Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Walt Disney World, Florida
Opened: 26 May 2026
The Riff Report Rating: 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸 / 5

There are certain combinations in life that just make sense.

Beer and festivals.

Greggs and questionable motorway decisions.

Guitars and unnecessarily large amplifiers.

And apparently…

THE MUPPETS AND A BLOODY GREAT ROLLER COASTER.

😂🎢🤘

On 26 May 2026, one of Walt Disney World’s most famous thrill rides officially entered a completely new era as Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Aerosmith version had become an absolute institution since opening in 1999, so replacing Steven Tyler and the gang was always going to be a risky business.

But Disney hasn’t simply removed Aerosmith and slapped Kermit on the wall.

Ohhhhh no.

They’ve handed the keys to Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem.

And somehow, mun…

IT WORKS.

Really bloody well.

Welcome to possibly the only roller coaster on Earth where being launched at ridiculous speed while Animal causes absolute carnage feels completely normal.

🎸 GOODBYE AEROSMITH… HELLO ELECTRIC MAYHEM

For more than a quarter of a century, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster was synonymous with Aerosmith.

You entered a recording studio.

Aerosmith realised they were late.

You were invited to their gig.

Someone ordered a limousine.

Then somebody apparently decided the best way to navigate Los Angeles traffic was to launch said limousine like a ballistic missile.

Perfectly sensible.

The basic DNA remains.

But now we’ve entered the wonderfully ridiculous world of The Muppets.

And if there was ever a Disney property capable of inheriting Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster without completely destroying its rock ’n’ roll personality, The Electric Mayhem were surely the obvious choice.

Dr. Teeth.

Sgt. Floyd Pepper.

Janice.

Zoot.

Lips.

And, of course…

🥁 ANIMAL.

Disney describes the band as possessing a proper rock ’n’ roll attitude, and the attraction leans heavily into that identity.

This isn’t Mickey Mouse suddenly discovering a Marshall stack.

The Electric Mayhem have been taking the mickey out of rock bands for decades.

They’re practically veterans of the scene.

🎟️ WELCOME TO G-FORCE RECORDS

The experience begins before you’ve even strapped yourself into the coaster.

You’re entering G-Force Records as part of a VIP tour.

And straight away, Disney has absolutely filled the place with Muppet nonsense.

Memorabilia.

Props.

Visual jokes.

References.

Easter eggs.

Rock ’n’ roll clutter.

It’s exactly how you imagine a Muppet-owned record company would look if somebody accidentally gave Animal access to the expense account.

😂

The story quickly establishes that The Electric Mayhem are supposed to be performing a massive concert across Hollywood.

There’s just one tiny problem.

They’re still in the recording studio.

Classic band behaviour.

Any promoter reading this has just started sweating.

🐸 THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM ARE RUNNING LATE

Inside the studio, The Electric Mayhem are happily jamming away to “Can You Picture That?”

Meanwhile, their fans are waiting.

Their concert is approaching.

And poor Scooter is attempting to achieve something countless tour managers have attempted before him:

GETTING A ROCK BAND TO LEAVE THE BLOODY STUDIO ON TIME.

😂🤘

Scooter serves as the band’s manager for the attraction and is represented by an Audio-Animatronics figure — the first Scooter Audio-Animatronics figure Disney has created for an attraction.

It’s a cracking addition.

Disney used motion-capture work with the actual Scooter Muppet performance to help reproduce his movements and personality in animatronic form.

Around him?

Penguin audio engineers.

Obviously.

Because this is The Muppets.

Eventually everyone realises that unless something happens quickly, The Electric Mayhem are going to miss their own concert.

Which means we need transport.

Fast transport.

Muppet transport.

Possibly legally questionable transport.

Enter…

🚗 THE L.I.M.O.

Forget your ordinary stretch limousine.

Muppet Labs has apparently been busy.

Guests board something called the:

Lengthy Immediate Motion Object.

Or…

L.I.M.O.

😂

This super-powered vehicle is waiting behind Studio C and becomes your transportation across Hollywood.

And this is where the familiar Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster adrenaline starts kicking in.

You leave the relatively safe world of Muppet jokes behind.

You enter the loading station.

You climb aboard.

The restraint comes down.

The music kicks in.

And suddenly you remember something rather important.

THIS THING IS STILL ROCK ’N’ ROLLER COASTER.

🚦 3… 2… 1…

There’s something deliciously evil about Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster’s launch.

Even when you know it’s coming.

Even when you’ve ridden before.

Even when you’re watching the vehicle ahead disappear into the darkness.

Your brain still goes:

“Yeah, we’ll be fine.”

Then…

BANG.

🎢💨💨💨

You’re launched into the darkness and suddenly whatever dignity you possessed approximately three seconds earlier has been left somewhere around the loading platform.

Disney’s own material describes the famous acceleration as going from zero to 60mph in roughly three seconds.

And it remains magnificent.

This isn’t a gentle Disney dark ride.

This thing MOVES.

🤘 THREE INVERSIONS OF BEAUTIFUL CHAOS

Once you’re launched, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster throws you straight into its twisting indoor layout.

There are three inversions:

🎢 Two rollover loops
🎢 One corkscrew

And because the attraction takes place largely in darkness, your brain doesn’t always have time to understand what’s happening.

You’re twisting.

You’re upside down.

The music is blasting.

Muppet insanity surrounds you.

Animal is presumably violating several health-and-safety regulations somewhere.

Then you’re flying into another turn.

It’s glorious.

For anyone wondering about the height restriction, guests need to be 48 inches — 122cm — or taller to ride.

This remains one of the more intense attractions at Walt Disney World, so anyone expecting something gentle simply because Kermit is involved should be warned.

THE FROG HAS CHOSEN VIOLENCE.

🐸😂

🎶 NOW THIS IS A COASTER SOUNDTRACK

One of the biggest questions surrounding the transformation was obvious:

What happens to the music?

Because Aerosmith weren’t simply characters appearing in the old attraction.

Their music was fundamental to it.

Thankfully, Disney understood the assignment.

The Electric Mayhem aren’t just along for the ride.

They’re the band.

And the new attraction features several different recordings, meaning repeat rides can produce different musical experiences.

The announced set list includes:

🎸 “Song 2”

The Electric Mayhem

Yes.

Blur’s “Song 2”.

On Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.

WOO-HOO!

That is practically cheating.

It’s already one of the most explosive two minutes in rock music.

Stick it on a roller coaster and you’ve basically weaponised the chorus.

🏍️ “Born To Be Wild”

The Electric Mayhem featuring Camilla the Chicken

Steppenwolf’s ultimate road anthem.

Performed by Muppets.

With Camilla the Chicken.

There are sentences you never expect to type when you become a music journalist.

This is one of them.

😂

🎢 “Love Rollercoaster”

The Electric Mayhem featuring Jennifer Hudson & Questlove

Could you possibly choose a more appropriate song?

Probably not.

Originally made famous by Ohio Players and later given another blast of life by Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Love Rollercoaster” now gets the full Muppet treatment.

🤘 “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)”

The Electric Mayhem featuring Def Leppard

Now we’re talking.

Def Leppard joining The Electric Mayhem on a roller coaster soundtrack is exactly the sort of completely unnecessary rock madness we wholeheartedly support.

☀️ “Walking on Sunshine”

The Electric Mayhem featuring Kelly Clarkson

The Katrina and the Waves classic gets thrown into the Mayhem machine with Kelly Clarkson joining proceedings.

It’s ridiculously upbeat.

It’s silly.

It’s enormous fun.

Which pretty much describes the attraction itself.

🎧 THE MUSIC MAKES THE RIDE

This is probably the smartest thing about the entire makeover.

Disney hasn’t forgotten why Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster worked.

Music changes how a roller coaster feels.

Ride the same physical track with different songs and suddenly turns hit differently.

Drops feel different.

Launches feel different.

Moments become synchronised with riffs, choruses and drum hits.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster has always understood that.

The Electric Mayhem version simply takes the concept somewhere new.

And because multiple tracks are available, there’s now another excuse to ride again.

“Sorry love, we need another go. Haven’t had the Def Leppard version yet.”

Perfectly legitimate holiday planning.

🐸 THIS ISN’T JUST A RESKIN

This is where Disney deserves credit.

The easiest option would’ve been removing Aerosmith, recording some Muppet footage and reopening the doors.

Instead, there’s an entire Muppet world surrounding the coaster.

The queue contains numerous references to Muppet history.

Some props from the former Muppet*Vision 3D attraction have even found new homes here.

That includes shipping crates and other pieces of Muppet history.

And then there are Statler and Waldorf’s chairs.

Yep.

Those two miserable legends continue haunting Disney from beyond their balcony.

😂

There are also references to Gonzo’s Stunt School, along with familiar props associated with his catastrophically unsafe career choices.

For long-time Muppet fans, the queue could potentially take longer than expected simply because you’ll keep stopping and pointing at things.

“LOOK! LOOK! IT’S THAT THING!”

Meanwhile the people behind you are wondering why the queue has stopped.

🎭 THE MUPPETS WERE ACTUALLY PERFECT FOR THIS

Initially, replacing Aerosmith sounded controversial.

And understandably so.

The original attraction had been around since 1999.

For millions of visitors, Aerosmith WERE Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.

Steven Tyler appearing on that studio screen was part of the ritual.

But franchises evolve.

Attractions change.

And if Aerosmith were leaving, Disney needed something capable of preserving the musical identity.

The Electric Mayhem make enormous sense.

They’re funny enough for Disney.

They’re chaotic enough for The Muppets.

And they’re genuinely built around rock music.

Most importantly, the attraction hasn’t lost its personality.

If anything, it has become even more ridiculous.

And Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster was already an attraction where you travelled across Hollywood at 60mph because a rock band couldn’t organise its schedule properly.

😂

🥁 ANIMAL + ROLLER COASTER = OBVIOUS WINNER

We need to discuss Animal.

Because honestly…

How has this not happened sooner?

Animal is essentially the physical embodiment of a roller coaster.

LOUD.

FAST.

CHAOTIC.

SLIGHTLY TERRIFYING.

And probably banned from several hotels.

🥁🔥😂

Putting Animal anywhere near a high-speed attraction feels so natural that you wonder whether Jim Henson secretly designed the coaster decades ago.

The character’s manic energy fits the attraction beautifully.

You’re not looking for sophistication here.

You’re looking for:

RIDE!

MUSIC!

SPEED!

DRUMS!

AGAIN!

And frankly, Animal speaks for all of us.

🎢 DOES THE COASTER ITSELF STILL HOLD UP?

Absolutely.

This is the important bit.

Theme parks are increasingly filled with technologically astonishing attractions.

Trackless systems.

Huge projection environments.

Advanced animatronics.

Augmented effects.

Massive screens.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster comes from another era.

But that launch?

Still brilliant.

Those inversions?

Still cracking.

The darkness?

Still effective.

The onboard music?

Still fundamental to the experience.

The physical coaster hasn’t suddenly become revolutionary because The Muppets arrived.

It doesn’t need to.

The bones were already excellent.

The makeover simply gives the attraction a fresh reason to exist.

🍿 AND THERE’S EVEN MUPPET FOOD

Once you’ve survived the L.I.M.O., Disney isn’t quite finished.

Nearby you’ll find FØØD by Swedish Chef, because apparently allowing the Swedish Chef to operate a food establishment passed Disney’s risk assessment.

Børk børk börk.

😂

The refreshed food location arrived alongside the attraction and serves Muppet-inspired snacks and drinks.

It’s a neat extension of the area and helps the makeover feel bigger than simply changing the coaster itself.

And after being fired through three inversions with a chicken singing Steppenwolf in your ear, you’ll probably need something.

👕 OF COURSE THERE’S MERCH

This is Disney.

You knew this was coming.

The attraction exits into Rock Around the Shop, where a new Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets merchandise range has appeared.

Clothing.

Accessories.

Souvenirs.

Muppet rock gear.

Disney understands us far too well.

You survive the roller coaster.

Your adrenaline is pumping.

Then Disney deposits you directly into a shop containing Animal merchandise.

Your wallet never stood a chance.

💸😂

⚖️ THE BIG QUESTION: IS IT BETTER THAN AEROSMITH?

Ooooooh.

Dangerous territory.

We’re not going to pretend nostalgia doesn’t matter.

The Aerosmith version was iconic.

For anyone who rode it repeatedly over the years, hearing those songs blasting through the onboard speakers while flying through the first inversion became part of the Walt Disney World experience.

You can’t simply erase that.

And nor should you.

But the Muppet version doesn’t need to defeat Aerosmith.

It needs to justify replacing it.

And it does.

The coaster remains fast.

The launch remains fantastic.

The music remains central.

But the storytelling is fresher, the humour is stronger and the queue now gives Disney an enormous playground for decades of Muppet history.

Aerosmith gave Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster its identity.

The Electric Mayhem have inherited the stage rather than demolished it.

That’s the difference.

🎸 THE RIFF REPORT VERDICT

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is completely ridiculous.

Which is precisely why we love it.

It’s a high-speed indoor roller coaster starring a fictional rock band consisting of Muppets, including a saxophone-playing lunatic, a psychedelic keyboard player and a drummer who communicates primarily through shouting.

What more do you want?

😂🤘

Disney had an incredibly difficult job here.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster was beloved.

Aerosmith had been attached to the attraction for more than 25 years.

Replacing them could easily have stripped away everything that made the ride special.

Instead, Disney found characters who actually belong in this environment.

The Electric Mayhem don’t feel pasted onto Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster.

They feel like they’ve finally been handed the keys.

The music is cracking.

The Muppet humour works.

The Easter eggs reward long-time fans.

Scooter’s Audio-Animatronics appearance gives the pre-show some proper physical presence.

And underneath everything remains that gloriously aggressive coaster launch.

It’s Disney.

It’s rock ’n’ roll.

It’s completely bonkers.

And somewhere in Hollywood, Animal is still battering a drum kit while Scooter desperately checks his watch.

⭐ THE RIFF REPORT RATING: 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸 / 5

LOUD. FAST. FUNNY. COMPLETELY MAYHEM.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets proves that sometimes replacing a rock band with a bunch of puppets isn’t sacrilege.

Sometimes…

IT BLOODY ROCKS.

🎢🎸🐸🥁🔥

Have you ridden the new Muppet version yet? Do you prefer The Electric Mayhem takeover, or will Aerosmith always own Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster for you?

Let us know, butt.

And remember…

Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies. 🤘🏴