Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D closing for refurbishment in August

May 18, 2016 in "Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3-D"

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Posted: Wednesday May 18, 2016 10:43am EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Jim Henson's MuppetVision 3D at Disney's Hollywood Studios is scheduled to be closed for refurbishment in August.

The refurbishment beings on August 15, through to August 22, reopening to guests on August 23 2016.

View all current and upcoming Walt Disney World refurbishments.

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BaconPancakesMay 19, 2016

Agreed, that's probably one of the most ignorant things I've read here lately. Cue MagentaPanther...

FlynnwriterMay 19, 2016

Refurbishment? How about demolition? This attraction is dated and needs to be retired.

MrHappyMay 19, 2016

The ABC show was very different from the recent movies and park attractions. I'm honestly glad it got canceled - the show was awkward and the "Modern Family" tone and production is overplayed and not "on brand" for the Muppet's. The attraction is very good. A few tweaks can be made particularly to the waiting area video and the end of the film (when the wall is broken through and the park goers are in "dated" 90s fashions). I'm fine with Waldo, he's there to help carry the 3D effects. Bottom line though: I just took my 4 year old and 2 year old last week. And they tried grabbing the objects jumping out and loved the bubbles. The whole show was a hit to them. That's all that matters. I hope Diz further develops the Muppet's, glad to hear about the restaurant. I hope they even set up an Electric Mayhem stage in the courtyard!

Kman101May 19, 2016

I can agree with this. I didn't dislike or hate Most Wanted, it just wasn't the best, and agreed about Segel.

FigmentJediMay 19, 2016

Gonna be really cynical, but "The Muppets" was successful probably because people wanted to see Jason Segel more then they did the Muppets. Which is a damn shame because Muppets Most Wanted was really fun and actually about the Muppets rather then Segel's self-inserts.

Kman101May 19, 2016

I'm in the 25-35 age range and love the Muppets ... but I agree with the part I quoted. They haven't really been able to find that balance. The sitcom was for adults, clearly. The Muppets were once very adult characters. But then you had half the audience who liked it and the other half were used to the Muppets playing dress-up as pirates or characters from the Wizard of Oz. The Muppet movie somewhat revived them, but then they came out with Muppets Most Wanted and, IMO, killed the momentum they had.

Rosso11May 19, 2016

You can't compare The Muppets with the Star Wars and Marvel purchases. Muppets costs pennies compared to those properties and Disney made their money back after just the first movie. It is quick and cheap to produce Muppets shows and movies. Most Muppets ventures they have done so far have been profitable. The initial success of the show shows Disney there is demand for the property. The show itself left a lot of people underwhelmed and the over 9 million people who initially started watching quickly abandoned the show after realizing it just wasn't well made.

FullSailDanMay 19, 2016

Please understand I didn't say, nor mean to imply, 'nobody has interest'. The number is just exceptionally low. I don't mean it as a swipe at you or people who do like it. As a former animator, I think the artistry behind the Muppets is beautiful. They just don't resonate with me. That could be for many reasons, but the big challenge I see with the Muppets is finding material that will captivate adults with nostalgia and bring in younger generations with charm. That is a very very tough tightrope to walk.

thequirkysarahMay 19, 2016

Claiming that nobody between the ages of 25 and 35 has any interest in the Muppets is pretty ridiculous. I fall firmly in that group and love the Muppets. So do many of my contemporaries. I mean, my dog is named Kermit. I get that not everyone was exposed to the Muppets growing up, but I certainly was. I wasn't a big fan of the TV show in its first iteration but the rework was working. Too bad that it was too little, too late. The Muppet movie with Amy Adams was quite good and decently received. The sequel was a bit clunky, though. The Muppets is a solid IP, but Disney just hasn't figured out how to handle it yet. I'm hoping that someone with the proper vision can come along and really get things started in the Muppets department. There is an audience, if the subject matter is approached correctly.

BuddyThomasMay 19, 2016

Ha ha. That's all I can say. I've actually already said too much already, but I just get tired of all these people insisting that the show is closing when that could not be further from the truth. I imagine an announcement is coming soon. Maybe this quick "refurbishment" is for them to evaluate what's going to change and how long the overhaul will take, etc. That's just a guess.

FigmentJediMay 19, 2016

It's been said for a while that they made a new preshow but never got around to installing it.

Castle Cake ApologistMay 18, 2016

Do go on.......

BuddyThomasMay 18, 2016

It is not fading into extinction. I have clients involved in the creation of new material for the show. I don't think it is being implemented during such a short closure, however, so sometime in the not so distant future.