We rode Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets ahead of its May 26, 2026 opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and here is the honest take: Disney Imagineering put everything they had into the theming, the queue, and the preshow, and it shows. The coaster underneath all of it is exactly the same ride it has always been. That is not a surprise. That is the deal. Whether that deal works for you depends entirely on how you feel about the launch.
Disney Parks has released a sample of the Easter Eggs you can spot on the rethemed attraction.
The phrase that kept coming to mind was putting lipstick on a pig, and yes, Miss Piggy is absolutely part of that joke on purpose. Nothing about the actual coaster has changed. The restraints still sit on your shoulders the same way they always have, which is to say not quite right no matter how you position yourself. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has never been on any serious coaster fan’s top ten list, and this retheme does not change that. What it is, and what it has always been, is about the launch. That 0 to 57 miles per hour in under three seconds is still fun. It is still the thing that gets you. And now the question riding out of that launch tunnel is which song you are going to get.
We got Song 2, the Blur track, now performed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. It works. Animal takes over the background vocals in a way that feels very on-brand and also too much. You will have an opinion on this immediately. The re-rideability factor here mirrors exactly what we discussed leading up to opening — people are going to have a favorite song and they are going to keep riding to find it, the same way Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT built its following. The L.I.M.O. concept connecting G-Force Records to the Electric Mayhem’s big show gives it just enough story to make each song feel like it belongs.
The Queue Is the Best Thing About This Attraction
G-Force Records is now run by Mr. J.P. Grosse, and Scooter is Employee of the Month. Every month. His photos are up on the wall to prove it, which is a perfect callback to anyone who grew up watching The Muppet Show. The records lining the queue are packed with detail — Sam The Eagle’s “A Tribute to All National Anthems, But Mostly America” alone is worth stopping to read. You will also find albums tied to Marvin Suggs and his Muppiphone, Wayne and Wanda, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, Rizzo, and Pepe. Old friends show up too. Sweetums and Bean Bunny have cameo appearances that fans of the classic era will appreciate immediately.
The new Scooter Audio-Animatronic works really well in the studio scene. It is the standout moment of the physical queue and feels like a genuine upgrade in terms of character presence. If you are a MuppetVision 3D fan there are jokes and callbacks throughout that will land hard. Disney clearly built this for people who know the Muppets well, and the result is a queue that rewards the fans who have been waiting for something like this on the East Coast.
We also spotted Easter eggs to the DINOSAUR! attraction, the old Pizza Rizzo location, and the original Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Imagineering gave longtime Hollywood Studios guests plenty of reasons to look around.
Before you board, take a look at the area across from the loading zone. We believe the actual Muppets Mobile Lab vehicle that used to run at EPCOT is parked there. If that is confirmed, it is a fantastic piece of Disney parks history hiding in plain sight, and exactly the kind of detail that makes this queue worth slowing down for.
The Preshow Has a Real Problem They Did Not Fix
Here is the honest part that needs to be said. The audio control room preshow with Scooter works great if you are in the front of the room at the glass. If you are not, it does not. Say 100 guests file in. The 20 closest to the glass have a full view. Everyone behind them has whatever is left, which gets worse the further back you are. If you are shorter than average and standing in the rear half of the room, you are essentially listening to a preshow you cannot see. There are no tiered levels, no raised platforms, nothing to give the back half of the room a sightline. This was a problem with the original attraction and it has not been addressed. We watched the preshow from both positions and the difference is significant. Disney built something worth seeing in that room. It is a shame not everyone in the room can see it.
Statler and Waldorf appear at the end of the ride itself, which is exactly the kind of touch that made us smile. You go past them fast enough that catching the full one-liner is more luck than anything else, but their presence is a great finishing note. The tribute to Gonzo throughout the experience is well done and feels genuine.
On the PhotoPass side, Disney is giving every ride photo a concert poster treatment with three different Electric Mayhem-themed frames. The Kermit and Miss Piggy Guest Pass version is the one you will want.
Our Take
This is the best version of this attraction that was ever going to exist given the constraints. The coaster is the coaster. It was never going to change. But what Disney Imagineering built around it is genuinely impressive fan service for anyone who loves The Muppets, and especially for anyone who grew up with The Muppet Show or MuppetVision 3D. If you like the ride, the queue and theming make it worth multiple laps. If the coaster has never been your thing, here is something most guests do not know: you can walk through the entire preshow and queue and exit through the last door before you reach the loading area. That is allowed. The Muppets experience in that building is worth doing on its own terms, even if you never board the L.I.M.O. Disney took something that needed a reason to exist and gave it one. That deserves credit.
For more on everything happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we have the full breakdown on the FLN Hollywood Studios Guide. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Review: Lipstick on a Pig, and We Mean That as a Compliment to Miss Piggy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets the same ride as before?
Yes. The coaster track, launch, and ride system are unchanged. Everything that is different is in the theming, queue, preshow, and scenery.
What songs can you get on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets?
The attraction features five songs performed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, with celebrity collaborators including Jennifer Hudson, Questlove, Def Leppard, and Kelly Clarkson. Which song you get is random each ride.
Who is in the preshow for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets?
Scooter leads the preshow in the G-Force Records audio control room via a new Audio-Animatronic figure. Try to get a spot near the front of the room for the best view.
Are there Easter eggs in the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets queue?
Yes. Look for nods to DINOSAUR!, Pizza Rizzo, the original Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, album covers featuring classic Muppet characters, and Scooter’s Employee of the Month wall.
Can you skip the ride and just see the queue and preshow?
Yes. Guests can walk through the queue and preshow and exit through the last door before the loading area without riding. This is allowed and worth doing even if the coaster is not for you.
When did Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets open?
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opens May 26, 2026, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
