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.

[pdrlkr]

Thanks Jason!

[Figment!]

I think the question that everyone wants to know is.......What is the date that the Muppet Lab will be leaving?

A hard date has not been set, although the article reports it will only be around for a "few weeks".

[offero]

Pretty cool. Now they should make a roger rabbit and Benny the cab for MGM sorry Hollywood studios.

[LudwigVonDrake]

I saw video of this on Youtube and I think it looks absolutely awesome.

[Bethanymouse]

We saw them last week on the walkway to the land, near Character Connection! It was a lot of fun and very exciting. Here is a pic!

[Surfer_Clock]

I happened to catch the Muppet Mobile Labs yesterday morning (9/2) at 9:50 a.m. at the Inventor's Circle. I'm not sure what they were specifically looking to accomplish with that particular experiment, but there sure were a lot of laughs. I walked away from the experience, marvelling at yet another wonder of Imagineering.

You can't really blame me for wanting to be a part of that culture...the LCI is an absolutely amazing project.