For many Disney fans, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith was a rite of passage. The attraction opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1999 and quickly became one of the park’s most popular rides, mainly because it was the only one with inversions and a pretty unforgettable soundtrack from Aerosmith. For decades, it was one of the biggest attractions at the Orlando theme park. In fact, a 75-minute wait was just part of the experience. Guests happily stood in line for the chance to blast from 0 to 57 mph in just a few seconds. But time catches up with everything.
I got to ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster when it first opened and again just a few weeks before its final run (with many rides in between over the years). The launch was still thrilling, but by the end, the attraction felt tied to a different era of music and pop culture. In fact, many of the kids getting on the ride didn’t recognize the songs or the band, making the upcoming refresh feel like the right move at the right time.
The change is also important for another reason. A year ago, Disney closed Muppet*Vision 3D, leaving fans worried that The Muppets were disappearing from the parks. The theater attraction had been entertaining guests since 1991 and was one of the last projects Muppets creator Jim Henson worked on before his death. By bringing the characters to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Disney is ensuring that Kermit, Miss Piggy, Scooter, and the rest of the gang have a major place in the park’s future. And we also learned that 3D printing is playing a role in bringing at least one of those Muppet characters into the future.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. Image courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort.
During a preview of the attraction, CNET’s Bridget Carey spoke with Todd Richins, Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, who confirmed that Scooter’s new Audio-Animatronics figure includes a 3D printed shell, in a rare look at how Disney is using additive manufacturing (AM) as part of its attraction-development pipeline.
Disney said Imagineers used motion-capture technology to create the figure.
According to the company, “Guests will be fully immersed in the story with the first-ever Audio-Animatronics figure of Scooter, brought to life using motion-capture technology of Scooter the Muppet. By recording and tracking Scooter’s performance, Walt Disney Imagineering was able to build and program a figure that looks, moves, and emotes exactly like Scooter should, right down to the small details.”
By recording and tracking Scooter’s performance, Walt Disney Imagineering was able to build and program a figure that looks, moves, and emotes exactly like Scooter should. Image courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort.
According to Disney, 3D printing now plays a role in the creation of many of its Audio-Animatronics figures. The company has discussed how technologies such as digital modeling, advanced fabrication methods, and 3D printing help Imagineers develop increasingly sophisticated figures for attractions around the world. Earlier this year, Walt Disney Imagineering also revealed that it had worked with 3D printing company Haddy to create a large-scale 3D printed outrigger canoe for the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland. Disney described it as the first permanently installed attraction prop produced using large-scale 3D printing. For Disney, 3D printing can help designers create complex shapes, refine character details, and manufacture parts more quickly than many traditional methods.
For Muppet fans, however, the bigger story may simply be that the franchise continues to have a place inside Disney’s parks. Scooter has been part of The Muppets since the late 1970s, when he appeared as the show’s stage manager. Nearly 50 years later, the character is still going strong. Now, thanks to Disney’s reimagined Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Scooter is getting a high-tech update of his own.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. Image courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort.
The timing is especially interesting because Walt Disney Imagineering is gearing up for another major animatronic project. Disney recently announced plans to update Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, one of the most historic attractions in its theme parks. The reimagining will include a new Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney himself, along with updates throughout the attraction.
Disney has not said whether the upcoming Carousel of Progress figures will include 3D printed components. But after revealing a 3D printed shell for Scooter, it would hardly be surprising to see the same technology show up in future Audio-Animatronics projects.
Whether it’s a Jungle Cruise prop, a Muppet animatronic, or something still to come, Disney’s growing use of 3D printing is worth watching. What starts inside Imagineering often ends up in front of millions of guests around the world.