eWDW Guide to Muppet Vision 3D

Muppet Vision 3D

At-A-Glance

A 4D film presentation with the loveable Muppets as they introduce you to the latest technologies of Muppet Studios. Of course, what could go wrong? Quite a bit, apparently.

Technical Specifications

Theme Park: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Land: Streets of America

Opened: May 16, 1991

Capacity: 584

Type: 4D-film 

George's Rating: 5 Ears

Muppet Vision 3D can really be seen as three distinct attractions.

• The exterior of the show building,
• The pre-show, and
• The theater presentation.

It feels like three separate areas to me, because each part could be enjoyed entirely by itself. The building has some amazing details on it, including larger-than-life Muppet paintings and details. A full walk around the building is necessary to appreciate all of the details. The pre-show is a 12-minute film that is every bit as good as the theater presentation. Make sure to walk around the pre-show room on your second viewing of the film. The 3D theater film is the main attraction and is 17-minutes long.

A Note from Imaginerding
Muppet Vision 3D was one of the last Muppet-related projects to be helmed by Jim Henson. He passed away in 1990, a year before the attraction opened. At the time, Michael Eisner was in negotiations with Jim Henson. When Henson passed away, the Henson Family withdrew from the negotiations. The Disney Company was finally able to acquire the Muppets in 2004. 

The Show Building

Situated in the Streets of New York area, this large, brick building was decorated as if the Muppets had been hired to paint and design the exterior. Garish paint colors, paint drippings and eyes cover the entire building

A Note from Imaginerding
The building's colorful and messy decorations were based on the redecoration of a storage closet at 30 Rockefeller in New York. In 1964, the Muppet creators were scheduled to be on the Jack Paar program and had to waste a lot of time. They opened the closet door in the dressing room and found pipes. They painted the pipes and it has become a point of interest for the NBC Studios. The pipes are still there and still have the original decorations by Henson, Oz, Sahlin and Juhl.

The show building for the Muppets is well worth the short walk. There are some amazing details that can only be seen up close and a few from far away.

The Pre-Show

After you enter the building through a hallway (you go past Muppet Security), you are funneled into the pre-show area. Grab your 3D glasses and stand in front of one of the banks of three monitors. The pre-show area is full of fantastic gags and details, but watch the pre-show video on your first time.

The video is supposed to introduce you to the 3D film you are about to see. Just like the Muppet television show, things go awry. There are some great gags in the video, including a dance with Gonzo and a special appearance by Mickey Mouse!

Get it?

The room is an attraction in itself for any Muppet fan. There are tributes to the television show and the series of theatrical releases. You definitely have to take some time to walk around the pre-show area.

Muppet Vision 3D

For years, this was the best 3D film on property (Mickey's Philharmagic has pushed the technology further) and it has held up incredibly well over the past 20-odd years. It is often referred to as Muppet Vision 4D because of the in-theater effects and addition of various Muppet animatronics.

There isn't much that I can tell you about the film that won't ruin some of the surprises; regardless it is a film that is fun for all ages.

Kermit the Frog welcomes us and takes us on a tour of the Muppet Studios. The regular cast of Muppet favorites are introduced and the expected mayhem ensues. Part of the tour takes us into Muppet Labs with Dr. Bunson Honneydew and Beaker. In order to capitalize on the 3D aspect of the show, they create Waldo C. Graphic, the first 3D Muppet.

A Note from Imaginerding
Waldo C. Graphic is the world's first computer-generated 3D Muppet character. Waldo was a real puppet that was connected to a computer that rendered the image in real time based on the actual puppeteer.

The film continues to spiral out of control with traditional Muppet madness that any Muppet fan is going to truly love. The ending is truly spectacular as the Muppet theater is destroyed because of a battle between the Swedish Chef and the penguin orchestra.

Make sure to spend some time in the Muppet Studios shop on your way out. There are some fantastic and amazing references to the Muppets television show.