Very, very mixed on this outcome.
Pro: A Muppet's coaster? That honestly sounds incredibly fun and high-energy. A rollercoaster is a huge, headlining attraction within a park and is nothing to scoff at. If it weren't for Muppet-Vision's quality and legacy, this is an absolute upgrade when it comes to representation. Muppet's aren't going anywhere, they're moving into one of the largest and most prominent attractions in the park.
Con: Trading Muppet-Vision 3-D, a show for all ages and demographics that anyone can enjoy, for a high-thrill indoor launch coaster is a huge demographic shift. I can absolutely see there being people who love the Muppets, but won't be able or willing to ride the only Muppet's attraction in the park. That's an honest shame, and it's why MV 3D works so well for DHS as it stands.
Pro: We're only upgrading the park here. Aerosmith has been on the chopping block for decades and I honestly think Muppets is way more fun and evergreen than Disney Channel or Goofy Movie (as much as I would love both), we're getting a brand new show in the Muppet-Vision plot, and the Door Coaster is finally being built using an
expansion plot?? At DHS? Unheard of!
Con: Losing Muppet-Vision as we know it is a huge loss as I've mentioned before. The theming, practical effects, live performers, it all just comes together to make a really incredible show with an even more incredible story behind it. I don't know if whatever Muppet's retheme they give Rock'n, or whatever way they chose to preserve MV will end up being anywhere as good as what we already have. I also don't really wanna see Muppet's take over Sunset Blvd entirely or anything like that, that area is already wonderful.
Pro: Disney's track record with new additions has been honestly stellar. As much as I rag on them for pricing, build schedules, or short-sighted business decisions, whenever a ride actually does get built, I end up loving it. A Muppet's coaster, with a newly refreshed and smooth RNRC, and modern Disney budget behind it has the capacity to be just as fun, zany, well-themed as Muppet-Vision and then some. There is also the McQueen / Villains soundstage plot if they ever want to expand into a new Muppet's Courtyard or something like that with Meet n Greets, food trucks like Sesame Street has, or a new show.
Con: They're getting rid of more scary again!!
Between Splash Mountain, Dinosaur, Tough to be a Bug, Great Movie Ride, even Test Track; Disney had a streak in the 90s where they weren't afraid to build attractions that would genuinely scare their guests with dark, foreboding atmospheres and danger that felt real! Every replacement turns that actual feeling of danger and adrenaline into a much more whimsical and approachable danger, or just pure fun. I think it's a shame and only serves to make a lot of rides feel a bit more same-y.
The queue for RNRC, especially when you exit the studio and enter the Hollywood parking lot is dimly lit, dirty and dingy, and eerily silent after that constant classic / hair rock that was playing in the studio. The only sounds you can hear are the heavy whirring of the limos launching away at 60mph, telling the guests "Oh yeah, you're gonna have to do that soon. Get ready." The ride leaves you to think about that idea for a long time, and actively has you in a literal claustrophobic cage the first time you see the launch happen.
It's really incredibly done. It's definitely 90s-y, but in the best of ways that only makes the rush and fun of the actual ride only more satisfying for little one's to overcome.
I believe fear has always been part of Disney's brand since Snow White, Pinocchio, and Fantasia, and it's weird to see it all get painted over in the course of a decade. Oh well. I can only hope ToT, Kali, Everest, Mission: Space, and the others hold down the fort on true and proper scare-factor at Disney World.
Lots of thoughts, lots of thoughts.