Recently, Mickey Views reported that the rumored show set to replace Muppet*Vision 3D is beginning to take shape, and its concept raises some serious questions. According to the outlet, the upcoming attraction will be “a derivation of the (Monsters Inc.) Laugh Floor, formatted as a late-night TV show starring Mike Wazowski.” The recently released updated concept art even hints at the title, revealing a marquee labeled The Glob!
Let’s start with the most immediate concern: if The Glob! is meant to succeed Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, does that mean the Tomorrowland version is on its way out? If so, it couldn’t come at a worse time. That area of the park is already thinning out, with Stitch’s Great Escape permanently shuttered a few years ago, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin heading into refurbishment, and now a possible closure of Laugh Floor looming. With nothing announced to replace two of those attractions, Tomorrowland risks becoming a ghost town just as major changes are already underway elsewhere in the park. Between the removal of Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America to make way for Piston Peak National Park, and the eventual debut of a Villains Land, the park is heading into a prolonged period of closures and rerouting. Removing yet another operating show from the rotation would only compound the congestion and disruption guests will feel.
But let’s say Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor doesn’t close. Then what we’re left with is… two Monsters, Inc. comedy shows at Walt Disney World? That seems like an odd creative choice. While I genuinely enjoy Laugh Floor, and as a frequent visitor, I may be in the minority there, it’s often a walk-on experience as it is. Doubling down with another show built on a similar premise, even with a “late-night” twist, feels redundant rather than innovative.
This whole situation appears to be the result of a logistical corner Disney painted itself into. The Muppets Courtyard, one of the most distinct corners of Hollywood Studios, will be wiped out to make room for the new Monsters, Inc. mini-land. That land, in turn, inherited the former Muppet theater space, and now The Glob! is being crafted to fill that pre-existing venue, rather than being developed organically from the ground up.
In other words, instead of expanding the park and designing new experiences to fit creative ideas, it seems like creative ideas are being forced to fit existing infrastructure.
The new show might be entertaining, and Mike Wazowski is undeniably a crowd-pleaser. I am sure the land as a whole will be very popular, but the underlying decisions that led to this, whether the closure of the original Laugh Floor or the doubling up on Monsters, Inc. humor, are a bit more complicated. Either option raises questions about long-term planning and whether Disney is making smart, guest-first choices or just quick fixes to fill space.
At the very least, the whole thing deserves a closer look, and maybe a bit of skepticism from fans who care about the integrity and balance of the parks. As it stands, The Glob! feels more like a patch than a plan.
