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Disney Preps to Bid “Mahna Mahna” Farewell to Stage 1 Company Store at Hollywood Studios
Another Muppet milestone is about to vanish in a puff of comedic chaos and glittery gloves. Disney has officially filed a permit to demolish the Stage 1 Company Store — the long-shuttered, prop-packed shop near MuppetVision 3D* in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Filed under the name of Walt Disney Imagineering, the permit includes “demo, infrastructure prep and utility modification” for the store located at 361 Cypress Drive in the Grand Avenue area of the park. PCL Construction Services, Inc. is handling the heavy lifting — and likely some heavy-hearted Muppet fans.
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For the uninitiated or those who haven’t peeked inside since the Before Times, the Stage 1 Company Store was the go-to spot for all things Muppet merch, with colorful walls, quirky Easter eggs, and props hanging from the ceiling like Gonzo after a stunt gone wrong. But since its 2020 closure during the pandemic, the shop has only sporadically reopened for limited-time shopping events — including May the 4th gear drops and Disney Jollywood Nights photo ops. Over the years, Disney has stripped the front half of Muppet theming, while the back half still clings to its zany roots.
But not for long.
This demolition is part of a major transformation of the Grand Avenue area into a Monsters, Inc.-themed land. That includes the permanent closure of MuppetVision 3D* on June 7, followed by the closures of PizzeRizzo and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, both of which are set to be gutted and reimagined. The Stage 1 space, however, won’t be reimagined — it’ll be gone entirely to make way for wider walkways and a Monsters, Inc. suspended door coaster.
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While Disney hasn’t officially confirmed every detail, rumors suggest MuppetVision 3D* is being recorded for archival purposes before the curtain falls for good. That’s no surprise, considering how much of the show’s magic lives in its interactive, sensory overload-style theater setup.
So what does this mean for fans of Kermit, Fozzie, and the gang? It’s another step back for the Muppets in the theme parks, and possibly a last hurrah for one of the most unique corners of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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