If you’ve ever stepped out of the Florida sun and into that cool, red-curtained theater in the back corner of Hollywood Studios, you already know: Muppet*Vision 3D was one of those rare Disney attractions that felt exactly the same every time — and yet never got old.
Our family just got to experience it one last time in March 2025, knowing full well it would be the final bow. We’ve literally seen it on every trip we’ve taken to Walt Disney World, from our kids’ strollers days to this most recent one where they quoted lines before they happened.
And that’s the kind of attraction MuppetVision was. Comforting. Familiar. Slightly chaotic in the best possible way.
🎬 A True Studios Original
When Disney’s MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) opened in 1989, MuppetVision wasn’t quite ready — but by 1991, it had debuted as one of the first big additions, and quickly became a cornerstone of the park’s identity. Created in collaboration with Jim Henson just before his passing, the show was one of the last projects he personally worked on.
It wasn’t just a 3D movie. It was a full-blown Muppet experience — with in-theater animatronics, 4D effects, and Waldorf and Statler heckling you from the balcony. The preshow was long, chaotic, and possibly funnier than the main feature. You’d glance at your watch… and still refuse to leave the holding room because you didn’t want to miss a gag.
🍝 Pizza and Pasta in the Backlot
That Muppets courtyard has always been one of our family’s favorite corners of the park — low traffic, quick snacks, and air-conditioned bliss. We’ve hit PizzeRizzo more times than we can count (yes, it’s theme park pizza… but when the kids are hungry, it’s gold).
This last trip, though, we finally booked a meal at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, tucked right behind the old Muppet courtyard. Honestly? It was great. Cozy, colorful, and a nice little respite from the bustle of Batuu and swirling alien saucers. The charred strip steak and spaghetti were hits — and the bread service alone felt like it earned its spot on our next-trip repeat list.
There’s something magical about that corner of the park — where Muppets, meatballs, and movie set theming all kind of melt together.
🧵 So Long, Sprocket
With the recent news that MuppetVision 3D will officially close in June 2025 to make way for a new Monsters, Inc.-themed experience, we’re feeling all the feels. We know change is part of Disney — and we’ll always welcome something new. But man, it’s hard to let go of something that’s been with us for literal generations.
We’ll miss:
- Kermit’s soothing narration
- Miss Piggy’s patriotic fountain finale
- Sam Eagle’s “A Salute to All Nations But Mostly America”
- And yes… Bean Bunny.
It was weird. It was loud. It was utterly Muppet.
And it was perfect.
🎟️ One Last Curtain Call
We didn’t know it in March, but that last show was our final curtain call — and honestly, we’re glad we made the time for it. In a park that’s grown and shifted dramatically over the years, MuppetVision stayed lovingly stuck in time. Like an inside joke only the loyal fans still got.
So here’s to the Muppets, the bubbles, the cannonball through the wall, and the penguin orchestra that never quite got it together.
Thanks for the laughs — and the air conditioning.