villains land?

Not without also shrinking TSI to maintain proper clearances for the Liberty Belle. The path will also have to start around the Riverboat station unless they also make further modifications to the HM Queue.

 

[erasure fan1]

Would people be upset if they moved the movie without some of the physical effects. I think it could ruin the story.

In my opinion it's not the show without the physical set pieces. Just watching it without the physical stuff, the story doesn't work in my opinion. Personally I don't want want an abridged version. If they want to retrofit a much smaller theater to have the complete show. Great, I'm all for it. I just don't have a lot of hope.

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

Not without also shrinking TSI to maintain proper clearances for the Liberty Belle. The path will also have to start around the Riverboat station unless they also make further modifications to the HM Queue.

IMO, the only half of the RoA/TSI that are really needed is the front half that guests can see from the mainland. Turn the thing into a loop and use the back half as expansion space. Demolishing the whole thing (or at least the front half if the Cars concept art is anything to go by) is such a bad move

 

[GoofGoof]

They can’t just make a path on the HM side to Villains land?

There was a thought early on that they would keep the front half of TSI and close the back half. Then you could have dry docked the boat and made a walking path on both sides either with bridges over the water or with the River converted to a lake and the Back half drained.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It was deemed too expensive and time consuming to keep RoA, build everything new behind it, and make modifications to the existing park to allow access. By building on RoA, the project progresses faster, some of the Cars project’s funding provides space for Villain Land (where they will initially lay down parts for Cars) and retains some expansion plots. Keeping RoA used more of the expansion, cost more, and would have had very problematic connections to the existing park. Unfortunately.

At least water features are included in the new lands.

 

[mattpeto]

I really doubt they will spend money to construct a new theater to hold the film. The best hope of it landing somewhere in the parks would be replacing an existing 3D movie. Here are the options in what I think is Least likely to most likely to happen:

1. Philharmagic at MK. I see close to zero percent chance this happens.
2. Tree of Life at AK. They just announced Zootopia to Tree of Life replacing Bugs. Since Zootopia really doesn’t fit well there anyway MV3D wouldn’t be any more out of place, but it would require some changes to the theater too. I see that as highly unlikely as well.
3. Mickey Shorts theater featuring Vacation Fun (former Sounds Dangerous). I think the movie could be moved here but not sure about all of the physical set pieces. It would also mean Muppets in 2 separate areas of the park.
4. Magic Eye Theater in Imagination pavilion. Muppets would replace the Pixar shorts which are not overly popular there anyway. The theater has a history of swapping out 3D shows. Would people be upset if they moved the movie without some of the physical effects. I think it could ruin the story.

Sunset Showcase is the most likely candidate out of anything at the parks, but I'd just count on Disney+ honestly.

 

[Nevermore525]

IMO, the only half of the RoA/TSI that are really needed is the front half that guests can see from the mainland. Turn the thing into a loop and use the back half as expansion space. Demolishing the whole thing (or at least the front half if the Cars concept art is anything to go by) is such a bad move

Not debating on the merits of the move, just from a design perspective if they wanted to do a path on the BTM side and HM side to provide multiple means of access for Villains you hit a point where there may not be enough available clearance for the ship to appropriately turn.

Add in you’re going to need to add infrastructure for a raised bridge on the BTM side if you keep the river around which could cut into available clearances.

At a certain point in order to adequately fit the turns and clearances for the Liberty Belle and Pathways from existing attractions (BTM/HM) you’ve shrunk TSI to the point where it’s not worth keeping with what will be left.

Anyway, back to the Muppets move.

 

[mickEblu]

There was a thought early on that they would keep the front half of TSI and close the back half. Then you could have dry docked the boat and made a walking path on both sides either with bridges over the water or with the River converted to a lake and the Back half drained.

This is what they should do and hoping they still do.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Sunset Showcase is the most likely candidate out of anything at the parks, but I'd just count on Disney+ honestly.

I just don’t see the point in spending money to bring back an old show very soon after it closes. After a decade, it can be fun to have a retro throw-back for a couple years, but it doesn’t make much sense to immediately move it to a different building that would provide an inferior product. Sometimes it’s just time to let something go.

And I love MV3D. At least I have YouTube. A video provides a much better simulation of an extinct show than an extinct ride. Somehow, a video of Splash doesn’t do much for me.

 

[Professortango1]

That is the same experience I had last summer. Granted I can't go in off times but I've never had a show where people weren't laughing and having fun. Sure the theater isn't packed all the time, it's a near 600 people theater, but I've never been in a show that was less than 40/45+% full. That's still over 200+ people a show and that's not bad in my opinion. Especially since it's not something they have to close because they are out of room.

The only big glaring issue from a dated standpoint, is the very 90s cg. Waldo especially. And that's easily fixable.

Do you think that's the actual attraction or Disneys tendencies to let things rot? Personally I think they do the very minimum. There was a stretch in muppet vision where effects were broken for years and years. The burnout that Waldo does when he turns into a car as an example. When the quality keeps dropping, yea more people are going to lose interest.

I wouldn't say that the Indiana Jones stunt show is in poor condition, it's just from a bygone era and a show that I've seen a half dozen times. Disney rides provide a physical sensation accompanied with visual things to explore. Shows, by nature, offer few to no physical sensations and the focus is more controlled, leaving less to discover visually on repeated viewings.

When I watch Muppet Vision, it feels incredibly 90's. The in-theatre effects are fun, but I would much prefer a new attraction that focused on practical real effects and physical puppets rather than watching a movie. Also, I think Honey I Shrunk the Audience finally fixed a problem I had with 3-D movies. I don't want to watch things jump off the screen, I want to feel like I'm in the same room with these characters. HISTA did this incredibly well and TTBAB was even better. With Muppets, it reminded me of the issues I had with the middle portion of T2 at Universal; I'm just watching a movie with 3-D effects in it.

In the end, Muppet Vision, already feels like a museum piece whenever I visit, and not much of a theme park experience. I am still charmed by the physical in-theatre effects and actor, but that's an extremely small portion of the experience. I'd rather have a new Muppet experience that feels fresh and new and incorporates physical gags and energy throughout. If they simply move Muppet Vision to another part of the park, I would be extremely disappointed.