Saying Goodbye to Muppets Courtyard – My Thoughts. Yesterday was the final day to visit the Muppets Courtyard area at Hollywood Studios, and so many people did. The crowds were high, as Muppets fans wanted to see Muppet Vision 3D, take a pic with Miss Piggy’s fountain, or eat at PizzeRizzo one last time. Even Jim Henson’s daughter was on the scene last night.
A few months ago, Disney announced the closing date for this area, so we knew it was coming. Monsters Inc land is going in its place, as announced at the D23 Fan Event last year. Even though fans were informed of this major change, a lot of hearts were still broken. The Muppets were part of so many childhoods, including mine. I always talk about nostalgia, and the Muppets Courtyard definitely brought it. The memories it stirred up were the best, as time sure goes by fast, we want those special reminders. Now, Muppets Courtyard is permanently closed. The saving grace here is that the Muppets will be moving across the park, opening in 2026. We are losing Rock-N-Rollercoaster in the process. I think for me, the sad part of losing this location is that it almost feels like the last little piece of what the park was originally. When you were back in Muppets Courtyard, you could almost envision that the Streets of America were still there. The Backlot Tour, stunt show, the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area etc. This is just the final piece of the puzzle going away. It tugs on your heart!
I think Disney is trying to find balance, giving guests new experiences, while keeping that nostalgic feeling in place. It’s not easy, and sadly some classic attractions are closed or will be soon. Take Rivers of America and the surrounding areas at Magic Kingdom for example. We found out in the past week that it will be closing in July. Sooner than most expected. I think park fans are even more upset about the Magic Kingdom changes than Muppets Courtyard.
That expansion will change the landscape of that entire area and people can’t fathom how things will look at this point. It’s a huge change. Are guests upset that they will be missing out, not being able to go to Tom Sawyer Island? Not necessarily, it’s the nostalgia and familiarity of that section of the park. Magic Kingdom is iconic, it will be hard to see a completely new land next to the Haunted Mansion, but alas, it’s coming. My curiosity is definitely peaked!
So, what’s Disney to do in finding balance? To preserve people’s childhood memories while still bringing updates to the parks? It’s kind of tricky. Disney people as a whole usually don’t like change, myself included. I also know that Walt Disney himself always claimed that evolving and moving forward was always part of the plan. At the end of the day, we have no choice but to go with the flow and trust Disney and their plans. Imagineering does a great job and I can’t wait to see the future plans come to life. Will I miss the old areas and attractions? Oh yes, absolutely. I’ll cherish the memories I have for sure, with the hope of making wonderful new ones too. What are your thoughts on these closures and changes? Tell us about it in the comments!
Closing Dates Announced for Muppets Courtyard
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Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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