Disney World removes beloved attraction after 26 years: ‘Bad move’

Disney World guests who love Aerosmith will have to “dream on.”

Without any warning, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, removed the fan-favorite Aerosmith pre-show video that played before boarding the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The presentation featured band frontman Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer, as well as cameos by a young Ken Marino, playing a sound engineer, and Illeana Douglas as Aerosmith’s manager.

The Aerosmith pre-show has been introducing the ride’s story to guests since the coaster opened in 1999.

The roller coaster permanently removed the introduction video so that construction can begin on the ride’s transformation into a Muppet-themed rollercoaster that will open in 2026, Entertainment Weekly reported.

It appears as though the video area was boarded up and covered overnight.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will remain open for visitors to ride at least through the end of the year, but the pre-show area will be shut down as the crew puts in a new presentation featuring Kermit, Scooter, the Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem band, as well as the penguin animatronics from the former MuppetVision 3D show that opened in 1991 and closed earlier this year.

Currently, the idea of the ride is that guests drop in on an Aerosmith recording session before the band members invite them into their “gleaming limousine” as they race through busy highways to make it to their concert.

The ride features a 125-speaker, 14-subwoofer, 32,000-watt audio system that plays Aerosmith hits such as “Walk This Way,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Back in the Saddle,” and “Love in an Elevator” rewritten as “Love in a Roller Coaster.”

The Muppets version of the ride will see the Electric Mayhem band headlining a big Hollywood concert, and riders are on a search for the group after they go missing.

“With the help from our friends at Muppet Labs and a very fast limousine, we’ll take a twisting, turning, and screamingly fun road trip across Hollywood to reach the concert in time,” the Disney Parks Blog said in an August post.

“Throughout the journey, you’ll hear the Electric Mayhem playing some of the most iconic, rockin’ hits in your ears to keep the music and adrenaline pumping.”

Some Disney World fans mourned the loss, with one writing on X: “Removing the Aerosmith pre-show from Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster with no announcement was a bad move. That pre-show was a big part of the ride being themed to Aerosmith.”

Meanwhile, the iconic giant red guitar outside the building won’t be going anywhere, but rather will be getting a makeover.

Disney noted that the guitar will be upgraded with a “vibrant and psychedelic new design.”