News Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue replacing Liberty Inn

[Disneyhead'71]

Branding. Keeps the Muppet brand up in people's eyes. You shouldn't be able to look anywhere and not see a Disney branded product while in Disney World.

So... maybe get D+ and watch the new Muppet show!

Whether one likes being marketed to in such a way is another matter. Though it's hard to see that the majority of people spending big bucks for a Disney park are going to complain about seeing Disney products.

There was a time when people went to WDW because it was a world class resort with some of the most ambitious theme parks on the planet. Wallowing in the "Brand" wasn't a thing then.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I love the Muppets! More of the Muppets at any Disney park is a win for me. I hope Disney continues to give them a presence especially if Muppets Now is a success.

 

[disneyC97]

He looks like a potato wearing a suit.

Now you’re insulting potatoes!

 

[Magenta Panther]

How do you feel about Mary Poppins and Remy?

I would prefer that there be no IP in EPCOT. I was against Frozen in Norway - and even though the resultant ride was much better than I expected, it still doesn't belong in Norway. That was the decision made by a tone-deaf lunkhead. Because heaven forbid Iger allow a worldwide phenom like Frozen to get its own land, like what's happening in Hong Kong Disneyland. We Yanks almost never get the good stuff...

 

[Magenta Panther]

And you know what restaurant better celebrates Colonial America's fight for freedom then American Adventure's cheeseburger joint? The Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom. Could easily see the desire of rebranding the Liberty Inn coming from feeling it was redundant or to cease some perceived guest confusion.

Yes, because park guests are stupid, and heaven forbid there should be too much patriotism in an American theme park...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I would prefer that there be no IP in EPCOT. I was against Frozen in Norway - and even though the resultant ride was much better than I expected, it still doesn't belong in Norway. That was the decision made by a tone-deaf lunkhead. Because heaven forbid Iger allow a worldwide phenom like Frozen to get its own land, like what's happening in Hong Kong Disneyland. We Yanks almost never get the good stuff...

I agree. We needed more rides like Maelstrom in Epcot. Frozen and Guardians are the 2 I’m totally against. The others are at least a sensible fit.

As much as I personally love the muppets, the American pavilion should be above that, but if frozen can represent Norway Sam eagle can represent the USA.

If the muppets replace voices of Liberty so help me.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Branding. Keeps the Muppet brand up in people's eyes. You shouldn't be able to look anywhere and not see a Disney branded product while in Disney World.

Ehhh, yes you should. Unless you want to go along with Iger's vision of the theme parks as mere merchandising hubs. Which is not at ALL how Walt saw them.

Plus, given the fact that the second Disney/Muppet movie bombed at the box office, and the recent "comeback" show was cancelled pretty quickly...why should Disney keep up the Muppet brand? Not enough people care about it. I'd bet that this restaurant was probably never planned to be about an eagle puppet until very recently, when some idiot in marketing thought, hey, let's name another restaurant after a Muppet! Much cheaper than building an attraction, plus we'd be following Iger's edict to cram IP into every nook and cranny of WDW!

 

[larryz]

Folks, just remember -- the more IPs in place when the new owners take over, the higher the royalties Disney gets to charge.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Folks, just remember -- the more IPs in place when the new owners take over, the higher the royalties Disney gets to charge.

If you're talking about the Oriental Land Company, I'd hope the first thing it did was get rid of the tacky junk Iger disgraced the memory of Walt with...

 

[larryz]

If you're talking about the Oriental Land Company, I'd hope the first thing it did was get rid of the tacky junk Iger disgraced the memory of Walt with...

OLC won't buy WDW... the place is just too far gone and reeks of old technology. Think Viacom or Blackstone group.

 

[Magenta Panther]

OLC won't buy WDW... the place is just too far gone and reeks of old technology. Think Viacom or Blackstone group.

Gahhh....

 

[Aries1975]

If the muppets replace voices of Liberty so help me.

Do not "say" such things... even in jest... the idiots in charge might "hear" you. Losing the incredibly talented Voices of Liberty would be heartbreaking.

And I truly love the Muppets.

Yeesh. Sam the eagle puppet was created to make FUN of American patriotism. Get a clue already.

I do not believe Sam was developed to make fun of patriotism as much as conservatism as defined by late 1960s and 1970s standards. Now that conservatism being referenced as "the American way" often might be a source of the confusion.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Plus, given the fact that the second Disney/Muppet movie bombed at the box office, and the recent "comeback" show was cancelled pretty quickly...why should Disney keep up the Muppet brand? Not enough people care about it. I'd bet that this restaurant was probably never planned to be about an eagle puppet until very recently, when some idiot in marketing thought, hey, let's name another restaurant after a Muppet! Much cheaper than building an attraction, plus we'd be following Iger's edict to cram IP into every nook and cranny of WDW!

It's almost like the Muppet brand maintains a lot of goodwill despite Disney's scattershot and poor approach to new content. I mean, the biggest request for Disney+ I keep seeing is the demand for them to put the Muppet Show on there and of course every Christmas, you see people gushing about Muppet Christmas Carol.

Also, Mary Poppins Returns was a bomb and that's not stopping Disney from basing the Epcot ride on that instead of the original classic.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Mary Poppins Returns was a bomb

No. Neither Mary Poppins returns or muppets most wanted “bombed” at the box office. They both made profits, just less than projected.

Muppets from Space (which is the only recent muppet movie not distributed by Disney) bombed. Meaning it lost money.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm fully supportive of this. Love the Muppets, Sam Eagle is on-theme with the idea of the pavilion and the restaurant. Solid choice in my book.

Ya don't say.

 

[Prototype82]

I feel like this is some kind of weird fever dream.

 

[FigmentFan82]

Just as long as they have Doc Hopper Fried Frog's Legs....

Splendid! Splendid!

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

There's a park called Sesame Place for um, puppet devotees like yourself, you know...

I don't know if you know this but sesame place is you know for little kids. Liking the Muppets doesn't make you a little kid.

 

[MrHappy]

No theme park target audience is a 50+ year old man. It's families with kids - I'm not breaking news, I think some here need a reminder. In the 80s EPCOT Center targeted families with attractions, tech, and themes relevant to the times. In the 2020's EPCOT will target families with attractions, tech, and themes relevant to the times. EPCOT will always be a unique place with educational elements presented in (again) relevant terms to the times. Even the cultural entertainment gets refreshed (that reminds me, British Revolution really needs to get new set lists).

 

[tribbleorlfl]

While I'm not crazy about the Muppet tie-in, I'm far more concerned about the lackluster BBQ they'll be charging premium prices for.