Newly released public records show that Disney is making a significant investment to transform the former MuppetVision 3D theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios into a new attraction inspired by Monsters, Inc.
According to documents obtained by the Orlando Business Journal from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Disney is spending approximately $22.4 million on the project. The records were released in response to a public records request after construction permits for the site surfaced in December. The scope of work includes interior demolition along with new structural and architectural installations inside the existing theater space.
MuppetVision 3D originally opened on May 16, 1991, and was a long-running attraction at Hollywood Studios for more than three decades. The roughly 15-minute show featured a mix of 3D film, Audio-Animatronics, and live puppetry starring Jim Henson’s beloved Muppets. The attraction, along with nearby shops and dining locations, closed in summer 2025 to make way for a new Monsters, Inc.-themed land.
While Disney has shared limited information about the replacement for MuppetVision 3D, the new attraction is expected to remain a theater-style experience. The surrounding land will expand the world of Monstropolis and take place after the events of the original film, with humans now welcomed into the monster world.
Beyond the theater, the new land will also include dining and shopping locations and a major new ride. Disney has confirmed the land will feature the first suspended coaster ever built at a Disney park. The attraction will recreate the iconic door vault scene from Monsters, Inc., sending guests flying through the factory alongside James P. “Sully” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski.
During the 2025 SXSW Conference, Disney Imagineer Michael Hundgen revealed that the coaster’s loading area will use a vertical lift system, a technology not previously used in Disney theme parks. Hundgen noted that Imagineers have wanted to turn the door vault scene into an attraction since the film’s release.
Disney has not announced an opening date for the new land or its attractions.
