Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith closing date revealed + FAQ for Muppets

Out with Aerosmith, in with Muppets

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster itself isn’t going anywhere, but the ride experience at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla., will change, swapping out Aerosmith for the Muppets.

The ride’s new logline reads: “The Muppets will be taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, teaming up with some of music’s biggest stars for a rockin’ music festival!”

Disney originally announced the Muppets’ arrival at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in November 2024, and teased a 2026 opening date in June 2025. We attended a Disney World media showcase event called “Play & Preview” on Aug. 21, 2025, where we learned lots of new details too, all explained below. Or you can hear the news from the Muppets themselves in our video:

When is the Aerosmith version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster closing?

The Aerosmith version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will close on March 2, 2026, according to journalist Scott Gustin via Disney. Its final operating date is March 1.

When is the opening date for the new Muppets version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?

The Muppets version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will open sometime in summer 2026. Disney has not announced a specific opening date.

How long will Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster be closed?

Disney has not announced specific dates for the turn-over, but given the summer 2026 opening of the Muppets version and the fact that the Aerosmith version will be open through March 1, the transition will only take a few months.

Will the name of the ride change?

The full, formal name of the attraction will be: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.

The attraction’s current name is: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith.

What will Disney change in the new version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?

Currently, the attraction features a nondescript outdoor queue area, an indoor queue taking place inside a record company, a pre-show featuring Aerosmith in a sound booth, a final indoor queue area resembling a city alley at nighttime, and the ride experience itself — an indoor, dark, launched roller coaster that travels through blacklight cutouts of Los Angeles landmarks to the tune of Aerosmith songs.

The ride opened in 1999 and is the only Disney World roller coaster that goes upside-down.

The giant guitar outdoors will remain, but with a new paint job inspired by the Electric Mayhem band’s van.

Inside, G-Force Records, the fictional setting of the ride, will soon have a new layer of lore. In the new version of the ride, the recording studio will be under new management of the Muppets within the story. Specifically, Scooter’s uncle, J.P. Grosse (also the owner of the Muppet Theatre in “The Muppet Show” bought G-Force Records).

In the pre-show, guests will see the Electric Mayhem getting ready for a big concert. Scooter, their manager, as well as penguin audio engineers will be present as Audio-Animatronics figures. The band members themselves will appear via screen in a recording studio, just like Aerosmith does in the current version of the pre-show. Kermit and Miss Piggy will appear on additional screens.

The penguin animatronics may or may not be recycled from Muppet*Vision 3D. The former attraction, which closed in June 2025, featured a penguin orchestra.

As for the actual ride, Disney says:

With help from Muppet Labs (and a very fast limousine), guests will take a twisting, turning, and screamingly fun road trip across Hollywood to reach the concert in time. The iconic scenery and landmarks of Tinseltown will feature a Muppet twist while a soundtrack of iconic, rockin’ hits performed by Electric Mayhem keeps the adrenaline pumping. 

What will the new songs be on the updated Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?

“New tunes” will be part of the Muppets’ version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, but Disney has not announced which songs will be featured, nor whether those will be part of the Muppets’ catalogue or hail from the song library of the to-be-announced celebrity musicians who are part of the project.

Which Muppets will be part of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?

Concept art depicts and Disney’s story details depict the following Muppets, though more could be involved:

• Kermit the Frog
• Miss Piggy
• The Electric Mayhem band
  • Dr. Teeth
  • Janice
  • Floyd Pepper
  • Zoot
  • Lips
  • Animal
• Gonzo
• Scooter
• Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
• Penguins

The Electric Mayhem is the resident house band of “The Muppet Show” and first appeared together in 1975, according to DK Publishing’s “The Muppets Character Encyclopedia” by Craig Shemin.

In 2016, the Electric Mayhem performed live at the Outside Lands Music Festival. They starred in their own Disney+ series, “The Muppets Mayhem,” in 2023.