PizzeRizzo closing

[Keels]

It's like they are saying, "We know this place doesn't move the needle for anybody, but we really don't want to bother making it better. We'll just wait until the overwhelming crowds push it into demand."

AKA The Tomorrowland Terrace plan.

It will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes as a not-at-all thematically matched location for PPO Star Wars Land breakfast (only $199/pp for breakfast and 60 minutes early admission), or home of a newly-created "Wait Out The Entry Line" Star Wars Dessert Party.

 

[Doug M]

This is certain to be an unpopular opinion here, but I won't be sad to see this go. I seem to be in the minority as I don't like the entire Muppet franchise and it is the single most un-Disney IP in the parks to me.

The entire franchise is a dated relic from the 70's and early 80's that didn't age well. They tried the TV show a few years ago as a litmus test to see if this franchise still had any legs and it bombed and wasn't renewed. The show in Liberty Square in MK is usually not very crowded and from my observations, people seem to stop, look and then move on after only a minute or two.

I know the franchise has achieved cult status among it's fanbase; but it doesn't seem to have widespread interest across multiple demographic groups.

I wish (but certainly don't expect) that Disney would axe all remnants of the Muppets from the theme parks permanently and replace it with a better IP.

I am with you 100%. Never understood why they didnt incorporate ST and the Muppets Courtyard into SWGE. They are saving a dated attraction with a very limited audience over their #1 non traditional IP and now they are in a bind of what to do with the area.

 

[gharter]

I am with you 100%. Never understood why they didnt incorporate ST and the Muppets Courtyard into SWGE. They are saving a dated attraction with a very limited audience over their #1 non traditional IP and now they are in a bind of what to do with the area.

I don't think they are in a bind at all. They have rethemed the area around muppets. They just need to fix the food at PizzaRizzo.
Within a year or 2 of SWGE opening, Star Tours will be rethemed to a non Star Wars IP and there won't be any issue.

 

[lugnut33]

I don't think they are in a bind at all. They have rethemed the area around muppets. They just need to fix the food at PizzaRizzo.
Within a year or 2 of SWGE opening, Star Tours will be rethemed to a non Star Wars IP and there won't be any issue.

Can you say, "Star Tours featuring Pigs In Space"?

 

[Itsnotmykitchen]

It's too bad they kept the pizza them. They could have done a British pub given the movie (movies if you want to count Christmas Carol and Treasure Island) set there which would still have gelled nicely with Mama Melrose. Epcot, Disney Springs and Universal all seem to do well with their British fare.

 

[firefly_ris]

Can you say, "Star Tours featuring Pigs In Space"?

I'd totally ride that.

I love the Muppets, and I actually love the theme at PizzeRizzo, I know it's NY/NJ themed but we also had a lot of Americanized-Italian/pizza places that looked exactly like that growing up in the inner suburb rings of Baltimore, so it tugs at a nostalgia factor for me -- especially since new restaurants these days all go for industrial/minimalist/granite/streamlined looks. And there are a lot of little details in this restaurant that people might miss. I wish they would upgrade Muppetvision or make it into a different kind of Muppet ride/attraction to re-spark some life over there, but I'm sure that's quite low on the totem pole right now. If they just made the pizza better that would help a lot.... oh well.

 

[Itsnotmykitchen]

WDWNT is reporting that it will now be opened seasonally - not sure how accurate they usually are.

 

[jkh36619]

This is certain to be an unpopular opinion here, but I won't be sad to see this go. I seem to be in the minority as I don't like the entire Muppet franchise and it is the single most un-Disney IP in the parks to me.

The entire franchise is a dated relic from the 70's and early 80's that didn't age well. They tried the TV show a few years ago as a litmus test to see if this franchise still had any legs and it bombed and wasn't renewed. The show in Liberty Square in MK is usually not very crowded and from my observations, people seem to stop, look and then move on after only a minute or two.

I know the franchise has achieved cult status among it's fanbase; but it doesn't seem to have widespread interest across multiple demographic groups.

I wish (but certainly don't expect) that Disney would axe all remnants of the Muppets from the theme parks permanently and replace it with a better IP.

I have never been a Muppets fan either. As a child I remember the Muppet specials and not really thinking they were funny and there was a lot of adult humor. Add to this my parents didn't have much disposable income so premium television was a no go so I never watched any of Jim Henson's other shows like Fraggle Rock. As a side note, I don't personally know of a single Muppet fan.

As far as PizzaRizzo, if the food is good, theme doesn't matter so much. Just like if the theme is really good i.e. BOG, the food can lack somewhat. Muppets+bad food= The current situation they are in.

 

[BillyRay_Omaha]

So So food and stuffed in the forgotten back lot area of Studios = ....

+ the decor I just don't get it, sure it's Muppet's but it's like someone took a Fazoli's restaurant and put up some Muppet's pictures. Try harder Disney.

 

[randumb0]

The restaurant always looked like it was closed

 

[nkosiek]

Went for my first time this past summer and loved their pin board (a pizza box). Food was okay.

 

[Tomh]

My guess is that attendance at Hollywood Studios is somewhat down. That combined with the Muppet Courtyard area being a dead end now, likely leads to little in the way of foot traffic for Pizza Rizzo. Add in the fact that the food is not amazing by any standards (note: my family did not dislike the food at Pizza Planet, which is what this was named the last time we were there, it just wasn't great), and I can see why they would want to close it. I would expect that the closure is indeed temporary, and that we will see it re-open during busy times, and certainly, when Galaxy's Edge opens.

 

[Roxyfire]

I always thought it was strange that they kept the personal pizzas at a place themed to be a NY Pizza joint. They do the big slices of pizza at multiple places at Universal and they actually taste fine. Will they be authentic? No, but it would be way better than a flatbread or those reheated cardboard pies. Plus it would be a lot more on theme and think of what they could charge for a whole pizza or a giant slice. For the meantime I'm sure it's cheaper just to leave it closed except for 4-5 weeks out of this next year.

 

[sachilles]

We ate there the last trip. Nothing memorable, other than it was the first place I tried mobile order. Not a big fan of the whole muppets area, and I don't hate muppets. Seems they missed the opportunity to connect it into Star Wars, despite the obvious close proximity. I suppose they can still do it.

 

[rstevens333]

All the Muppets Courtyard needs is for Muppet Mobile Lab to show up a few times a day. (It's amazing. I caught it one in EPCOT.)

 

[The Pho]

All the Muppets Courtyard needs is for Muppet Mobile Lab to show up a few times a day. (It's amazing. I caught it one in EPCOT.)

It's weird that the best stuff Disney has done with the Muppets in years is in the parks but not at the Muppet section. Mobile Lab and Great Moments in History are awesome.

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

I'm a Muppet fan - and "Great Moments in History" is awesome. I understand why they haven't changed Muppetvision 3D after all these years, and a part of me agrees with that decision... but it's time for it to be redone now, reworking that whole area with respect to Henson. They just can't seem to find the combination for how to do it, methinks. The "Muppets" movie was pretty good from a few years ago, but the recent "Office" based show was cringy-bad. Stephen Sondheim once said, "Art Isn't Easy." You have to give a crazy idea a try, and not worry about failure.

 

[Lee Matthews]

Couldn't 'great moments in history' go to grand avenue above the tap house?

 

[Nigel Channing]

The only edible pizza at Disney is at Via Napoli.

 

[tlmadden73]

I am with you 100%. Never understood why they didnt incorporate ST and the Muppets Courtyard into SWGE. They are saving a dated attraction with a very limited audience over their #1 non traditional IP and now they are in a bind of what to do with the area.

It feels like they've just kept it (and some of the other date attractions) open at DHS just to keep the lights on during this construction. Close another attraction and that place may have well just have closed down with the pitiful amount of attractions there. Shocked they decided to close GMR as well.

Again, I've said it before, they should have just given all guests a free hopper pass between Epcot and DHS during this construction.