The new Grand Avenue structure is beginning to look more like a building. Construction walls went up in the Muppets Courtyard area in June and we later saw walls being knocked down. By August, a black framework was in place for a small structure — potentially a new snack stand.
Grand Avenue Structure
Now a steel framework and interior wall paneling has been installed, enclosing the new structure.
Exterior paneling will likely be added soon, giving us more of a hint as to the structure’s purpose.
There is a small snack stand in the area that sells churros and ice cream products, which moved closer to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge entrance when this construction began.
Muppets Fountain Refurbishment
In front of Muppet*Vision 3D, the Muppets fountain remains surrounded by planters for refurbishment. The Miss Piggy Lady Liberty statue was removed from the center of the fountain a few weeks ago.
Through the planters, we can see that other character figures remain although the fountain has been drained.
Below is a picture of the fountain when it’s visible and operational.
Hopefully, the Miss Piggy statue will return soon. Maybe in time for the holiday show Miss Piggy and Kermit will be hosting during Disney Jollywood Nights. The show will be on the other side of the park in the Theater of the Stars on Sunset Boulevard — home to “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage” — but guests will definitely want photos of the Muppets fountain.
Muppet*Vision 3D
Muppet*Vision 3D opened in 1991 as one of the first representations of the Muppets in Disney Parks, and the only permanent Muppets attraction since then. As production began on Muppet*Vision 3D, there was a tentative agreement for Disney to purchase the Jim Henson Company. However, Henson’s death in 1990 ended that agreement and delayed the attraction.
Directed by Henson, it was one of his and puppeteer Richard Hunt’s final Muppets projects. It was the last time Henson performed as Kermit the Frog, as well as Waldorf and The Swedish Chef, and the last time Hunt performed as Scooter, Statler, Beaker, and Sweetums. Hunt passed away in 1992, after the attraction premiered.
Disney never did acquire the Jim Henson Company in full, but purchased theme park rights to the Muppets, and eventually purchased the property entirely in 2004.
Muppet*Vision 3D has run mostly unchanged for 32 years, even as other Muppet attractions are closed and canceled, and as Disney’s Hollywood Studios changed around it. Until 2016, it was part of Streets of America. The area was then officially known as Muppets Courtyard, before becoming Grand Avenue in 2017.
The show did receive updated projection mapping this month.
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