Muppet Studios at Disneyland Park (Wrap Up)

So I have been highlighting different areas of the new Muppet Studios for you, but I feel it's time to wrap up my summary.

HISTORY
There has always been talk about expanding the Muppets presents in the parks. Muppet Vision 3D, Muppet Mobile Labs, and the 2009 volunteer promo featuring the muppets. An entire land similar to this new on in Disneyland was even designed at one time during a Disney-Muppet merger but fell through. When phase 2 of the DCA expansion was developed, imagineers re-designed the back stage area int he Hollywood Picture Lot at DCA to become Muppets Studio (to go along with the hollywood theme) and replacing the Monsters Inc ride with "The Great Muppet Movie Ride". However as the themeing of DCA headed towards 20s/30s, muppets just didn't seem to fit any longer. That's when it was decided to take over Toontown. Plus the idea of re-using much of the existing structers and themeing cut down on an already low budget.

LAY OF THE LAND
The east side of the land was left nearly as it was before. With an exception of gutting out and re-building the inside of all the buildings bordering the east of the land. This made way for the E-Ticket ride "The Muppets Movie Ride Studio Tour". The norhtern most part of the land was kept as-is as well with the exception of the inside of city hall and the addition of a show building behind it to house "The City Hall Of Presidents". Next to city hall was 3 foof locations which have all been combined into one, "Swedish Chef Cafe". Once again an audio-animitronic from DCA's Muppet Vision of the Swedish Chef was transplanted here at the Cafe. Throughout the day you can hear the Chef arguing, singing, and exploding things behind the kitchen doors. And every so often the Chef will make an appearance through the service window to his kitchen. Mickey and Minnie's houses were cleared to make way The Muppet Theatre. This attraction was orignally going to house a new Muppet Vision film. But instead houses a whole new film/stage show of the orignal Muppet Show. The show will consist of audio-animitroncs, 360 3D projections

The Hall of Presidents!

Well... The City Hall of Presidents... Presented by Sam Eagle!

That's right the Muppets are bringing the Hall Of Presidents to Disneyland! Replacing the Toon Town City Hall, Sam Eagle has patriotically decorated the entire place to pay tribute to the leaders of America with the "help" of Rizzo. They do their best to put on the best presentation for you which includes a semi-put-together video projection directed by Rizzo with a finally of a President "Audio Animitronic" which is puppeterred by Rizzo and Sam Eagle, with Sam providing the Presidents voice giving the great moments with Mr Lincoln speech as best he can.

The City Hall Of Presidents, is a fun quick stop in Muppets Studios. Food and drink are allowed so it is also a nice place to stop and eat like the Tiki Room. The show runs about 15 minutes every half hour.

A show building had to be built backstage in order to house the theatre for this attraction. When you talk through the literal "Hall of Presidents" with president's photos to get to the theatre you are actually crossing backstage. What started off as a cheap easy project to use up lost space with a simple overlay ended up being an expensive one. Imagineers went back and updated their original simple plans after the additional construction was approved.