The Muppets have officially taken over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The new version of the attraction — Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets — features The Electric Mayhem as the headliner instead of Aerosmith.
The ride is currently going through previews but officially opens to guests on May 26. however, we at WDWNT were granted early access to share our experience with you.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
Rock out with The Electric Mayhem as the Muppets take you on a high-speed ride through Hollywood!
Courtyard
Guests enter the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster courtyard under an upside-down car on the head of a long guitar neck. The car and 40-foot-tall guitar (a Fender Stratocaster) have been given colorful The Electric Mayhem-inspired makeovers. The car’s license plates read “MUPP3TS.”
The signage on the guitar has been updated to read “Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.” And one of the piano keys below the guitar was painted gold as an homage to The Electric Mayhem frontman Dr. Teeth.
The entrance archway, gate, and show building were all painted gray. They were previously shades of beige.
The former KRNR The Rock Station snack kiosk reopens as FØØD by Swedish Chef.
Rock Around the Shop, the ride’s exit gift shop, has updated signage. The painted sign outside the doors includes Dr. Teeth’s arm pointing to the store.
The poster on the building features The Electric Mayhem members, Kermit, and Miss Piggy in one of the ride’s reimagined limousines (just like the upside-down car on the archway). Behind them are colorful lights and palm trees. The poster style is the same as the former Aerosmith attraction poster.
Queue
Just like the former version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, the concept of this ride is that guests are on a VIP tour of G-Force Records — under new management. Scooter’s uncle, J.P. Grosse (the real estate tycoon who also owns The Muppet Theatre) has bought the record company and put Scooter in charge.
Along the wall of the exterior queue is a series of new posters inspired by The Electric Mayhem. There’s a fresh poster design for each member of the band, as well as generic posters advertising their “one night only” Hollywood concert.
G-Force Records has the same logo, which appears throughout the courtyard and queue: a circular shape resembling a record with a hidden G and F.
The digital posters in the rotunda are now posters and vertical video of the Muppets alongside celebrities. Cameos include Weird Al Yankovic, Awkwafina, Travis Barker, Wayne Brady, Yvette Nicole Brown, Darren Criss, Neil Patrick Harris, John Stamos, Danny Trejo, and Ken Marino, who was the non-speaking music producer in the Aerosmith pre-show. Ken is plying his character from the former attraction, now a “legend of G-Force Records”.
After the rotunda is a display case of Muppet props. First up are some cardboard boxes, string lights, and various other props. These are next to a green and pink polka-dot dress and matching hat worn by Miss Piggy.
Kermit’s banjo and some swamp props are on a dais. There’s a pink top hat and keyboard belonging to Dr. Teeth, the frontman of The Electric Mayhem.
Other The Electric Mayhem instruments include Lips’ trumpet, Janice’s guitar, Zoot’s saxophone, and Sgt. Floyd Pepper’s bass. On the floor are dozens of The Electric Mayhem buttons and guitar picks.
Animal’s drum set is surrounded by discarded drumsticks.
The last few items include a Beethoven bust, old-fashioned gramophone, and candelabra. The bust is inspired by a Muppet that sometimes accompanied Rowlf in The Muppet Show.
A portrait of J.P. Grosse is on the wall before the next room. The placard below him reads, “Can we do it better and cheaper?”
On the walls in the next space are various photos of Muppets from over the years, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Rowlf, and Rizzo. Miss Piggy’s dog Foo-Foo has her own album framed on the wall: “Foo-Foo Sings Notes Only Dogs Can Hear.”
Cast members organize guests into groups to enter Studio C. The walls in this area were painted pale yellow instead of white and have brighter lighting, including new overhead lights.
Pre-Show
Guests enter the recording studio, where The Electric Mayhem is rehearsing their original song “Can You Picture That?” from The Muppet Movie (1979). Props include a PizzeRizzo box and many lava lamps.
Scooter is featured as an animatronic, which was created using motion capture of the real Scooter Muppet. Behind Scooter is a black Gibson Les Paul from the former Aerosmith pre-show.
Two animatronic penguins act as audio engineers.
Sam Eagle makes a cameo on the security screen behind Scooter. There are several random sequences that can be triggered here, including another scene with The Swedish Chef.
Kermit interrupts the rehearsal, concerned about the band reaching their concert across town on time. Scooter assures Kermit that the band will make it before muttering under his breath that he has no idea how.
Beaker of Muppet Labs then explodes through the wall into the recording booth with the band. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew appears on screen to explain their L.I.M.O. invention — Lengthy Immediate Motion Object. This super-powered vehicle will get everyone to the show on time.
You can watch the full pre-show below:
Guests exit into a hallway of Scooter portraits dubbing him Employee of the Month every month. At the end of the wall is a picture of Ken Marino, a G-Force Legend honored for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement. The quote on his placard reads, “Look at me now, baby!”
Cases on the walls display costumes for members of The Electric Mayhem.
Loading Area
Guests enter the alley behind the studio to board their L.I.M.O.s. The general theming is the same but there are new props, including a plethora of The Great Gonzo items.
These include a plumber statue from The Muppet Movie (1979) and his Charles Dickens top hat from The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). Many props are recycled from the pre-show of MuppetVision 3D, including Gonzo’s Curtis Moth plane and banner, storage crates, and feather boas.
A box of fireworks is labeled “Work in Progress Do Not Move.”
The neon LA Down Under Club sign now has a plank with “Comedy” added to it. A small door to the side has a “Squeakeasy” sign and small motorcycles parked outside.
As guests enter the parking garage, they pass under screens and signs displaying safety information. The video resembles Muppet Labs sketches on graph paper. The L.I.M.O. experiment number is 07291999 — a reference to July 29, 1999, the opening date of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
Signs illustrate how guests should store loose articles in the vehicle.
ATTENTION L.I.M.O. RIDERS:
Your loose articles, including phones, cameras and scientific doodads, must be stored properly.Please secure them:
– In your pocket
– In the vehicle storage pouch
– Or leave them with a non-riderDr. Bunsen Honeydew PHD. ESQ.
Some of the small signs next to the safety information stating things like “This means YOU!” and “Top Secret” are taken out of the MuppetVision 3D queue. The “Muppet Labs L.I.MO. Research” sign is new but made in the same style.
Between videos, the Muppet Labs Automotive Division logo is displayed.
The platform across from the loading area has new props like a Muppet Labs taxi (which we think is actually a redressed version of the Le Maximum car from 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted), a chalkboard of coaster diagrams, and Bunsen and Beaker’s lab coats.
Near the back of the platform is the Muppet Mobile Lab, which once appeared at EPCOT ridden by free-roaming animatronics of Bunsen and Beaker.
Vehicles & Ride
Like the upside-down car outside, the limos have a new colorful design including music notes and stars. Their license plates all now read “MUPP3TS.” In the Aerosmith version, the license plates were different and corresponded to the track list, so guests in the know could figure out what song they would hear on the ride.
The LED countdown sign above the launch has been replaced by an illuminated Hollywood Fwy road sign.
On the ride, guests will hear one of these songs performed by The Electric Mayhem:
- “Song 2”
- “Born to be Wild” ft. Camilla the Chicken
- “Love Rollercoaster” ft. Jennifer Hudson & Questlove
- “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” ft. Def Leppard
- “Walking on Sunshine” ft. Kelly Clarkson
ON-RIDE CONTENT COMING SHORTLY, STAY TUNED
On-Ride Photo
There are three frames for the on-ride photo. One is a blue, purple, and pink design with the faces of The Electric Mayhem members. One features Animal and Sergeant Floyd Pepper on a poster. The third is a neon pink and green design including Miss Piggy and Kermit alongside a “Guest Pass” image.
Guests wearing a MagicBand will have their photo automatically connected to their My Disney Experience account. Other guests can link the photo at screens in the exit area.
Exit
Before the exit platform are Statler and Waldorf in a trailer. The animatronics are recycled from MuppetVision 3D, wearing slightly different outfits and with new dialogue — although repeating one of their most famous MuppetVision jokes about being bolted to the seats.
A projection screen above the on-ride photo displays shows The Electric Mayhem performing at their concert.
Above the exit is a portrait of the Muppet version of Jim Henson, which once hung in the MuppetVision pre-show room.
Miss the old version of the coaster? Check out our last look at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
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