Clever Disney Imagineers Strike Again!
At the D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event in August 2024, Disney unveiled an exciting addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World: a Monsters, Inc.-themed land complete with a thrilling roller coaster. The announcement and concept art left fans excited about what’s to come. Check out the artwork revealed during this unforgettable fan celebration below!
While it was confirmed that the new Monsters, Inc. land would call Disney’s Hollywood Studios home, the exact location remained a mystery. Fans eagerly speculated, with many suggesting it might take over the Star Wars Launch Bay or Muppet*Vision 3D. However, die-hard Muppet fans were quick to declare, “There’s no way they’d replace the Muppets!” The prevailing theory was that Star Wars Launch Bay would make way for this exciting new addition.
Disney, ever the master of suspense, kept fans captivated with just enough to fuel the excitement—a few pieces of concept art and a detailed model of the new coaster. It was just enough to keep everyone guessing while building anticipation!
Monsters Inc Coaster is Coming to Hollywood Studios, replacing Muppet Vision 3d
Disney had a delicate task on its hands. They knew they were replacing a fan-favorite attraction but couldn’t announce the end of Muppet*Vision 3D without having a solid plan in place for the beloved Muppets. Enter the perfect solution: a double announcement! Not only did they reveal the location for Monsters, Inc. Land, but they also unveiled the Muppets’ exciting new home at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which will now replace Aerosmith.
The image below showcases how Disney cleverly released concept art that subtly hinted at the location without giving too much away during the D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Look closely, and you’ll spot the new Harryhausen’s food service area in both images, quietly nestled in what we now know to be the former Muppet Courtyard—though Disney did not indicate that at the time. It was a classic Imagineering sleight of hand!
The new concept art showcasing the entire Muppet Courtyard raises more questions than it answers. Fans have been poring over every detail, trying to piece together what’s next for this iconic space. Here’s what we’ve been able to piece together based on what we know so far.
If there’s one thing we know for sure, the restrooms and kitchens won’t move. Grand Avenue exists because it is the kitchen for ABC Commissary, Sci-Fi Dine-In, and Baseline Tap House; it just doesn’t make financial sense to relocate that infrastructure if you don’t have to. With that in mind, we can infer that Gonzo’s Royal Flush, Rizzo’s Pizzeria, and the area near Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano are all set for Monsters retheme.
It seems likely that the quick-service restaurant and restrooms will receive a refreshed theme, with Harryhausen’s taking shape in a newly constructed building. This would likely replace the space currently occupied by Mama Melrose’s and the Stage 1 Company Store. However, due to the angle of the concept art, some details remain unclear. We can confidently identify the current location of the Miss Piggy Fountain—which appears to make way for what looks like the land’s official logo centerpiece.
So, where exactly will the Monsters, Inc. coaster building be located? Based on the concept art, it appears the attraction will extend primarily into the area currently used for parking, much like the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster at EPCOT. This clever use of space allows Disney to expand without significantly altering other areas of the Park, it’s a new new attraction.
While we now have a few answers, much of what we know is still rooted in speculation—and even more questions have surfaced. For instance, what will happen to the current Muppet*Vision 3D theater? Could Disney relocate Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor from Magic Kingdom, giving it a fresh, plussed-up experience here? If so, this could be the first domino in the long-rumored “New Tomorrowland” overhaul at Magic Kingdom.
What do you think? Will the restrooms get a clever Monsters, Inc. theme? How might Rizzo’s be transformed? And perhaps the biggest mystery: what will the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Courtyard become in its new Muppets-themed iteration? There’s plenty more to speculate about—but that’s a story for another blog!
