A lot of Muppets fans were bummed when it was announced that Muppet*Vision 3D, a Walt Disney World show long rumored to be closing, had finally announced its demise. The final day of the attraction was as much like a funeral as it was a celebration of a favorite attraction. However, there have been some silver linings in the clouds for Muppet fans.
First, we’ve received confirmation that a version of Muppet Vision 3D is set to debut at some point for VR and AR headsets, giving guests a chance to sit in the Muppet Theater once again. Second, the Muppets' time at Walt Disney World isn’t over yet, as the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, Starring The Muppets, is set to debut this summer. However, I’m now slightly less excited for this, as the first news about the upcoming ride isn’t quite what I expected.
The Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets May Not Include Any Muppet Music
This morning, Walt Disney World announced that on Wednesday, it will reveal the full track list for the music to be included in the new version of Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. As a fan of all things Muppets, I was excited as some of the Muppets' music have been favorites of mine since I was a kid. Songs like “Moving Right Along” or “Can You Picture That?” from The Muppet Movie would seem like obvious inclusions. Some of the music from the recent Muppets Mayhem series, available with a Disney+ subscription, would also make sense.
And yet, it looks like the plan isn’t for Muppet music on the Muppet roller coaster, at least not entirely. One track has already been revealed, and it’s an Electric Mayhem cover of Blur’s “Song 2.” With cover songs on the table, I have to wonder if all of the songs on the new ride will be covers.
Muppet Covers Are Great, But Hopefully There’s Some Real Muppet Music Sure
To be clear, I have nothing against the Muppets covering great music. They’ve been doing that for as long as the Muppets have been around. I love “Song 2,” and I’m excited to hear the Muppet version. I can already hear Animal’s screams replacing the classic “Woo Hoo.”
However, I hope that as more tracks are revealed, what we’ll get is a combination of covers and “Muppet Music.” It is a Muppet ride, after all. The previous Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster had multiple Aerosmith medleys that would play randomly on each ride, so it’s possible we could get a lot of different songs on the new coaster, or even new songs added later.
I hope things work that way, because if this is going to be a "one song per ride" situation, while that adds to the re-rideability of the attraction, which is good, it's a bit too much like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for my taste. We already have a ride that does that at Disney World. The Muppets coaster should stand apart in some way.
I can’t imagine Muppet music will be entirely left out of the new ride, but I hope it’s more than a single token song when there are so many great Muppet songs that would be excellent to include as well.
