The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (172 page)

Against the backdrop of a lovely old vaudeville theater, the
Muppet
cast performed skits that often amusingly parodied contemporary issues and pop culture.  Viewers were also privy to the
Muppets
’ zany antics backstage. 
The Muppet Orchestra
played in the orchestra pit.  Audiences fell for new characters like
Animal
,
Beaker
,
Fozzie Bear
,
Gonzo
,
Rowlf
the dog and of course, ham diva
Miss Piggy
, who was also
Kermit
’s sweetheart.  As with
Sesame Street
,
The Muppet Show
attracted
crème de la crème
guest stars including Deborah Harry, Elton John, Ethel Merman, and Rita Moreno.

By 1979, crafting a major theatrical release starring the
Muppets
just made creative and commercial sense. 
The Muppet Movie
was released that summer and was successful, although not a massive blockbuster.  Many popular
Muppet
films and TV specials followed, including
The Great Muppet Caper
(1981),
The Muppet Christmas Carol
(1992),
Muppet Treasure Island
(1996), and
Muppets from Space
(1999). Typically
Kermit
starred and
Miss Piggy
was the leading lady, supported by large casts of
Muppets
and human guest stars.

More recently,
The Muppets
(2011) was released by
Walt Disney Pictures
.  This refreshing update starred and was co-written by actor-comedian-
Muppets
fan
Jason Segel
, best known as Marshall in the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”. 
The Muppets
breathed new life into the franchise, on and off the screen. 
Disney
announced in early 2013 that
Muppets 2
is in the works.

In 1991,
Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D
opened at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
at the
Walt Disney World Resort
.  This fast-paced, amusing attraction was the fruit of a collaboration between the
Henson
and
Disney
teams.  It proved so popular that it was recreated at
DCA
.  On
DCA
’s
Opening Day
, February 8, 2001,
Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D
welcomed Guests in the northwest quadrant of
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
.

Muppet*Vision 3D
was the first attraction I ever visited at the
Disneyland Resort
, and it’s a winner.  Like most of
DCA
’s
Hollywood
district attractions, and like the
Muppet
films and television shows,
Muppet*Vision 3D
is a comical celebration of the world of entertainment.

The exterior grabs your attention immediately. 
It’s cluttered with fanciful props like a giant pie-throwing machine. Overhead, rows of crates and barrels are humorously labeled, apparently containing improbable items like “Termites,” “Lava – Volcano Not Included,” “Old Flames,” and my personal favorite, “Pandora’s Stuff – Do Not Open”.

There are h
umorous movie posters; look for a poster featuring an Audrey Hepburn-coiffed
Miss Piggy
advertising
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Tiffany’s
; it’s a hoot!  A 2009 refurb added even more posters like
Hammah Montana
and
High School Mayhem
, references to popular, relatively contemporary
Disney
shows and films.

Most hilarious of all, a motorcycle protrudes from the wall, its
back wheel still spinning and its engine still sputtering.  Immediately above it is a
Gonzo
-shaped hole–clearly, one of
Gonzo
’s stunts has gone wildly awry!

Upon entering the show building, Guests are greeted by a Cast Member
in a
Muppet Lab
coat who hands out 3D glasses.  Guests then proceed down a corridor that’s been dressed like a hallway at the
Muppet Lab
.  Take a moment to read the posters and signs that line the hall and look carefully at the doors.  There are gags and references woven into the entire environment.

One gag is now
kaput
.  A sign near the beginning of the hall references a key under a mat.  Online lore and
Kendra Trahan
’s book
Disney’s California Adventure Detective
state that if you check, you’ll find a real key under the mat.  No longer true.  When I tried to lift the mat during a December 2009 visit, I found the mat had been fastened to the floor in several places.  A Cast Member strolled over to tell me that there’s no key under the mat, though Guests continue to look for it.

The hallway leads you to
a large, carpeted holding area decorated like a backstage prop warehouse.  This is the waiting area where Guests gather until the theater doors open for the next show.  You can pass the time observing the costumes, the props, and the trunks containing fanciful items like
Miss Piggy
’s satin evening gowns.

Video monitors mounted to the ceiling
display a pre-show starring
Scooter
, who tries (unsuccessfully) to bring order to the chaos around him, and features entertaining bit players like
Bean Bunny
, the singing group
The Three Ds
, and
Rizzo the Rat
.

In one of the first
signs that
Disney
was learning to laugh at itself–always a healthy and attractive characteristic, in corporations as well as in people–there’s a bit where
Rizzo
tries to pass himself off as
Mickey Mouse
.  The pre-show is cleverly designed and shot.  Characters appear to wander from one screen to the others.  Although Guests might find themselves waiting here for up to 15 minutes, the wealth of amusing props and the pre-show keep most children and adults entertained until show time.

As show time draws nigh, a lab-coated Cast Member
corrals Guests and has them line up outside the theater doors, not standing too close, since the doors swing outward.  When the doors open, Guests should move quickly but cautiously into the theater.  The large, dim space is a 574-seat recreation of
The Muppet Theater
, including the red curtains, gold trim, and boxes along the theater’s flanks.

As with most
Disney
theaters, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.  Follow all Cast Member instructions regarding seating, particularly if it’s crowded.  Guests who stop in the middle of a row, forcing other Guests to clamber over them, or who suddenly change their minds and try to back out of a row, create confusion and delay the performance.

One of the reasons that
Disney Theme Parks
are the best in the world is their commitment to immersing Guests in entertainment they couldn’t find at any non-
Disney
park. 
Muppet*Vision 3D
isn’t just a film; the attraction includes the queue area, the entrance hall, the waiting area, and the theater.  The whole environment, with its puns, props, gags and special effects, is part of the attraction.

This becomes abundantly clear when the
show begins; the fourth wall is immediately broken when the
Muppet Orchestra
rises in the orchestra pit, and decrepit hecklers
Statler
and
Waldorf
appear in their second-level opera box.  The
Muppets
aren’t just in the film; they’re right there in the theater with Guests!

The
film’s 3D effects are still impressive, even in 2013. 
Kermit
hosts, of course, and the pace is lively, the jokes are both clever and corny, and we’re treated to performances by
Muppet
favorites like
Miss Piggy
and
Fozzie Bear
.  There are two plot strands that ultimately intersect.  In the first place, the
Muppets
are preparing a show for us, with the usual flubs, challenges, and egos.  In the second place,
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
and
Beaker
accidentally unleash a newly created 3D
Muppet
, a rather obnoxious little fellow known as
Waldo C. Graphic
.

There are plenty of
outstanding 3D effects, when elements of the film seem to protrude into the theater, but what’s most impressive are the ways the
Muppets
in the theater interact with their brethren on film.  The whole theater is an elaborate set and the live action and film are perfectly synchronized.
Statler
and
Waldorf
keep up a running stream of jibes and jokes.
Bean Bunny
, hurt by
Miss Piggy
’s brusque manner, runs away and then appears in the theater box opposite
Statler
and
Waldorf
. Towering
Sweetums
appears in the theater, searching for
Bean
.

The show’s grand finale
has plenty of firepower on and offstage, including
Sam the Eagle
’s big, patriotic closing number,
Waldo
’s escape from the screen, a fire in the orchestra pit, and cannon fire that almost brings down the house.  Be prepared for loud booms and simulated smoke and fire.  Be prepared to be dazzled, too, by how quickly the lovely theater is reduced to a cannon-chewed mess.  Not to worry; it’s all a perfectly timed, impeccably rendered illusion.

At the very end of the film,
Waldo
attempts to assume the guise of
Mickey Mouse
, a nod to
Disney
’s efforts, from the 1990’s onward, to improve and enrich 3D film technology, efforts that have certainly succeeded.

When the show ends, t
he theater doors to your right swing open.  As always, step carefully when exiting the theater.  Be sure you have all of your packs, bags, jackets, and water bottles, and all of your kids, too.  Deposit your 3D glasses in the large return bins, so they can be sanitized and used by future Guests.  The 3D glasses are
Disneyland
property, not souvenirs.

Is
Muppet*Vision 3D
one of
DCA
’s must-sees?  It’s pretty darn close.  It’s not an
E-ticket
attraction like
Soarin’ Over California
or the
Tower of Terror
, but it’s one of the park’s superb offerings. 
Kermit
hosts. 
Miss Piggy
sings. 
Statler
and
Waldorf
kvetch.  The fourth wall is demolished.  Things blow up.  Really, what’s not to love?  If you can build this attraction into your itinerary, do it without a second thought.  Everyone in your group will thank you! 
Did You Know?
  Wondering about the connection between
Disney
and
Henson
?  In the 1980’s and 90’s there were discussions between
Disney
and
Henson
about
Disney
buying the
Henson
company or at least the
Muppets
franchise.  It didn’t pan out, but the teams worked together to create
Muppet*Vision 3D
for
Walt Disney World
and then
DCA
and
Disney
helped to produce and release
Muppet
specials and films.  In 2004,
Disney
finally closed the deal, purchasing the
Muppets
. 
Did You Also Know?
 
Muppet*Vision 3D
is slated to be upgraded to
Disney Digital 3D
, and a new pre-show has been shot but not yet aired. It’s likely to be rolled out when the new 3D film is unveiled. 
Did You Also Know?
  Everybody’s favorite
Muppet
grumps
Statler
and
Waldorf
are named for famous New York City hotels, the Statler Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria respectively. 
Waldorf
’s character has a wife named
Astoria
.  Although they’re never shy about complaining about the show,
Statler
and
Waldorf
never miss it; in fact, they appeared in every episode of TV’s
The Muppet Show
, perhaps because, as
Waldorf
remarks at the close of
Muppet*Vision 3D
, they’re bolted to the floor!
Ranger Vision:
  In June 2013, the
Muppets’
movie palace (as well as the
Hyperion
down the street) hosted the premiere of
Disney
’s
Lone Ranger
reboot. 
FastPass:
  No.  But with 574 seats, the theater can accommodate all waiting Guests even on busy days. 
Kid’s Eye View:
  I love
Muppet*Vision
because it’s really funny.  You’ll want to see it a lot of times!