Walt Disney World Walt Disney World is a theme park resort that opened in Orlando , Florida in 1971 . The resort includes four theme parks : the Magic Kingdom , Epcot , Hollywood Studios , and Animal Kingdom . The resort also includes numerous hotels , water parks , and other entertainment offerings . Walt Disney World is the largest resort in the world . The Muppets at Walt Disney World . After The Walt Disney Company had announced a deal to buy The Jim Henson Company in 1989 , the two companies produced " The Muppets at Walt Disney World " , a primetime special that aired on " The Magical World of Disney " in May 1990 , in which Kermit the Frog and his friends explored the resort . According to the special , Walt Disney World lies " just on the other side " of Kermit ' s Swamp . The geography of the resort is also compressed and streamlined for purposes of the plot . For example , even though the Muppets begin their trip by breaking into the Disney - MGM Studios , they don ' t seem to have the same problem entering the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT Center , even though each park has a separate gate . Attractions featured or mentioned in " The Muppets at Walt Disney World " include : Theme Park Attractions . Although the Disney / Henson deal fell through in the wake of Jim Henson ' s death , some of the initial plans for Muppet attractions at Walt Disney World were completed , most of which were located at the Disney - MGM Studios . The first attraction to feature the Muppets was the " Hollywood ' s Pretty Woman " stage show at the Theater of the Stars on Hollywood Boulevard , which included Kermit and Miss Piggy in the surprise finale . The show , which premiered in December of 1989 was the only Walt Disney World attraction that was finished in Jim Henson ' s lifetime . In 1990 , the " Here Come the Muppets " stage show , the first full - fledged Muppet attraction at the parks , premiered at the former Walt Disney Theater in the park ' s Animation Courtyard . The production featured walk - around characters playing to a vocal track recorded by the Muppet performers . A second stage show , " " , followed in 1991 , and played for three years . " Muppet * Vision 3D " , an elaborate attraction featuring a 3D film with Audio - Animatronic characters and in - theater special effects , was introduced in 1991 , along with the Stage One Company Store , which specializes in Muppet merchandise . " Muppet * Vision 3D " is still a popular attraction at the park and was recreated for Disney California Adventure in 2001 . " Muppet * Vision 3D " , which was the last film directed by Jim Henson , was also the last of the originally planned attractions to be built . The attraction was originally slated to anchor a new Muppet Studios section of the park , nestled between Star Tours and New York Street . But when the Disney / Henson merger fell through , plans to build the Muppet Movie Ride and the Great Gonzo ' s Pandemonium Pizza Parlor were abandoned . Walk - around versions of Kermit , Piggy , and Sweetums appeared in the park ' s Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade . And the first new attraction to feature since Disney acquired the characters in 2004 was the Muppet Mobile Lab , an interactive " Living Characters Initiative " starring Audio - Animatronic versions of Dr . Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker . Weatherproof versions of Kermit and Piggy appeared in Disney ' s Honorary VoluntEars Cavalcade in 2010 . The parks also hosted Epcot Muppet Scavenger Hunt , and the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival which has featured topiary likenesses of Kermit and Miss Piggy . Constantine made a live appearance at the " Villains Unleashed " event at Disney ' s Hollywood Studios park on August 23 , 2014 . The meet and greet was set up inside the Muppet giftshop with Constantine caged inside a small Gulag cell . By 2016 , the area where " Muppet * Vision 3D " is located was renamed " Muppets Courtyard . " As part of the re - theming , a Muppet restaurant PizzeRizzo opened . A new live show featuring the Muppets also plays in Liberty Square in Disney ' s Magic Kingdom entitled " The Muppets Present … Great Moments in American History " . A photo of Jim Henson ( and Kermit ) can be glimpsed in the film montage of American heroes near the end of the " American Adventure " attraction at the host pavilion ( America ) in Epcot ' s World Showcase . A tile mosaic portrait of Jim Henson and Kermit was originally on display at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in Disney MGM Studios . It hung next to portraits of Fred Rogers and Burr Tillstrom . Other Henson properties that were given attractions at Walt Disney World include :