June 7th marked the end of an era at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This last Saturday was Muppet*Vision 3D‘s final day of operation. The zany, heartfelt 3D spectacular created by Jim Henson and his team went out with resounding camaraderie, laughter, applause, and a few tears.
Shortly after the park gates opened, Grand Avenue was alive, filled with Muppet t-shirt-wearing, plush-toting, and cosplaying fans.
— @wreck.it.rhea and Oswald the Lucky Pin Trader
To help manage the demand, special wristbands were distributed at park opening for those hoping to attend the last-ever showing for guests at park close. The bands were quickly claimed by early arrivals, ensuring a passionate, dedicated crowd would fill the theater for its final curtain call.
The line for accessing the frontside of the Miss Piggy Fountain had a consistent wait throughout the day, as fans took their last snapshots with the area’s iconic landmark.
— One of my Muppet-loving friends who flew over for the last day… and me!
Throughout the day, a seemingly-daunting standby queue for Muppet*Vision started at the entrance of the Muppet Courtyard area, and stretched back into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The posted 60-minute wait turned out to be a surprisingly smooth 30–40 minute wait, winding through the rarely used extended queue; a hidden corner of the attraction many fans had never seen before, filled with Muppety faces and parody film posters.
Nearby, guests were met with a heartfelt surprise when Heather Henson, daughter of Jim Henson and a guardian of his creative legacy, was on hand meeting fans near the attraction’s entrance.
The Final Shows: A Celebration, Not a Goodbye
Inside both the pre-show and theater, the energy was electric. Guests didn’t just watch — they performed. Favorite lines like “It’s a glorious three-hour finale…”, “You’ve got a minute and a half!” and “NEEDS MORE SUGAR!” were shouted in sync, with perfect comedic timing. It felt like a reunion, a shared ritual, a final bow.
Each character’s entrance —Gonzo, Kermit, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Bean Bunny, and Sweetums, among others— was met with raucous applause and cheers. Giggles were heard after each slapstick joke. The vibe inside the theater was less theme park show, more like an episode Seinfeld where the audience response became part of the performance.
On the way out of each performance, Cast Members were visibly emotional; waving, sighing or shedding tears alongside guests near the exit points.
I didn’t make it to the final showing, but walked out of one of the last performances to a crowd around the Miss Piggy Fountain. The standby queue had just closed off at 10PM, when someone quietly began to sing Rainbow Connection, and it wasn’t long before the entire crowd joined in; singing softly at first, then louder, together.
It was a spontaneous, emotional finale. One last moment of shared magic, not orchestrated by Disney, but created entirely by the fans.
Closing Thoughts from a Muppet Head
There’s always nuance to these kinds of moments, even when the discourse online makes it seem like there’s a hard divide: “Move on, no one watched this anyway” vs. “Please don’t take my precious Muppet babies!”… But to lay my feelings out there:
I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: Why can’t Disney expand instead of replace? Why does it always feel like something has to go just to make way for something else? Your dollar signs are showing.
Muppet*Vision 3D was one of those rare attractions I truly believed would always just be there; something I’d get to share with my own kids one day, and maybe even their kids. RIP to another Eisner-era masterpiece.
Yes, progress is inevitable. But progress should mean growth — an evolution into something brighter and better for future generations. This doesn’t feel like that. It feels like a calculated removal of something timeless and beloved, just to make a future changeover easier and cheaper. The Muppets are timeless. And this decision feels like a cold, corporate pivot, one that’s out of step with the very audience Disney claims to serve. (While the Muppets’ move over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is a small silver lining for fans, as they’re not being removed from the park entirely, a high-speed inverting coaster is not exactly fit for all ages.)
The atmosphere in Grand Avenue on June 7th told a different story. Fans of all ages gathered not just to say goodbye, but to celebrate a legacy. The camaraderie was undeniable, equal parts joyful and heartbreaking.
Disney has built up their parks based on the success of original and classic tales over the decades, and this move feels like a complete disconnect from their own product and legacy. But most of all, this feels like a disservice to the late, great Jim Henson, whose spirit was baked into every frame of that show, to each prop in the pre-show area, what was, and the promise of what could have been Muppet Courtyard.
Here’s to Muppet*Vision 3D. To Rizzo the Rat dressed as Mickey Mouse. To Sweetums. To Fozzie and his banana cream pie that will always need more sugar. To the 19 animatronics. To Sam Eagle’s unseen glorious 3-hour finale.
To the towering Kermit statues beside Stage 1 Company Store (the dedicated Muppet shop which never reopened after 2020). To PizzeRizzo’s banquet room. To the iconic Miss Piggy Fountain. To Bean Bunny.
Here’s to Jim Henson’s final vision.
The last day of Muppet*Vision 3D wasn’t just an ending. It was a thank you shared by thousands who grew up with the Muppets and came back to say goodbye. Take care of each other.
Image source: Today Show
