Photo of The Muppets by Disney
I’m still in the midst of sorting out my future, therefore, I have a lot of free time on my hands. Lately, I’ve been getting up earlier and earlier, which is annoying as heck. But in this case, it was a blessing in disguise because on the morning of Thursday, April 16, 2026, Disney announced the tracklist for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The coaster will be a revamped version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which closed permanently on Monday, March 2, 2026 to prepare for The Muppets retheme. I was lucky enough to experience the Aerosmith version multiple times when I did my Disney College Program a few years ago and absolutely loved it! I’m pretty sure I purchased Aerosmith’s first four albums because of that ride.
In late November 2024, when Disney announced that they were changing Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith into a Muppets-themed attraction, I was upset because I loved having a rock ‘n’ roll themed attraction with a ’70s classic rock band in a Disney theme park. Being a Disney lover and rock music fanatic, it was the best of both worlds! Not only was rock ‘n’ roll music a clever way to attract older guests, Aerosmith are a band that have stood the test of time; “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” still gets covered on reality talent shows, believe or not. Plus, I feel like it’s a disservice to The Muppet fans worldwide because at the time, Disney announced they were closing Muppet*Vision 3D permanently at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make way for Monstropolis, based on Monsters, Inc., which will replace Muppet Courtyard. Muppet*Vision 3D was a lot of fun; I watched the show once or twice during my Disney College Program and thought it was so cute. It was a beloved show and to make up for the stress caused by the attraction’s closure, the fans have to settle for a replacement ride that’s just a recycled version of another beloved Disney attraction.
At the same time, however, I wasn’t surprised that Disney announced they were retheming Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith to something else because of the band’s recent issues, including sexual abuse allegations against frontman Steven Tyler. I had a feeling Disney were going to change Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith into something else, but I didn’t expect them to go into The Muppets route. I thought they were going to stick with using music from solely one classic rock band like Queen or Bon Jovi.
I never got to say goodbye to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, unfortunately, but I’ll always remember the fun I had experiencing the ride in its entirety. I’ll treasure my memories of the rock music that played through the speakers while waiting in line (including Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive”), seeing the promotional posters in the queue (which for some reason included a poster for Olivia Rodrigo), the pre-show, the flipping fantastic music, and the thrilling roller coaster itself. When the retheme was first announced, this is what Disney said about the plotline: “The Muppets will be taking over Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, teaming up with some of music’s biggest stars for a rockin’ music festival!” That made me apprehensive because music trends come and go; an artist can be popular one day and the next, they’re history. Music’s biggest stars today will not likely be music’s biggest stars 20 years from now! Incorporating popular artists into the coaster will date it over time, which is why using a classic rock band worked better. When Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith opened in 1999, the band was already past their prime, but the songs were absolute bangers.
The songs for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will be performed by Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (or The Electric Mayhem for short). According to WDW News Today, the members consist of Dr. Teeth (played by Bill Barretta), Animal (played by Eric Jacobson), Floyd Pepper (played by Matt Vogel), Janice (played by David Rudman), Zoot (played by Dave Goelz), and Lips (played by Peter Linz). The Electric Mayhem will replace Aerosmith as the attraction’s headlining act.
I slowly warmed up to the idea of a Muppets-themed roller coaster because Disney aren’t taking apart the coaster’s tracks; they’re just refining the story concept to make it more modern. They did the same thing with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the Incredicoaster, and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! Plus, I couldn’t do anything to change Disney’s mind about replacing Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Therefore, it wasn’t worth stressing out about the ride’s closure. The promotional poster for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is so cute and I love the psychedelic-inspired atmosphere with vibrant colors in the decor, including the giant guitar that appears outside the ride’s entrance.
The storyline is very similar to the one for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Guests will take a VIP tour of G-Force Records, now owned by The Muppets, and make their way to the studio where The Electric Mayhem are rehearsing for their sold-out show, which they’re running late for. Guests will then board a revamped limousine, tested by Muppet Labs, to help the band get to their show in time. Unlike its predecessor, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will feature audio animatronics in the pre-show, Scooter and a few audio engineer penguins. Kermit and Miss Piggy will appear in the pre-show, as well. Disney also hinted that the ride’s exit will feature The Electric Mayhem performing their original song, “Can You Picture That?” WDW News Today also mentioned that some props from Muppet*Vision 3D are expected to appear in the queue, so I’m very curious to see how the finished product will turn out! However, after seeing the tracklist for the new attraction, my worries increased slightly.
Here is the tracklist for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets:
• “Song 2” performed by The Electric Mayhem
• “Born to Be Wild” performed by The Electric Mayhem featuring Camilla the Chicken
• “Love Rollercoaster” performed by The Electric Mayhem featuring Jennifer Hudson and Questlove
• “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” performed by The Electric Mayhem featuring Def Leppard
• “Walking on Sunshine” performed by The Electric Mayhem featuring Kelly Clarkson
As a major Def Leppard fan, I think “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” is an excellent choice for the ride because it fits the rock ‘n’ roll concept and it’s a Def Leppard song that doesn’t get talked about enough. Plus, the video Disney posted on their social media of frontman Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen chatting with Lips is hilarious, and it absolutely made my day! “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf is overplayed, but it’s a classic rock song that fits the concept. “Love Rollercoaster” and “Song 2,” by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Blur respectively, have some hip-hop and grunge vibes that don’t sit well with me. “Walking on Sunshine” is a hell to the no because it’s not a rock song and it’s way too perky for a rock ‘n’ roll themed coaster.
Also, what’s with Questlove, Jennifer Hudson, and Kelly Clarkson being featured in the songs? I get the inclusion of Camilla the Chicken because she’s in the Muppet family, but what do Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Questlove have anything to do with rock ‘n’ roll? Clarkson can sing a variety of music genres, but why make her sing “Walking on Sunshine”? “Walk Away” and “Since U Been Gone” from her Breakaway (2004) album have more balls than that piece of crap! Disney really blew their opportunity to get a good variety of beloved classic rock songs from artists we love for this new roller coaster.
Having an ‘80s rock band like Def Leppard and an R&B diva like Jennifer Hudson on the same tracklist makes absolutely no sense. It’s like having both The Black Crowes and Mariah Carey inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Also, Questlove is only popular because he plays in The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Disney only got one classic rock band to participate in the new attraction, which was Def Leppard. “Song 2” and “Love Rollercoaster” are fun songs, but they don’t satisfy my rock ‘n’ roll cravings the same way that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith did. The funny thing is I only know of “Song 2” because Big Time Rush sampled bits of it for their “Windows Down” song, which I like the latter song better actually.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster had such a cool concept, but now it’s falling apart at the seams. Even with The Muppets retheme, Disney could’ve stuck with the rock ‘n’ roll concept by having The Electric Mayhem perform classic rock songs with grit and balls that capture the genre’s true spirit, but no, they didn’t even do that! According to the Muppet Wiki page, The Muppets have covered rock songs before like “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss, “Your Mama Won’t Like Me” by Suzi Quatro, “Wild Thing” by The Troggs, “Join Together” by The Who, and “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)” by The Rolling Stones. They also have originals like “Gotta Be” and “Rock On.” In my opinion, Disney are butchering Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets by turning it into an inexplicable fever dream that has nothing to do with the original concept and gathering as many well-known celebrities as they can to drive more traffic to their social media.
Don’t believe me? Check out the A-listers that will appear in the ride’s queue:
• Awkwafina
• Danny Trejo
• Darren Criss
• John Stamos
• Neil Patrick Harris
• Travis Barker
• Yvette Nicole Brown
• Wayne Brady
• “Weird Al” Yankovic
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. AllEars.Net mentioned that for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, the license plate number on the back of your limousine determined which Aerosmith songs you got. So, if the new coaster functions like its predecessor, the license plate number on the back of your limousine determines which Electric Mayhem song you get. Based on what I’ve mentioned above, I’m going into this revamped attraction with no expectations because despite my love for Def Leppard, I hate the ride’s tracklist and celebrity overload in the ride’s queue. It’s like the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special crap all over again! I mean, if Disney wanted Def Leppard to take part in their roller coaster so badly, they should’ve just rethemed it to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Def Leppard. With that said, I will definitely visit Disney World to check out the new coaster once it opens and some of the hype settles down.
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Comment below your thoughts on the tracklist for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and/or your thoughts on the new coaster overall!
Take care and see ya real soon!
Lana
Lana Teramae | Me, Myself and Time 
It’s a damn shame when something we have known and loved is taken away. I hope that this new roller coaster will exceed your expectations. I’d agree, more Def Leppard is needed.
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Thanks for reading, Mike! I totally agree that it’s a shame when something we love is taken away from us. I heard there might be bonus tracks for the new coaster, so fingers crossed for the best!
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