Breaking: PizzeRizzo May Close by End of Month!

According to rumors heard by Orlando Weekly Disney may looking to close PizzeRizzo by the end October!

So far this is only a rumor, but like most bad news revolving around Disney closures many prove to be true. If you heading to Hollywood Studios this month, make sure to stop in and tell them how much you like it. It may be your last chance!

Muppets Courtyard (2016-2017) & Muppet Star Wars Rumor!

As many fans speculated, Disney is minimizing The Muppets already diminishing presence in the parks. 

It was announced today via the official Disney Park blog that Muppets Courtyard is being rebranded as Grand Avenue.

Muppets Courtyard, along with a portion of the former Streets of America, is being re-imagined by Walt Disney Imagineering to become a new area called Grand Avenue. Inspired by the revitalization and the vibrant culture of present-day downtown Los Angeles, Grand Avenue is where vintage office buildings and warehouses are being converted to exciting new uses. Guests will soon see facades for “merchants” appearing in this area for a music shop, loft apartments, a tailor and more, with each window on the street featuring charming displays.

The current Muppets Courtyard will become Grand Park, an urban square off Grand Avenue surrounded by shops and restaurants like PizzeRizzo and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano. Guests can already see changes in the area, with the Muppets theater being renamed “Grand Arts Theatre” and boasting a brand-new marquee.

As it was only last April that Disney renamed the area "Muppets Courtyard", this has to be one of the fastest about faces Disney has done.

The folks at Disney know how this sounds, and are always great at putting good spin on bad news (maybe our president should hire them as his new communication director), so they end the post with...

But, not to worry – Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang continue to star in their hilarious and irreverent “Muppet*Vision 3D” show.

Very reassuring indeed.

This week also brought a rumor that Disney might be adding a live Muppet Star Wars themed show, similar to Great Moments In History (But Just The American Parts), to the adjacent area leading to Star Wars Land.

The Muppets as que filler while people wait to get to a totally different part of the park. Sound like the people at Disney Parks have great faith in franchise. Sigh.

PizzeRizzo Open For Business!

PizzeRizzo, the new Muppet themed restaurant, is now open in The Muppets Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Disney Parks Blog released the first ever images of the interior today:

UPDATE:
Inside the magic was at the opening today and took these additional photos:

Ordering ques:

Specials board:

Menu:

Wall of Al Hirschfeld inspired Muppet caricatures:

You can check out the menu and exterior transformation here.

PizzeRizzo Menu and Opening Date!

The Disney Parks blog announced the menu today for PizzeRizzo, the new Muppet themed eatery inside the Muppets Courtyard at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The menu will include personal-sized pies.

Entrees will be served with a side Caesar salad, and include personal-sized Pizza Pies, available in four varieties—vegetable, pepperoni, meat lovers and cheese, as well as a Meatball Sub.

Lighter options include the Antipasto Salad features a bed of Romaine lettuce piled high with tomatoes, Mozzarella, Kalamata olives, ham, pepperoni, salami and Balsamic Vinaigrette.

The dessert list is comprised of traditional Italian sweets like Cannoli and Tiramisu.

Specialty drinks will also be available, including a non-alcoholic Peach Bellini, and a Wildberry-Basil Lemonade Limoncello in addition to beer and wine for adults.

But that's not all, "inside guests will find décor inspired by Rizzo, as well as his extended family and friends who have visited PizzeRizzo over the years throughout the two-story eatery. Be sure to head upstairs to Rizzo’s Deluxe Supreme Banquet Hall, where there’s a wedding reception already in progress; join the party and show off your best moves under the disco ball to the world’s greatest party playlist!"
In case you didn't know, PizzeRizzo will occupy the space formerly known as Toy Story's Pizza Planet.

Check out the transformation below:

(PizzeRizzo Concept art)

Mark your calendars, PizzeRizzo is officially set to open November 18th!

MuppetVision 3D Area To Be Renamed!

According WDWMagic and a few other Disney fan sites, the area containing Muppet Vision 3D and Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano will become part of a new area called "Muppet's 
Courtyard."

Currently, Muppet Vision 3D and Mama Melrose's are classified as being on the Streets of America. The other attractions in the area: Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, Honey I Shrunk The Kids Playground, eateries Studio Catering Co. and High Octane Refreshments will close April 2nd to make way for the addition of the new Star Wars and Toy Story Lands.

The naming of this area would seem to indicate that a Muppet theme is coming to the currently closed Pizza Planet and possibly more Muppet mayhem to come!

Even the construction wall around "Pizza Planet" is pretty Muppety:

I'm looking forward to taking another trip to WDW too see the new Muppets Courtyard!