Popular Disney World coaster closes after nearly 3 decades
It’s the end of an era at Disney World. That neon red guitar outside Disney’s Hollywood Studios just witnessed the end of a 26-year rock residency. After nearly three decades of blasting “Walk This Way” at 60 mph, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith officially closed March 1, and fans showed up like it was a farewell tour.
The last ride hit different
The final lap was packed, with guests lined up around the park for one last launch into the dark. As seen in TikTok videos, cast members walked the crowd trying to find where the line even began. Hundreds of fans crammed in for a final blast of “Walk This Way” at highway speeds.
The attraction was in no way a subtle one. We’re talking 125 speakers, 14 subwoofers, and 32,000 watts of sound. As fans launched from 0 to highway speeds in seconds, “Walk This Way,” “Back in the Saddle,” and the Disney-fied “Love in a Roller Coaster” blasted in their ears while neon LA signs flew past.
It really was a way to bid goodbye to the park’s defining thrills that have been up since 1999.
The signs were there
Back in December, Entertainment Weekly revealed that Disney removed the Aerosmith-heavy pre-show video. The room was boarded up overnight, and that was the first real clue that something bigger was coming. Then came the announcement: The Muppets would take over, following the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D after a full 34 years in the park.
What the new version will look like
When the coaster reopens this summer, guests will enter a recording studio again. But this time, it will be run by The Muppets’ Electric Mayhem band.
Expect full Muppet chaos energy: Penguins running sound, Scooter scrambling to get the band onstage. Again, pure organized chaos.
While it will be the same high-speed indoor coaster, it is set to be a completely different vibe.
Source: People
