Disney World is quietly making changes to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith ahead of its transformation into a Muppets-themed attraction next year.
On Dec 2. Entertainment Weekly reported that the the ride’s pre-show entertainment was permanently removed from the Hollywood Studios attraction. The video, which was shown in a room prior to the coater’s loading area, was seemingly boarded up and covered overnight.
The pre-recorded show took guests behind the scenes of an Aerosmith recording session. The presentation featured band front-man Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer as they jam out to a track in the control room. The video even included cameos by a young Ken Marino, playing a sound engineer, and Illeana Douglas, who appears as Aerosmith’s manager.
The move is in an effort to prepare the attraction for a Muppets-themed overhaul, set to open in Summer 2026.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith first opened in 1999 with a larger-than-life red guitar adorning the exterior facade of the ride building. According to the park’s website, band members invited guests into their “gleaming limousine” before zooming across town to catch their upcoming concert.
The ride vehicle features a 125-speaker, 14-subwoofer, 32,000-watt audio system that plays the Aerosmith hits like “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Back in the Saddle,” and even “Love in an Elevator” rewritten as “Love in a Roller Coaster.”
While an official closing date for the attraction has not been announced, park officials said guests would be able to ride the attraction through the end of the year.
Park officials first announced the arrival of the Muppets on Hollywood Studios’ Sunset Boulevard back in June and more details were revealed via a Disney Parks Blog post in August.
Guests will once again be welcomed into a recording studio, this time occupied by members of the Electric Mayhem band, penguins working as audio engineers and Scooter, who’s rushing to get the band on stage in front of fans.
“With the help from our friends at Muppet Labs and a very fast limousine, we’ll take a twisting, turning, and screamingly fun road trip across Hollywood to reach the concert in time,” the blog post said. “Throughout the journey, you’ll hear the Electric Mayhem playing some of the most iconic, rockin’ hits in your ears to keep the music and adrenaline pumping.”
Park visitors won’t have to say goodbye to the giant red guitar outside the building, but it will get a revamp. According to Disney, the instrument will be updated with a “vibrant and psychedelic new design.