The Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets has been open for a bit now, and – – as they’re want to do – – Disney Adults still have a lot of opinions on the refurbishment that saw Jim Henson’s beloved characters replace the “Bad Boys of Boston” Aerosmith on the coaster.
Over the past several weeks, we’ve gotten numerous comments across social media: Some positive, some negative, and some arguably in the middle, but all have been influenced by what the ride actually is as opposed to the concept of the change.
This new take on the classic thrill ride, which opened on May 26th, features a soundtrack of classic songs as covered by the Electric Mayhem, as well as animatronics of Scooter, the penguins from Muppet*Vision 3D, and even Stadler and Waldorf! On top of that, the ride is loaded with easter eggs and references to Muppet history, including Muppet*Vision 3D.
Since the ride opened, we’ve seen a lot of positive comments lauding the theming of the queue – with highlights being Muppet costumes and props (Kermit’s banjo!!) immortalized behind glass, the bucket of iced fish for the penguins to munch on, and even the tribute to Jim Henson near the launch. @los.princess.adventures on Instagram said it quite succinctly, writing, “I really liked it!!! Loved all the easter eggs.”
Another Instagram commenter, @matttrocone, also had positive words about the coaster, though tinged with some melancholy for what once was. They wrote, “Still hoping Disney relocates the Muppet*Vision 3D film back to DCA, but the Muppets version of this coaster really ROCKS!!! So happy the Muppets are back at Hollywood Studios.”
Of course, not every comment was positive. Several fans brought up issues they had with the coaster. For example, reader @2pickin_pop_pop was unimpressed with the animatronics ported over from Muppet*Vision. They wrote, “Statler and Waldorf’s hands don’t move anymore. That’s a little sad.”
Meanwhile, reader @1ajag1 brought up an issue that many had discussed once the refurbishment was first announced: Whether the thrill ride, E-Ticket coaster, was an appropriate ride system for the Muppets. They wrote, “It’s sad that they didn’t change the ride to accommodate kids.”
Meanwhile, reader Patrick was blunt in their opinion on the new ride, writing, “They never should have changed it… better as Aerosmith.”
The Muppets’ addition to the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster is a major change to Disney World’s status quo, and fans will likely have THOUGHTS about that for a long time. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on reactions to Disney World’s latest changes.
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What are your thoughts on the Muppet changes? Let us know in the comments below.
It’s not just change that should take place it’s improvement. Is destroying Henson’s last work on the Muppet Theater and deleting one of the most iconic bands in all of Rock n Roll now resulting in an overall improvement in WDW? I love The Muppets and Aerosmith.
Is chaos and change without clear improvement what Walt would have wanted? I don’t believe so.
Imo Disney really dropped the ball with the retheming of this ride. They should have renewed the contract with Aerosmith, whatever it took. And I say this as someone who’s not even a fan of the group. Previously this coaster was edgy and there was a certain energy that now is just GONE. The waiting areas and even the ride are just…quiet. Bizarre. The Muppets are not only an ill match to this particular ride but an odd choice to even have their own ride at all. Most people younger than Gen X don’t know what the Muppets are, or don’t care. It seems like a group of old men made this decision with little thought to the actual demographics of their ridership. I tried to keep an open mind until I actually tried out the new rethemed ride and I can say that I’m not sure I’ll ever ride it again. Sad because it used to be one of my favorites. But it’s just WEIRD now. Not a fan whatsoever.