RIP Muppets: Disney Bulldozes Original Area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

It’s the end of an era at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The quirky, colorful corner once known as Muppets Courtyard has officially been torn down as Walt Disney World Resort makes room for a brand-new Monsters, Inc. (2001)-themed land and the company’s first suspended roller coaster.

In June 2025, Muppet*Vision 3D and the rest of Muppets Courtyard closed their doors for good. The decision came nearly a year after D23 Expo 2024, when Walt Disney Imagineering announced plans for a Monsters, Inc.–inspired expansion at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Many fans rallied to keep Jim Henson’s characters alive in the park, but, in November, Disney ultimately confirmed that the Muppets’ time in this part of Hollywood Studios was over.

The company has promised the beloved 3D show isn’t gone forever, promising to preserve it for fans in some way. To soften the blow, Disney also revealed that Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will receive a retheme to Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, inspired by The Muppets Mayhem. The original attraction will remain open until the end of 2025 before the retheme debuts in 2026.

Demolition has reshaped the area quickly. Over the summer, the Stage 1 Company Store, the Miss Piggy fountain, and multiple outdoor locations were leveled. The Muppet*Vision 3D building, however, is not being destroyed. Instead, Imagineers plan to repurpose it for a new show in a theater called “The Glob.” Beyond the park’s existing boundaries, construction crews bulldozed a cast member parking lot to clear space for the massive door coaster building.

Now, as of September 3, the next stage of construction has begun. A towering foundation drilling rig has appeared on the site, marking the beginning of vertical work on the project. BlogMickey recently shared photos of the rig, which appears to be a FUNDEX multifunctional foundation machine. The company even advertises the equipment for roller coaster construction.

This new attraction will be Disney’s first-ever suspended coaster, with ride vehicles hanging beneath the track instead of sitting above it. The experience will be fully enclosed, though Disney hasn’t revealed whether Imagineers will construct the building around the ride system or complete the exterior structure before building the coaster inside.

The demolition of Muppets Courtyard isn’t the only change coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year. Animation Courtyard, including Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Junior – Live on Stage!, will close permanently this September. In its place, Walt Disney World Resort will build The Walt Disney Studios Lot, inspired by the company’s original Burbank campus. This rethemed area will include a new Disney Junior show and the return of the Magic of Disney Animation experience.

Has construction impacted your visit to Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!