Disney Overhauls 34 Years of Hollywood Studios Legacy With Permanent Replacement

Hollywood Studios has spent decades building experiences that fans grow attached to, but even some of the park’s most recognizable areas aren’t safe from major redevelopment.

One beloved section has already lost its longtime identity following Disney’s surprising announcement that an entirely different franchise would take over. For guests who spent years visiting the area, the decision marked the end of an important chapter in the park’s history.

Now, construction crews have revealed another replacement, and the new design offers an unexpected connection to what stood there before.

Disney’s Controversial Replacement Ends 34 Years of History

Disney’s decision to replace Muppets Courtyard with Monstropolis brought an end to 34 years of Muppets history at Hollywood Studios.

The area’s centerpiece, Muppet*Vision 3D, first welcomed guests on May 16, 1991. Featuring Jim Henson’s famous characters, the attraction combined 3D effects, Audio-Animatronics, and the outrageous humor that made the Muppets so popular.

Over time, the surrounding courtyard developed its own personality. Guests encountered themed storefronts, amusing signs, and decorations that made even ordinary buildings feel like part of the Muppets’ world.

That history made Disney’s announcement particularly surprising.

Rather than preserve the longtime Muppets destination, Disney revealed plans to transform the area into Monstropolis, a new environment inspired by Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. (2001).

Muppet*Vision 3D welcomed its final guests on June 7, 2025, before permanently closing June 8.

Although the attraction’s history stretched back more than three decades, several recognizable features arrived much later. One of those additions has now disappeared.

Another Muppets Feature Disappears During Construction

In late 2016, Disney introduced Gonzo’s Royal Flush as part of the broader redevelopment that also brought PizzeRizzo to the area.

Despite the unusual name, Gonzo’s Royal Flush wasn’t another attraction. It was actually a themed restroom exterior.

Disney used Gonzo’s name to turn an otherwise ordinary bathroom building into another Muppets joke. The playful design fit naturally alongside the courtyard’s other humorous details.

For nearly a decade, visitors could spot the familiar restroom facade while exploring the area.

However, Monstropolis construction has now brought that chapter to an end.

Crews recently removed scaffolding surrounding the building, revealing a completely different appearance.

The former Gonzo’s Royal Flush facade has given way to a brick exterior featuring large painted letters that read, “Try Our Cans.”

It’s a noticeable departure from the Muppets design, but the new lettering still delivers a bathroom joke.

The word “cans” can refer to toilets, allowing the new Monsters, Inc.-themed environment to maintain some of the humor previously associated with the location.

Hollywood Studios Continues Removing Its Muppets Identity

The restroom transformation might seem relatively small compared to the permanent closure of Muppet*Vision 3D, but it demonstrates how thoroughly Disney is rebuilding the former courtyard.

For longtime fans, the Muppets experience extended beyond the main attraction.

The surrounding decorations, restaurant features, and playful storefront details helped establish the area’s personality. Visitors could discover jokes simply by walking around.

Gonzo’s Royal Flush represented that approach, even though Disney didn’t introduce it until 2016.

Its removal doesn’t mean another 34-year-old structure has disappeared. Instead, it represents the loss of a newer feature within an area whose Muppets history began in 1991.

That distinction matters as Disney continues preparing the property for its replacement.

A Familiar Joke Survives the Transformation

While the Muppets branding has disappeared from the restroom building, the new design maintains a familiar approach to themed humor.

The “Try Our Cans” sign gives guests another joke to discover, much like Gonzo’s Royal Flush did before construction began.

It’s an interesting connection between two very different franchises occupying the same space.

Meanwhile, Disney has already shared more information about when guests can experience Monstropolis.

At D23 in August 2026, the company announced that the new area would open in phases in 2027.

That phased approach means some portions could welcome visitors while construction continues elsewhere.

For now, the redesigned restroom offers another glimpse of the transformation taking place at Hollywood Studios.

The original Muppets attraction is gone, its surrounding courtyard is being rebuilt, and even the smaller details are receiving new identities.

Although the bathroom humor remains, the familiar Muppets setting that entertained guests for 34 years is steadily becoming part of Disney history.