PizzeRizzo announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios - Was: Rumor: Pizza Planet/Mama Melrose closing?

[Fox&Hound]

Muppets makes the most sense to me! I think while it could be linked to Star Wars they would be smart to diversify the properties represented. Not everyone (gasp) appreciates Star Wars and some would welcome other properties represented at the park. Please let there be an announcement soon about the park. I always thought after the movie had been out for a month they might announce more about the park, no longer fearing they would spoil Force Awakens for die hard fans

 

[dstrawn9889]

they have already announced 2.something Billion for this park, you think anyone will be revealing more until the new phases are complete?

 

[captainmoch]

A Muppet mini-land featuring a new Muppet Vision film, rethemes of Pizza Planet and Mama Melroses, and maybe a flat ride of sorts would be a nice addition to tide us over in 2016 until Toy Story Land in 2017. It would also round out the park more, with Pixar and Lucasfilm getting their own areas.

 

[Nastory4]

The reason both locations would be closing at the same time is because they share the back of house Kitchen areas. The Christmas shop is always pretty dead in january February so it makes sense to just close it all off. I have a feeling however that there is more to the story than just a referb.

Didn't realize they shared a kitchen area. We do enjoy watching the cooks in the open kitchen area

 

[roj2323]

Didn't realize they shared a kitchen area. We do enjoy watching the cooks in the open kitchen area

Yea it's kind of a weird setup. The back of the mama's is also a large cast break area called Intermission break room. It's got a pretty cool Fantasmic mural painted on the wall and it's otherwise clean but pretty run down so I'm sure that will be getting a makeover as well. Oh and they very back corner of the building is where the High school musical entertainment cast break room was. The building really contains a lot so it will be interesting to see what they do with it and how or if they reconfigure it.

 

[Haymarket2008]

Seeing as they are trying to fix the thematic mess that is Hollywood Studios, I would bet large amounts of money that Pizza Planet's theme will not return. Toy Story is going to the opposite side of the park, so that's the nail in the coffin for this restaurant. I think Muppets is the way to go. It would be a super creative use of the space, and having a Muppets mini land would a great move for this park.

 

[dgp602]

It hasn't come up in a while but I heard rumbles from very different areas about Pizza Planet and Mama Melrose (and possibly the Christmas shop as well) closing after the holidays/early 2016.

I haven’t heard any plans for Muppets, but everyone seems fairly confident it will be open as it is now for the foreseeable future. It just might be even more lonely in that corner of the park if there is any validity to this.

Looking back, with info we now have, you were spot on!! Nice job!

 

[djkidkaz]

I will be very surprised if they change this to Muppets or add anything Muppets to the park.

 

[marni1971]

I will be very surprised if they change this to Muppets or add anything Muppets to the park.

Don't be.

 

[marni1971]

Didn't realize they shared a kitchen area. We do enjoy watching the cooks in the open kitchen area

Pizza Planet didn't serve food when it was built - it was exhibition space originally (for The Rocketeer when it opened) so a quick fix was to knock through and share some facilities instead of building from scratch. Even if the Pizzas serving counter has been halved in size since it opened.

 

[EngineJoe]

I will be very surprised if they change this to Muppets or add anything Muppets to the park.

Kind of agree. They really haven't done much with muppets since buying it from Henson. I mean this is like the only park that has anything muppets out of all the Disney parks iirc.

 

[Nastory4]

Nice to see that there are two a few hours from my house in cities I frequent. Will have to visit.

Amazing the things you learn here. We stopped for pizza at Via Napoli's the last time we were in Epcot and loved it. Sadly usual Disney pizza does not cut it for us. There appears to be a location twenty minutes from our house.

 

[Otterhead]

They really haven't done much with muppets since buying it from Henson.

Except for making a hugely successful movie, one not-very-successful one, and a new series (which started strong but seems to be puttering out, sadly). Why they haven't done anything much in the parks is a mystery to me.

 

[Pinhead]

Given the expanse that Toy Story Land will occupy, it is feasible that a highly detailed, (perhaps, even full-service) Pizza Planet will be constructed within its borders. I'm not comfortable interpreting construction permits; perhaps someone who is can review what's been filed for TSL to see if food is on the menu. As for the what's coming to the current location, I suspect that we'll have a better idea in about 11 months.

 

[EngineJoe]

Except for making a hugely successful movie, one not-very-successful one, and a new series (which started strong but seems to be puttering out, sadly). Why they haven't done anything much in the parks is a mystery to me.

I was talking about the parks. They have like one thing at Hollywood studios, maybe two who knows. And I don't think they have any muppet stuff at any of the other parks worldwide.

 

[Chris82]

Don't be.

It would be surprising to me if they did, just because it seems like the Muppet TV show isn't quite the success hoped for? (Though I haven't heard anything in a while - could be wrong)

I may be weird in that I actually kind of like the "New York" theme of the area, and wish they'd bring it back as a real, high-quality, New York-style pizzeria. I know NYC isn't exactly exotic and exciting for a lot of people... but it is for me lol

 

[danlb_2000]

Given the expanse that Toy Story Land will occupy, it is feasible that a highly detailed, (perhaps, even full-service) Pizza Planet will be constructed within its borders. I'm not comfortable interpreting construction permits; perhaps someone who is can review what's been filed for TSL to see if food is on the menu. As for the what's coming to the current location, I suspect that we'll have a better idea in about 11 months.

No permits have been filed for TSL yet, and even when they are they aren't likely to have this level of detail.

 

[marni1971]

Except for making a hugely successful movie, one not-very-successful one, and a new series (which started strong but seems to be puttering out, sadly). Why they haven't done anything much in the parks is a mystery to me.

Copyrights and timing.

 

[note2001]

Kind of agree. They really haven't done much with muppets since buying it from Henson. I mean this is like the only park that has anything muppets out of all the Disney parks iirc.

The muppets lend themselves more to an interactive experience/show than a ride so there's only so much they can do. They have done a bit in the entertainment arena, and they've been a good money maker up until this pilot season of the Muppets, which took it in all the wrong directions and has been criticized heavily. A new film for the attraction here is well in order, I'd like to see them keep some of the best clips done by Jim himself just as a nod back to the man who took puppetry to the next level.

I can see Pizza Planet being re-themed to Muppets with interactive elements throughout. They have to be careful though, as an animatronic frog popping his head out of the wall near people eating might make someone choke

 

[TabulaRasa]

Don't be.

This is the best post I've read all week!