Fans Beg For Historic Move For Muppet*Vision 3D

“It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet The Muppets on The Muppet Show tonight!”

Even though The Walt Disney Company did not acquire The Muppets from the Jim Henson Company until 2004, the two had a long and prosperous relationship long before that. In 1989, Jim Henson was in active talks to sell his company to the Mouse House so he could focus on the creative side. That deal fell through in 1990 when Jim Henson passed away, but that did not mean that Disney’s time with The Muppets was over.

Credit: Disney

Related: Disney Refuses to Work With the Man Behind The Muppets

In 1991, Disney acquired the distribution rights to all The Muppets productions up until that year, and in 1997, the company began releasing its own Muppets movies and television show.

But movies and television shows are not the only ties that Disney has to The Muppets. In 1991, a brand-new attraction opened in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (called MGM Studios at the time) at the Walt Disney World Resort — Muppet*Vision 3D.

Credit: Brett Kiger, Flickr

Related: New Concept Art Revealed For Muppets Land That Never Was

Over the past three decades, Muppet*Vision 3D has become one of the most iconic attractions at Walt Disney World Resort, with a very dedicated fan base. Despite the fact that the theater is rarely full, many diehard Disney fans make sure that they enjoy the show at least once during their vacation.

Muppet*Vision 3D was also a big part of Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort, opening just months after California Adventure opened in 2001. However, the California Adventure attraction closed, and the theater is now home to another popular show, Mickey’s PhilharMagic.

Credit: Disney

Dedicated Muppet*Vision fans do not want to see the same thing happen at Disney World, so they want to take a huge step. They want Muppet*Vision 3D, and the Muppet Theater added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Writer Rebecca Alter made her pitch in Vulture, and we have to admit, it’s pretty convincing.

For all its Muppety silliness and mirth, Muppet*Vision 3D is also a site of remembrance, and maybe even pilgrimage, because it was the final project Jim Henson directed before his death at age 53 in 1990. It was also one of his final performances as Kermit, as well as the Swedish Chef and Waldorf, the latter of which is rendered animatronically in the audience, roasting the show from his usual opera box. It’s already accepted practice for landmarks related to great artists and writers to be registered as official historic places, from Walden Pond to the Florida Keys’ Hemingway House to James Baldwin’s Upper West Side apartment building to, naturally, Walt Disney’s childhood home and the small garage that he used as his first makeshift animation studio.

Credit: Disney

Ms. Alter also believes that Disney owes it to Mr. Henson to cement Muppet*Vision 3D’s place in Disney history and American history.

As we said above, Disney and Henson were in purchase talks when Mr. Henson died. Well, apparently, Mr. Henson became ill during negotiations but held off seeking medical attention until the deal was complete. Sadly, he was hospitalized with breathing issues but passed away due to organ failure caused by an untreated case of strep throat.

Ms. Alter also pointed out that Muppet*Vision 3D would not be the first attraction to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. It’s just on Disney to make it happen!

Do you think Muppet*Vision 3D should become an official historical site? Let us know in the comments!