Muppet Mobile Lab Arrives at Epcot

[Figment!]

'Muppet Mobile Lab' show wows Epcot crowds

Scott Powers |Staff Writer
Orlando Sentinel
August 21, 2007

As crowds gathered around the little puppet-show-on-wheels roaming Epcot today, realization dawned on some: No strings. No hands in the puppets. No one hidden inside. No one in sight with microphones or remote controls.

All the crowd saw were robotic Muppets Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his able assistant Beaker riding their two-wheeled rocket-ship lab around the theme park's sidewalks, teasing or talking with visitors, gesturing and moving, and putting on their best Muppet schtick.

Emily Evans, 23, a human resources recruiter from Chicago, and her brother Nathan Evans, 29, a graduate student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, admitted big fans of both Disney and the Muppets, approached with delight, then found themselves swept into a show, arguing with Bunsen about Emily's parasol.

The "Muppet Mobile Lab" show is part of a play test that Walt Disney Imagineering is running at Epcot for the next few weeks, giving the research and development staff a chance to try out more advanced robotic, interactive and transportation technologies, mixed with human comedy talent. With remote control and two-way communication technology, Disney operators are running the lab out and around Epcot's Future World periodically, seeing how they and crowds can interact.

For Emily and Nathan Evans and several dozen other people who watched this morning, the reaction appeared entirely positive.

"I wish they would do more of it with various characters," said Emily Evans. "I would say keep going with the technology. It's amazing, and obviously it's a crowd pleaser as well."

There is no certainty right now whether the Muppet Mobile Lab will become a permanent feature. Disney Imagineering officials are as interested in testing the various components as the entire package. The ideas could be transferred to a variety of other characters and locations, said Christopher Holm, director of the principal technical staff.

"It's really interaction in a whole new way for Disney characters, and our guests, because it's up close, it's personal. And it's in real time," Holm said. "That's a very, very different show presence than any of our previous living characters."

Video and Pictures from the Orlando Sentinel

[Mufasa]

If you look carefully at the Muppet Mobile Labs while they're in WDW, you'll notice that Beaker had a slight costume change (he's now wearing shorts and a short-sleeved lab coat) accordingly for the warm Florida weather.

Beaker could use some sun... he's awfully pale.

The Muppet Mobile Labs are only going to be play testing for a fairly brief stay this time at WDW so if you're going to be around Epcot in the next week or so, I encourage you to stop by and check it out while you can.

[LaDracul]

Oh, I wish they'd put it in Disney's Hollywood when the Muppet Land shows up.

But it makes me angry that it probably won't be around in May!!!

[battle beast]

Will be around untill at least november 6th???

[Figgyluv03]

They'd better bring it around for October of 2008. I love the muppets and I love robotics and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this article! It's about time they added more muppet stuff!!!

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

We will be at WDW November 22nd and sure hope that they will still be there. I would love to encounter them.

[Volunteer]

i hope they are still there early September! I would love to see this thing in action.

[MMouse6937]

I'm also way excited to see this. I really hope they will still be there in a couple weeks when we head to the World. I love the Muppets and my dad would be tickled to see them too.

[BMan62]

I certainly hope they make something like this permanent at the parks. I missed out on Lucky the Dinosaur a couple years ago and will miss out on Muppet Labs this time.

That kind of engineering really gets me going!!!

[PirateLover]

I would love to see this in person... I'm just glad they are still working on it. It's been a little while since it patrolled the streets over in Cali. Hopefully it will become a permanent fixture at some point...

[pogo]

I love it..... and I think with as much time and $$ put into a project like this, Disney has every intention to make it permanant if the bugs can get worked out.

[Momof2boys]

My first thought was of Lucky as well. We were fortunate enough to see up close the true magic of Disney imagineering.

Let's hope that Dr. Honeydw & Beaker return permanently very soon !

[TinkRocks]

I certainly hope they make something like this permanent at the parks. I missed out on Lucky the Dinosaur a couple years ago and will miss out on Muppet Labs this time.

That kind of engineering really gets me going!!!

Where is Lucky these days?

I am also excited to see interactive things like Lucky, Beaker & Honeydew, but they don't seem to be around long enough for a lot of people to see.

Don't get me wrong - it's great that these new things are making their way to each Disney park, two weeks is nowhere near long enough... How about 2 or 3 months at each Disney park?

[BMan62]

Where is Lucky these days?

As of July 2005, Lucky was either returning to DCA or going to help open Hong Kong Disneyland.

I haven't heard anything since.

[brownie]

We were hoping to see the Muppet Mobile Lab at Disneyland when we were there in June, but we didn't see it listed anywhere. Too bad we can't make a quick trip to WDW; I'd really like to see it.

[DannMedix]

This is absolutely awesome. I really hope it's there at the end of Oct, when we're there! My whole family loves the Muppets...

[BIGDOG]

We just returned last night from our trip, our last day was at Epcot. I saw this muppet lab around 3:00 in front of the walk way to the figment ride. It of course moves around with 2 cast members in tow behind it. I could not figure out who was controlling it both of thier hands were empty. I also saw a really strange walking grape vine lady in Animal kingdom that was really bizzare, on the path up to camp mickey . My trip report is very hot and humid and long lines be ready.

[princessimagineer]

SWEEEEEEET! i'll be in WDW next week so i will see it! i missed out on Lucky too! i loveeee muppits almost as much as i lovee disney!

[Crow]

it would b nice if it was still there end of Sept for my trip...

[kakn7294]

We saw this last week at Epcot, rolling around the plaza outside of Innoventions going towards the Land. However, it wasn't interacting with anyone, just rolling through the park.