Hollywood Studios visitors have watched several familiar areas undergo major transformations over the years, but few decisions have stirred as much discussion as the removal of a beloved piece of the park’s history.
For generations of guests, this particular corner of Hollywood Studios offered more than entertainment. Its unusual decorations, recognizable characters, and ridiculous jokes gave the area a personality that fans couldn’t find anywhere else.
Disney’s decision to replace that experience surprised longtime visitors, especially considering how many years it had been part of the park.
Now, another recognizable detail has vanished, and its replacement brings an unexpected twist to the ongoing transformation.
Disney Replaces a Beloved 34-Year-Old Experience
When Disney announced that Muppets Courtyard would become Monstropolis, the company confirmed a major change to an area with 34 years of Muppets history.
The transformation required the permanent closure of Muppet*Vision 3D, an attraction that first opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 16, 1991.
For decades, guests enjoyed Jim Henson’s characters through a combination of 3D effects, Audio-Animatronics, and the Muppets’ familiar comedy.
The attraction also helped establish the identity of the surrounding courtyard.
Disney eventually filled the area with themed buildings, restaurant features, signs, and other decorations that continued the Muppets’ unusual sense of humor.
However, Disney surprised fans when it revealed plans to replace the courtyard with Monstropolis, a new land inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (2001).
Muppet*Vision 3D welcomed its final guests June 7, 2025, and permanently closed the following day.
That ended the attraction’s 34-year run, but the larger transformation also meant saying goodbye to features that arrived much later.
Another Familiar Disney World Detail Is Removed
Among the additions Disney introduced to Muppets Courtyard was Gonzo’s Royal Flush, which debuted in late 2016.
The name might sound like an attraction, but it actually belonged to a restroom building.
Disney decorated the exterior with Muppets theming, turning an ordinary bathroom entrance into another humorous detail for guests to discover.
The addition arrived during the broader redevelopment of the surrounding area, which also introduced PizzeRizzo.
Although Gonzo’s Royal Flush wasn’t part of the original 1991 attraction, it became another recognizable piece of the courtyard’s identity.
Now, nearly 10 years after its introduction, the themed facade has disappeared.
Construction crews recently removed scaffolding from the building, revealing a redesigned exterior that will fit into the upcoming Monstropolis environment.
The new brick facade features large painted lettering that reads, “Try Our Cans.”
It’s certainly different from the previous Gonzo-themed design, but Disney hasn’t completely abandoned the bathroom jokes.
The wording plays on the slang term “can” for a toilet, creating another humorous detail in the same location.
The Changes Go Beyond One Restroom Building
While the removal of Gonzo’s Royal Flush might not carry the same emotional weight as losing Muppet*Vision 3D, it represents another step toward eliminating the former courtyard’s Muppets identity.
The original attraction entertained families for more than three decades, but the surrounding environment played an important role in making the area memorable.
Guests could encounter jokes and themed details without ever stepping inside the theater.
That was part of what made the courtyard distinctive.
Gonzo’s Royal Flush continued that tradition when Disney introduced it in 2016, giving visitors another amusing feature to notice while exploring Hollywood Studios.
Its removal reflects the broader redevelopment of an area whose Muppets history began 34 years before the attraction closed.
The restroom itself wasn’t 34 years old, but it belonged to the larger themed environment Disney is replacing.
Disney’s New Land Keeps One Tradition Going
Despite the extensive changes, the newly revealed restroom design offers a small connection between the former Muppets courtyard and its Monsters, Inc.-themed replacement.
Both designs use bathroom humor to make an ordinary facility feel like part of the surrounding environment.
Meanwhile, Disney continues preparing Monstropolis for its planned debut.
During D23 in August 2026, Disney announced that portions of the new area would begin welcoming guests in phases during 2027.
That means visitors could experience parts of Monstropolis before the entire development is finished.
For longtime Hollywood Studios fans, the latest construction update provides another reminder of just how different the former Muppets area will look.
The familiar characters and decorations are disappearing, but at least one tradition remains: Disney is still finding ways to make guests laugh at the restroom entrance.
