It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights… Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opens May 26th, 2026, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios… But we were just able to sneak a ride. The reimagined attraction brings new music, new story elements, and plenty of Muppet mayhem to one of Walt Disney World’s most iconic thrill rides. Here’s a full look inside… along with a nostalgic look back.
Before we get started… here’s the new pre-show and coaster launch (no filming is allowed on the coaster itself, so we won’t have that for you):
When Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster first launched at Disney-MGM Studios on July 29, 1999, it immediately stood apart from nearly everything else at Walt Disney World. At a time when most Disney thrill attractions still leaned heavily into fantasy adventure and slower-paced storytelling, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster arrived with a high-speed launch, inversions in complete darkness, and a full Aerosmith soundtrack blasting through onboard speakers. It was loud, fast, and unapologetically late-90s in the best possible way.
For more than 26 years, the attraction remained one of the defining icons of Sunset Boulevard, becoming a rite of passage for generations of Walt Disney World guests. While the coaster itself saw only minor changes over the decades, its popularity never faded, even as Disney-MGM Studios around it evolved into Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
That original version, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, officially closed on March 2, 2026, bringing one of the longest-running attraction themes at Walt Disney World to an end. Now, the attraction enters an entirely new era as The Muppets take over the famous G-Force Records recording studio and the super-stretch limousines once again race guests (with their back-stage passes) through the streets of Los Angeles.
But, this time around, with a wacky Muppets twist. We were able to preview the new version of the attraction and are happy to share our wonderfully wild experience with all of you…
Muppets History at Disney Hollywood Studios
For decades, The Muppets called what is now Grand Avenue home at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The area was anchored by Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D, the final project he personally oversaw before his death in 1990. While the surrounding area has gone through several identities over the years, most recently becoming Grand Avenue in 2017, Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D remained one of the park’s most beloved attractions.
Disney officially acquired The Muppets from The Jim Henson Company in 2004, bringing Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the rest of the gang fully under the Disney banner. Even after the acquisition, the Muppets’ corner of the park remained a quiet piece of old Hollywood Studios charm as much of the park transformed around it.
But with the closure of Muppets Courtyard to make way for the upcoming Monsters, Inc. expansion, Disney faced a difficult question: what comes next for The Muppets?
Rather than allowing the characters to quietly disappear from Disney’s Hollywood Studios altogether, Disney Imagineering found an unexpected new stage for the gang on Sunset Boulevard. In a move few fans could have predicted just a few years ago, The Muppets are taking their special brand of mayhem to one of Walt Disney World’s most intense attractions, adding their chaos and comedy to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster: Starring the Muppets.
While the high-speed thrills and iconic super-stretch limousines remain, the experience itself has been reimagined through the lens of The Muppets, blending music, mayhem, and Disney storytelling in a way that feels both nostalgic and entirely new.
A New Home
Few could have predicted that The Muppets’ next chapter would unfold inside one of Walt Disney World’s most intense thrill attractions. Yet somehow, the pairing feels strangely perfect. Music, controlled chaos, celebrity cameos, and comedic disaster have always been part of The Muppets’ formula, making Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster a surprisingly natural fit for the franchise.
Rather than completely rebuilding the attraction from the ground up, Disney appears to have leaned into the existing framework that made Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster successful for more than two decades. The famous super-stretch limousines remain, the high-speed launch is still intact, and guests still race through the neon-lit streets of Los Angeles. The difference is that Aerosmith’s recording session has now been replaced with the kind of backstage catastrophe that only The Muppets could create.
Early previews of the reimagined attraction suggest Disney Imagineering is treating the update as more than a simple character overlay. New show scenes, updated music, fresh lighting packages, and a refreshed storyline transform the experience while still respecting the ride system and pacing longtime fans remember.
This isn’t a simple seasonal refresh or light overlay in the vein of Jingle Cruise. Instead, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has been significantly reimagined with The Muppets taking over the storyline, pre-show, and overall narrative experience, while the core ride system and high-speed launch remain intact.
Disney has also woven in subtle touches that bridge the attraction’s past and present. References to the original Aerosmith-era storyline are paired with new Muppets details, giving longtime fans a few familiar visual cues while introducing a very different kind of backstage chaos.
Walking Through the Queue
Guests enter the attraction as part of a VIP tour of the studio, beginning their experience by walking through the facility’s halls, passing exhibits and memorabilia celebrating The Muppets’ history. Props, posters, costumes, and references to past productions line the queue, giving the space the feel of a working studio that also serves as a tribute to the decades-long legacy of The Muppets.
As guests continue through the studio, the story begins to unfold. Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are preparing for a major concert, but the group is running hours behind schedule as concertgoers anxiously await the show. Guests soon learn that their VIP studio tour is about to become something much bigger than a simple behind-the-scenes visit.
Trying to salvage the situation, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker introduce their latest invention: the L.I.M.O. (Lengthy Immediate Motion Object), a transportation solution designed to get everyone to the concert in record time—assuming it works as intended.
Guests themselves are folded into the story as part of a VIP studio tour group, initially intended to simply observe the recording process. However, rather than being left behind in the studio, Kermit the Frog steps in and declares that guests will now be issued backstage passes, officially bringing them into the production and the journey to the concert.
From there, the queue transitions naturally into the attraction experience, with guests now part of the effort to get The Muppets to their long-overdue performance.
In the final area before loading into your L.I.M.O, there are a lot of props in one small area that bring the nostalgia of Muppet*Vision3D back to life.
Compare to props from Muppet*Vision3D at Muppet Courtyard prior to June 7th.
Among the most recognizable props is the Muppet Mobile Lab (an interactive animatronic experience that previously appeared at multiple Disney Parks). Its inclusion helps reinforce the feeling that Disney Imagineering intentionally drew from decades of Muppets history while building the attraction’s new identity.
Here’s how the Muppet Mobile Lab looked in its operating days:
Once guests board their vehicles, the story transitions into a frantic race to get Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem to their concert before showtime. The attraction’s signature launch through the streets of Los Angeles remains, but the surrounding environments have been updated with new Muppets-themed show elements woven throughout the ride.
Familiar Los Angeles billboards and street signs now sit alongside new additions tied to The Muppets… blending the coaster’s original cityscape with the updated storyline. The changes are especially noticeable in the lighting, projected effects, and visual gags added throughout the ride experience.
The Playlist for Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
The soundtrack has also been fully updated, replacing Aerosmith with music performed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The new music carries the attraction from launch to finale, giving the coaster a soundtrack built around The Muppets’ signature style and energy.
The new tracklist includes:
“Song 2” – The Electric Mayhem
“Born To Be Wild” – The Electric Mayhem ft. Camilla the Chicken
“Love Rollercoaster” – The Electric Mayhem ft. Jennifer Hudson & Questlove
“Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” – The Electric Mayhem ft. Def Leppard
“Walking on Sunshine” – The Electric Mayhem ft. Kelly Clarkso
Arriving at the Concert
We finally made it. As guests exit the L.I.M.O., they arrive backstage at the concert just as Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem take the stage for their long-delayed performance. The finale brings the attraction’s storyline full circle, with guests successfully reaching the venue alongside the band after their high-speed race across Los Angeles.
Near the unload area, guests are also greeted with their on-ride photo from the mad dash across town, capturing the trip’s chaos just before exiting the attraction.
Turn around, and you’ll find a portrait of Jim Henson rendered in full Muppet form, an unmistakable tribute tucked right into the fabric of the space. It feels like the perfect enshrinement for the man who started it all, the creative spark behind the entire Muppet ensemble. A quiet nod, but a meaningful one. It felt like the ride itself was pausing for just a moment to acknowledge its roots before diving back into the chaos.
And… if this looks familiar, it is the same portrait that was on display in the pre-show for Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision3D for nearly 35 years.
It only took 35 years (of advertising at the exit of Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision3D), but it appears that Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem band finally got a gig!
Are You Ready To Ride
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Let’s Hear From You
What say you? Are you ready for this new Muppets meet rollercoaster mash-up? Do the Muppets make this high-speed looping coaster feel more family-friendly? If you’ve been missing the old Muppets 3D, does this new spin on an old ride help take the sting out of the loss?
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