Disney’s newest thrill ride officially debuted at Hollywood Studios on May 26, but many guests quickly discovered that getting onto the attraction might be harder than expected.
Crowds poured into the park early in the morning as fans rushed toward Sunset Boulevard for the opening of Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. By the middle of the day, long standby lines stretched across the area, Lightning Lane selections were hard to find, and some visitors began to realize they might not get to ride at all.
The excitement surrounding the attraction is clearly huge. But opening day also exposed a growing problem for guests trying to experience Disney World’s newest coaster.
The End of the Aerosmith Era
For decades, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith remained one of the signature attractions at Hollywood Studios. The indoor launch coaster built a loyal fanbase thanks to its fast launch, inversions, loud soundtrack, and late-night Los Angeles atmosphere.
Many Disney guests grew up riding the attraction after it opened in 1999, which made Disney’s decision to replace the Aerosmith theme a major online talking point.
Rumors about a retheme had floated around for years before Disney finally confirmed that The Muppets would officially take over the coaster. Some fans hated losing the original version entirely, while others believed the chaotic energy of The Muppets matched the attraction surprisingly well.
After months of previews and testing, Disney officially completed the transformation this week.
The Muppets Take Over Hollywood Studios
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets officially opened to guests on May 26.
Disney kept the coaster layout mostly intact, but the surrounding experience now feels completely different. Guests enter a new storyline featuring Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, while updated scenes, effects, and music appear throughout the attraction.
The ride now leans much harder into comedy and unpredictability compared to the original Aerosmith version.
Early reactions from guests have been mostly positive. Many visitors seem surprised by how naturally The Muppets fit into the attraction, especially considering how intense the coaster itself remains.
At the same time, the opening immediately created major crowd problems inside Hollywood Studios.
Guests Lose Access to Ride
Guests hoping to casually experience the coaster quickly learned that opening day crowds were no joke.
Wait times reportedly climbed to 120 minutes within hours of the park opening. Sunset Boulevard became packed during both rope drop and Early Entry as guests rushed toward the attraction.
Disney likely expected heavy demand, especially since the opening coincided with Cool Kid Summer offerings and several other new additions at Walt Disney World. Still, the combination created one of the busiest mornings Hollywood Studios has seen in quite some time.
For many families, standing in a two-hour-long standby queue is simply not practical during the Florida summer.
Unfortunately, Lightning Lane has not solved the problem either.
Lightning Lane Is Already Difficult To Secure
Disney added Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets to Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections at Hollywood Studios, but availability disappeared extremely fast on opening day.
Guests checking the My Disney Experience app later in the morning often found no return times remaining at all. Even visitors with upcoming vacation dates are already noticing how competitive the attraction has become.
That creates another challenge because Hollywood Studios already features one of Disney World’s toughest Lightning Lane lineups. Slinky Dog Dash, Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway already generate massive demand every day.
Now Disney has added another major attraction to that battle.
The Best Strategy May Surprise Guests
Interestingly, the longest waits happened very early in the day.
Early Entry created huge crowds before Hollywood Studios officially opened, but conditions shifted later in the morning. At one point, wait times reportedly dropped to around 45 minutes as guests moved toward Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and other attractions.
That could become an important strategy for visitors moving forward.
Instead of immediately rushing to Sunset Boulevard at rope drop, guests may have better luck waiting until crowds redistribute throughout the park. Trying to park closer to the park may also help.
Watching live wait times in the My Disney Experience app could make a huge difference as Disney continues to adjust to the popularity of Hollywood Studios’ newest attraction.
