Last week was the week of Passholder Previews! We got to ride Soarin’ Across America and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets! This is the re-theme replacing Aerosmith that had been in Hollywood Studios for over 20 years. While I am always sad to see an old favorite change, this one I was excited about. So get in the super stretch loser, we’re goin to an Electric Mayhem concert!
The Original
If you have never been on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster before, the original took you to an Aerosmith concert. Steven Tyler and the boys were in the booth for the pre-show and convinced their agent to send us all to the concert in a super stretch. With some backstage passes of course! From there you went through a downtown garage to hop in and quickly get to the concert. We flew through downtown LA and Hollywood to get there. All while Walk This Way, Love In An Elevator and Sweet Emotion blared from the speakers. I personally love Aerosmith’s music so this was always a good time to me. But the re-theme to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets makes more sense in the park for sure. And I might love the Muppets more than Aerosmith!
What’s New?
The actual ride itself has not changed. It is still the same vehicles, just with a facelift and the same track. But the Muppets have definitely taken over in a big way! Outside, the iconic upside down limo and giant guitar have received a fantastically psychedelic new paint job and a new playlist has been activated. Once inside the building part of the queue, keep your eyes peeled, there is a lot to see!
Inside Queue
Beaker and Professor Honeydew, Scooter, the chickens and the Swedish Chef are all moving around the movie poster room, just being muppety! After that you pass by a display case with famous instruments. Kermits banjo, animals drum set and more, this part was so cool! There are pictures of all the Muppets we know and love throughout the queue and then you go into the booth room.
Pre-Show
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets is all about the Electric Mayhem and I could not be happier about that! In the booth you find Scooter chaotically trying to get dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem to stop their jam session and get to their concert. Kermit and other Muppets come in to help causing more chaos that culminates in Beaker crashing the super stretch into the booth. The super stretch is now a L.I.M.O. or Lengthy Immediate Motion Object created by Professor Honeydew at the Muppets Lab Automotive Division. Dr Teeth and the band finally get on the road and the rest of us are sent to get in our L.I.M.O’s while Sweet’s come through the clean up in the booth. Not gonna lie, I was so happy to see Sweetums, even if it was just on a screen!!
Loading Area
This next part of the queue has so many Easter eggs and nods to Muppet Vision 3D so keep your eyes peeled. You will see the Great Gonzo crates and props, Pizza Rizzo boxes, posters from Sweetums looking for Bean Bunny, and even a floor mat with a card key sticking out from underneath, IYKYK! You can even see the Muppet Mobile Lab that Professor. Honeydew and Beaker used to ride around EPCOT in. I feel like you could see something new every time you go through this queue.
The Ride
As I mentioned, nothing about the actual track for this ride has changed. It is still the super fast, upside down and cork screw coaster we love. Animal now counts you down before you blast off! And you will see the Muppets throughout the ride. There is a Pizza Rizzo sign, Beaker crashed into the freeway sign and I am sure a bunch of other things I missed. Of course the music is also changed. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets features music from Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem with some special guests. We got Janice and Kelly Clarkson singing Walking on Sunshine! The full set list includes
- Song 2 just the Electric Mayhem
- Rock Rock Till You Drop with Def Leopard
- Love Rollercoaster with Jennifer Hudson
- Born To Be Wild with Camila the Chicken
Of course all of these have their own featured member of the Electric Mayhem! I can’t wait to get them all, it’s a perfect set list! At the end you get heckled by Statler and Waldorf, still bolted to their Muppet Vision 3D chairs. This is absolute perfection and I am so glad they listened to all of us saying this needed to happen somewhere in the ride. Disney is always listening!
Conclusion
I absolutely love this re-theme! Aerosmith is cool but it was time for something different on this one and who better than the recently evicted Muppets? Does it soften the blow of losing Muppet Vision 3D? Absolutely NOT! Nothing could replace that precious gem. But Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets does bring them back into the park in a really fun way. They are perfectly muppety and the music choices are spot on.
You even get to hear Kermit say “You’ve got a minute and a half” in the pre-show! Between that, Sweetums, the key under the mat and all the Pizza Rizzo references I wanted to cry a little. I will always miss Muppet courtyard and Muppet Vision 3D, I definitely will not miss Aerosmith in the same way. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring the Muppets is officially open as of May 26th so get over to Hollywood Studios and check it out! Have a magical Muppet day!
