Disney4me Posted 19 hours ago Report Share Posted 19 hours ago Unless you’ve been living under a pretty large rock for the last 8 months when it comes to Disney World news, you’re aware that Hollywood Studios is about to go through some MASSIVE changes. ©Disney The entire Grand Avenue area of the park, including Muppet*Vision 3D, PizzeRizzo, and Mama Melrose, is going to close to make way for a brand new land based around Monsters, Inc. While we’re ecstatic for Monstropolis – – seriously, we’ve been daydreaming about that door coaster since 2001 — we’re going to miss the original Muppets area of the park. Before saying goodbye to area known as Muppet Courtyard forever, we decided to take a look at some of the magnificently manic Muppet easter eggs hidden throughout the area. Our first stop is at the marquee attraction, Muppet*Vision 3D. The queue for this classic film — the final Muppets project that creator Jim Henson worked on during his lifetime — is full of small references and in-jokes and Muppet-style gags. ©The Jim Henson Company For instance, when you enter the building, look to your left and you’ll see a security window with a sign reading “Back in 5 minutes — key is under the mat.” Sure enough, there’s a mat on the floor, and if you lift it, you’ll find a key embedded in the floor. A more niche Disney in-joke can be found in the queue. When you reach the pre-show room featuring the video screens and props, look above you’re head. You’ll see a net holding crates of Jell-O hangs from up above, AKA“A net full of Jello” AKA a reference to legendary Mouseketeer and 1960s Disney actress Annette Funicello. Wocka Wocka Indeed ©The Muppets Moving over to PizzeRizzo, the eatery “owned” by Rizzo the Rat, we can find a massive example of Muppet-style humor outside the building. Right above the outdoor balcony seating area, you can see a sign pointing to the restaurant that says, “This City’s Top Rated Pizza” in neon yellow lettering… but when NIGHT rolls around, some of the letters flash on and off. And whenever they’re off, the sign instead reads “it’s rat pizza”! PizzeRizzo In addition, the restaurant features a slew of Muppet references and decorations adorning its walls, including in the upstairs “party room.” If you want to catch any of these references in person though, you’ll need to act fast as Muppet*Vision 3D and PizzeRizzo will both be closing on June 8th, meaning the VERY LAST DAY you can experience them will be June 7th. Looking for the perfect tee to wear when you say goodbye to Muppet*Vision and PizzeRizzo? We have the PERFECT shirt! Rat Pizza! However, another of the area’s mainstays is closing even sooner. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano has an EARLIER expiration date, closing forever on May 10th. While this family Italian restaurant may not officially Muppet-themed, we’re still counting it thanks to the earliest blue sky plans for the restaurant. See, back in the early 1990s, Disney was planning to build an entire Muppet Land in the then Disney-MGM Studios, including a Rizzo-themed Italian restaurant (some ideas never die it seems) that would feature basic animatronic versions of Rizzo and his brethren delivering patrons’ food. After Henson’s passing, the restaurant lost the Muppet theme and became Mama Melrose, though a long-running theme park urban legend claims that the tracks for the delivery rats is still visible in the restaurant’s ceiling. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano While the tracks may or may not exist, what Mama Melrose does have is a large collection of vintage photos lining its walls, many from the park’s earliest days, including celebrities who visited the park and interacted with characters including the long-gone Roger Rabbit. We’re hoping some of these photos can find new homes around the park, but just in case they can’t, you still have just about a month left to catch a glimpse of them at the restaurant. Tables and chairs While the Muppets will still be part of Hollywood Studios thanks to their upcoming ”takeover” of the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster (hopefully including a new larger are chock-full of Muppet easter eggs) the original Muppet area of the park — and all its history — is set to disappear forever in the next few months. Stay tuned to DFB for more looks at Disney history. 4 Disney’s Hollywood Studios Restaurants the Experts Refuse to Book Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Which of these Muppets easter eggs will you miss the most? Let us know in the comments below.The post 6 Muppets Secrets To Find in Disney World BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE first appeared on the disney food blog.View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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