Disney World fans detail their heartbreak as shocking photos show demolition of beloved landmark
The theme park is in the midst of transforming the Muppets Courtyard at Hollywood Studios into a brand new Monsters Inc.-themed land.
Both the Muppet*Vision 3D ride and the Muppets-themed restaurant PizzeRizzo closed permanently on June 7 to make way for the brand new area, which will feature a suspended rollercoaster.
Now, new images have been shared by popular theme park news outlet Blog Mickey that show a massive construction update.
Disney has officially started knocking down the buildings in the area, and the snaps show the Studio 1 Company Store in Muppets Courtyard completely destroyed.
The building that was once a booming gift shop selling all-things Muppets is now piles of soot and plaster as the entire store has been knocked down, with just a portion of one of the walls still standing.
When Disney first announced its plans to get rid of the Muppets Courtyard it divided fans - some people were excited for the new stuff coming to Hollywood Studios, while others were heartbroken.
And now, the new photos have sparked a slew of negative comments from devastated Muppets' fans.
'I cried when I saw that a few hours ago,' one user replied after the images were shared on X (formerly Twitter).
'Praying they kept some of the Muppets props but it doesn't look hopeful.'
'These pictures truly feel like an open casket or some s**t to me they're PAINFUL to look at,' someone else quipped.
'I thought the image they used to snapshot the source was AI generated. What the f**k do you mean this is the current state of MuppetVision 3D??!?!?!?' another horrified fan added.
'This hurts my heart to see… I used to work at this store and have so many wonderful memories,' read a fourth comment.
A fifth said, 'Man this s**t is brutal to watch.'
Others called it 'vile' and joked that there should have been a 'content warning' on the photos due to how upsetting they are.
Some simply replied by sharing crying emojis or GIFs of people bawling.
Before and after: The building that was once a booming gift shop selling all-things Muppets is now piles of soot and plaster as the entire store has been knocked down
The new Monsters Inc. attraction will put riders 'right in the middle of the monster action.'
The area will also have a new show featuring fan-favorite characters Mike and Sulley, a 'Monsters playground,' multiple eateries - including a Japanese restaurant based on Harryhausen's from the film - as well as two stores.
Tons of other changes are currently in the works at Disney; a Cars-themed land is coming to Magic Kingdom, as well as an area inspired by the Disney villains.
In addition, an Encanto river ride, an Indiana Jones attraction, and a Zootopia show are all set to open at Animal Kingdom in the upcoming years.
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