Muppet*Vision 3D opened at Walt Disney World in May, 1991 – 25 years ago! The attraction was duplicated in Disneyland, and features Kermit and the Muppets showing off 3D technology, including a bizarre digital puppet named Waldo. It is also notable for being the last Muppet production overseen by Jim Henson before his passing. To celebrate this momentous occasion, we are dedicating a week of ToughPigs articles to Muppet*Vision 3D!
When last we left off, we had explored the outside areas and entryways to both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland versions of Muppet*Vision 3D. And yet, there’s still so much more to see! Like the show, for example.
Let’s continue our double tour as we venture further into the world of Muppet*Vision, from the waiting area to the theater and out through the gift shop.
The Waiting Area
Walt Disney World
These waiting rooms are phenomenal. There’s a gag, joke, or Muppet reference in every nook and cranny. There are puns on the boxes, props from the films, and random crap hanging from the ceiling. My favorite prop is the Swinetrek (also seen outside Disneyland’s Muppet*Vision attraction), and always worth a mention: The famous “net full of jello”.
The basic look of Disneyland’s waiting area is pretty similar, though there are just a few recycled jokes from Disney World’s version. I especially like the birdcage filled with fish and the Muppet paintings from the Kermitage Collection.
Walt Disney World
The theaters in both versions of the show are strikingly similar. They both have the same giant stage, balcony seating, and elaborate back wall (for the Swedish Chef to peek through). See if you can spot any interesting details in the pictures below!
At the Disneyland Muppet*Vision, I was able to snap some photos of the artwork in the molding, which is phenomenal. The piece above the stage, the castings over the doorways, and the designs in the walls are all pure works of art. You may recognize one of these pieces from our feature on the artwork of Michael Frith!
Walt Disney World
Unfortunately, Disneyland’s Muppet*Vision 3D didn’t have its own dedicated gift shop. But the one at Walt Disney World does, and it’s exactly what you’d want a Muppet gift shop to be. There’s a recreation of the inside of the Happiness Hotel, props from The Muppet Movie, standees of The Electric Mayhem, the lockers from Muppets Take Manhattan, and even the Muppet Babies nursery. Wonderful stuff.
Just like inside the waiting area, the gift shop is full of jokes and gags, mostly involving the signage in the store. Go ahead, give ’em a read! Yes, all of them. There will be a test.
Click here to eat jello out of a butterfly net on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
