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[Anthony]

The Muppets' Movie Set Adventure

Location: Between CinéMagique and TV Production Tour

Ride type: Classic Disney dark-ride, similar to "Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue!"

The story:

A journey through a manic Muppet movie shoot.  You're a top executive at the Walt Disney Studios, and you're on a visit to Soundstage 5 to see how production is going on the new Muppet movie.

(It's fairly similar to the "Great Muppet Movie Ride" concept, except that the scenes being filmed are original ones... the preshow can feature references to that long-rumoured attraction though, with storyboards on the walls showing the concept art from it...)

Pre-show/Attraction building:

A classic soundstage, fairly similar to Studio 2/3, with a slight art-deco touch.  The entrance could look a bit like the improved MuppetVision 3D entrance at DCA (but less 2D!):



At the front of the building are the production offices, which form the queue of the ride.  As you enter the offices, there's production notes, storyboards, office equipment all around - and it's all got a special Muppet touch to it.  (they can fit in loads of in-jokes here, such as storyboards showing muppets re-enacting scenes from classic movies)  As you progress through the offices, it becomes clear that none of the Muppets have come to meet you!  Where are they all?  On a coffee break?!

Eventually, you reach the Stage Door, and, thankfully, a studio golf buggy-type ride vehicle pulls up to give you a tour of the set.  The load area is quite plain, with distant sounds of a movie shoot (to prepare you for the chaos ahead!), and would have wooden walls themed like the back of a movie set - a bit like the area in Armageddon between the Show and Pre-Show.

The Ride:

As you set off, Miss Piggy appears on the buggy's built-in TV screens.  She's sunning herself in an exotic location, and can't be with you today, so she's providing a live commentary of the movie set via satellite link-up.  As you drive through the movie set, she'll guide you through what's being filmed using brief intros in both French and English.  The twist is, that whilst she's saying "here you can see the amazing special effects we're using", you'll be driving past a scene where smoke, pyros, etc. are going out of control!  So it'll give some really nice humour to the ride.

The ride will consist of a drive through various scenes from the Movie, with Kermit as the director and the rest of the Muppets as the actors and crew.  Everything's going wrong, the costumes are falling apart, the sets are collapsing... it's a nightmare!!  Can you believe you, the top movie exec, actually greenlighted this project?!

The ride ends with a big finale scene, and thankfully the Muppets manage to pull it together at the last minute, to produce a true movie classic!  Kermit shouts "cut! that's a wrap!", and your ride is over.  You liked what you saw and give the project the thumbs up...

Post-show:

A simple exit corridor featuring posters, magazine front covers, etc. of the  movie you just saw being filmed.  Photos of Kermit accepting awards for it, etc. are all displayed here in this hall of fame.  Maybe even a special display case featuring the extravagant dress Miss Piggy wore to the awards show?

Another possibility here could be some kind of post-production corridor, with Muppets at editing suite desks, Muppets discussing different advertising posters, recording the soundtrack, re-dubbing some parts of the movie... the options are endless!


So - what do you think?

I think The Muppets seem to fit just perfectly into the theme of our studios, especially Production Courtyard.  I think they also suit the dark ride concept really well, because there are so many different characters that it gives loads of good possibilities for different funny scenes and set-ups.  Also, the story of the ride I decided on would be good too, since instead of you "being an extra" like every other ride in the park, you're a movie executive visiting a production.  Not only would this give the ride a lot of humour, but it makes total sense in the "Production Courtyard" area.

Also, I think it's important that they add a bit of colour to Production Courtyard.  Animation Courtyard will soon be awash with bright colours and characters, whereas Prod. will be full of yellow buildings and not a lot else.  The Muppets appeal to adults and children... I just think this is exactly what the area needs.

And another "also" - the Monsters Inc ride system is fairly cheap, whilst the video display would give the ride "the edge" over similar attractions.  It would also finally bring a proper, classic Disney dark-ride with animatronics to the park.

I really hope the Imagineers have had a similar idea to this...  

[Dlrpfan]

sounds good! i always wanted muppet vision at wds