Hollywood Studios Location Shuts Down, Disney World Issues Updates
Construction activity is picking up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and newly filed permits are shedding light on what’s happening behind the scenes as Monstropolis begins to take shape.
The latest updates center around the former Muppets Courtyard, a section of the park that has now fully closed to make way for the upcoming expansion. According to the permits, Walt Disney Imagineering is moving into a new phase of work that focuses on adding detailed set pieces.
Two specific locations are called out in the filings: 359 Cypress Drive and 361 Cypress Drive. These addresses correspond to the former Mama Melrose’s Ristorante and the Stage 1 Company Store, placing the work right in the middle of the former land.
Adirondack Scenic, Inc. is listed as the contractor handling the installation. The company is known for its work on themed environments, and the permit describes the project as involving “set elements,” which typically include the scenic structures and visual details that define a themed land. The permit runs for one year, giving a general timeline for this stage of development.
While much of the area is being rebuilt from the ground up, one existing location is being transformed rather than removed. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante will be converted into Harryhausen’s, the restaurant featured in Monsters, Inc., giving fans a recognizable setting from the film.
The Stage 1 Company Store, however, has already been cleared. The shop was demolished in July 2025, signaling that Disney is making significant physical changes to the space rather than simply updating its theme.
These developments reinforce just how extensive the Monstropolis project will be. The mix of demolition, reconstruction, and reimagining suggests a completely new environment is being created within Hollywood Studios. With a roller coaster already in progress, the park is set to gain another major attraction.
“Picking up after the events of Pixar’s beloved film, humans have now been invited to visit the world of Monsters, Inc.–and the monsters need laughter to power the city and keep it running smoothly. But it’s not a true visit without the factory itself,” Disney wrote after its D23 2024 announcement. “You’ll be able to see the sights, hear the laughs, and zoom through the building just like James P. Sullivan (AKA Sulley) and Mike Wazowski–via a door!”
Although Disney hasn’t shared a full breakdown of what Monstropolis will include, these permits continue to offer small glimpses into the project’s scope and direction.
For guests who have watched Hollywood Studios evolve over the years, this transformation represents another major shift. What was once home to the Muppets is now being turned into a fully immersive world inspired by Pixar’s monster-filled city.
The Monstropolis announcement was part of a larger slate of updates revealed at D23 nearly two years ago. Disney also confirmed “the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom” history, which includes changes to Frontierland, the introduction of Piston Peak National Park, and a brand-new land centered around Disney Villains beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom is also seeing significant redevelopment. The park’s DinoLand U.S.A. area is being replaced by Pueblo Esperanza, a Tropical Americas-inspired land. This new space will feature two major attractions, one based on Encanto (2021) and another inspired by Indiana Jones, with the latter taking over the existing DINOSAUR attraction’s footprint.
With projects underway across multiple parks, Walt Disney World is in the middle of a sweeping period of change.
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