Hey everyone! Hope you liked this takeover video about a takeover. If you want to smell all of the delicious Disney and theme park smells, make sure to go to magiccandlecompany.com and use the coupon code Defunctland to get 15% off your order. You'll be amazed at these I promise. Have a great Thanksgiving! Oh yeah... and thank you for 400,000 subscribers. This is crazy! You're all the best.
I loved the ending when Disney Dan was saying that he forgot the advertisement and the video cuts straight to the credits before he can finish his sentence. Also I love your videos! I learn a lot from them!
I have to say, having Disney Dan invade Defunctland to celebrate this video on the Muppets invading Disneyland was a _stroke of genius_ Forgetting to plug the candles though? Rookie mistake, Dan. Stuff like that is why you'll probably never be put in charge of "DefunctDan" again, lol :P (Seriously though, I actually think I know someone who would enjoy these candles, so I'ma grab at least one for a Christmas gift. Thanks you guys for mentioning 'em)
Fantastic video Dan! Not going to lie, I was mildly skeptical at the idea of a defunctland episode being run by somebody different, but I think you knocked it out of the park!
Dammit, this would have been GOOD!! I like the change-up, but they'd HAVE to warn tourists in advance of this temporary change. People travel very far expecting all-Disney theming & characters.
Oh, I didn't even think about that, you're right! Being someone who loves the Muppets and has been to Disney world, this would have been awesome, but if I traveled from across the world expecting Micky mouse and this is what was there I'd probably be pissed... And really confused, hahaha!
They were advertising it the year before. That’s a lot of warning! Besides, if people wanted Mickey and friends, they’d still be in the Florida parks..
@@thefaulkness yeah but they were gonna do it and its not like similar equivalents don't happen all the time...many amusement parks like canada's wonderland covert into haunted houses at certain times. Bars/clubs into all ages night and lgbt nights. The muppets were insanely popular and the positives would far outweigh the negatives.... There's the personal responsibility of looking before you leap. especially if your investing thousands into trip. There was no internet (at least as it is today) to help, but a simple phone call would help. Disney also had and has lots of information to provide you by mail before travel... there was helpful tips Like disney was a ''dry'' park until recently.... by the way ive been a victim of the change overs recently. I had a date and went to buy museum tickets but there were having some party for politicians, Its my own fault as i should of checked... I admit i was annoyed though
Man, if only this had *ACTUALLY* happened. It's too bad that by the time Disney finally got their hands on the Muppets, they basically stopped caring and just tossed them aside.
@Disney Dan I love when you and Kevin crossover. However, I'm now wondering if you need an area of Defunctland Park - RUclips crossover meet and greet.
@@DistoryDan @Disney Dan I love when you and Kevin crossover. However, I'm now wondering if you need an area of Defunctland Park - RUclips crossover meet and greet.
What if... A Muppet ride replaced Hall of Presidents? And instead you had a boat ride taking you through scenes of America with the Muppets re-enacting them? Obviously include a bit with Abraham Lincoln And then at the end Statler and Waldorf criticizing the ride and saying it was dumb. You could have 50 different ending jokes to keep it fresh so people would ride it again and again. And call it “History of America with the Muppets”
that would make me actually want to check out the Hall of Presidents. As a Brit, I don't see the appeal in the attraction at all (and I can imagine this being the same for many tourists), I'm at Disney to have fun not listen to some boring American patriotic drivel, however the muppets getting involved would make it much more interesting for me.
I’d love to see Statler and Waldorf criticizes the ride but pointing out something like “hey why is this ride so white-centric?” And pointing out other moments where America wasn’t great. It could be funny
Disneyland: "Let's party for a year, and party so much we're gonna need a full year to recover!" The next January: "....Urghhhhh... what did I do last year... Minnie, do you remember anything? Hopefully nothing happened to the park!" "...............Okay, the park's fine!"
I know right, so many what-ifs! Had Jim stayed alive long enough for not only Muppetland to be a thing but into the 2000s, would he and Disney kept getting along so well? Would both Jim and Disney have wanted to continue their relationship after the initial partnership legally ended in 2005?
If the Muppets joined Disney to stay in 1990, Jim Henson hadn't died suddenly and they continued to be as successful as they were in those days, would Disney still have pursued Marvel? I'm guessing they would have eventually still bought Lucasfilm/ Star Wars, but I'm not so sure about Marvel ..
@@WiGgYof09 I think they may have done pixar collaborations and resource usage as well - henson has really only more recently started getting into using computer animation with their kids shows - there likely would have been more appetite to start sooner and they would be further ahead than they are now.
They could have taken it to the next level and had Micky in his own special section of the park in vacation gear or something. Just to give guests the opportunity to see Mickey while still holding to the fun muppetland lore
This could've totally happened in the '70s or '80s... the Muppets were massive; way more than people could've imagined. There was actually talks of Jim Henson buying Disney in 1984.
Had Jim not passed so early...this would've been the COOLEST event I was pissed for not having been born yet when it happened! Death always steals the most amazing people and possibilities from us. RIP Jim and Sammy.
See man I would have loved this, Muppets rule! I remember when Jim passed it was awful, so sad. I'm very glad we still have Muppetvision 3d and Great Moments in History, it's wonderful to see the Muppets in the parks still ☺
@@jelliecat Aww that's a big shame. I haven't been to Anaheim recently, absolutely love it in Orlando, was a real pilgrimadge for me when I finally got there last year.
I was about 10 when Jim Henson died, it was heartbreaking. I'm almost 40 now and if I watch that clip of Big Bird singing "It's Not Easy Being Green" at his funeral I bawl like a little girl.
Animal chasing the wenches in Pirates of the Carribbean alone would be worth the price of admission. This is #2 on my saddest Muppets "what could have been" list, after the "The Most Expensive Muppet Movie Ever!!" idea where he budget was going to slowly run out as the film progressed until it was elementary school play-level cheap. We got the Jason Segal movie and a grump(ier than usual) Frank Oz instead.
all i can bet is the painters who were going to repaint the mountain.... were extremly happy XD as how long would that of taken to of painted XD much more have to repaint after a year
This would have been AWESOME. If they had done this and advertised it as like a "Muppet Month" or something I'd have bought tickets immediately. I'm obsessed with the Muppets.
Looking at this video, I realized two things. Disney transforming Disneyland into Muppetland would have been a radical and game-changing event that would have either surprised or shocked Disney fans worldwide, and I miss Jim Henson. A lot. He was a true revolutionary who did great things and died way too soon.
I hate to poke a hole in your research, but The Jim Henson Company _did_ own the *Sesame Street* Muppet characters until the JHC was sold to the German company. And they managed to make one Muppet property sale before the Hensons got the rest back, and it was to CTW, who bought the *Sesame Street* characters lock, stock, and barrel. And the *Sesame Street* Muppets were a sticking point early in the Disney sale negotiations. Eisner _really_ wanted them because of their marketing potential, but Jim was adamant that they were _NOT_ going to be part of the deal.
Hm. I'd figured that, Kermit aside, the Muppets on Sesame Street were a work-for-hire situation and thus always part of CTW. Learned something new. I remember when Disney finally got its hands on the Muppets (but not Fraggle Rock, Jim's movies, etc.), JHC put a rider in there that stops Disney from blocking old Sesame Street episodes with Kermit.
Another part of the problem was that at the time Anheiser Busch parks and now SeaWorld Adventure Parks have a long term licensing deal with CTW to have the characters in the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks as well as being the owner of the Sesame Palace park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The deal gave them exclusive rights to use the characters.
@@Soufriere84 I’m so glad Disney didn’t get their hands on Fraggle Rock.. it would’ve been a horrific outcome. They would’ve turned it into another cold, corporate entity and wrung the magic out
They cared back then, but with Jim Henson gone and him never having really set up an enterprise that made content without him involved Disney has this property they likely don't see much value in because the person who made it valuable is gone.
@@HandmadeGoose97 with the resurgence of muppet babies I think you will see that change, there are a lot of kids like my daughter who are growing up with it now and peaking their interest in the property
@@whormongrmuzik they tried around 2008 to reboot the Muppets, and then a few years ago they had a show (that got canceled). I'm just not sure if it's Disney not knowing how to market the Muppets or if it's just the sad fact that maybe the world forgot about them
Disney doesn't know what they're doing when they write for the Muppets. In the latest sitcom series they had scenes where Kermit would be conniving, mean, cruel. The puppeteer (Steve Whitmire) pushed back, telling them they shouldn't change Kermit's personality like that... and Steve was later fired. Disney should've listened -- their writers drove the Muppet value into the ground
If Walt Disney is still alive and in perfect, he would've had a wonderful friendship with Jim Henson from the start. Jim would've been accepted as animator, writer, and voice actor. Jim Henson and Walt Disney Pictures would've had a happier, healthier, cleaner, thriving, and innovative relationship with each other had the deal went through smoothly.
Yeah, if things worked out then Disney would have been 20% cooler (Mlp reference). I mean Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Muppets with a prominent appearance in the parks with lands dedicated to all of them with a ton of attractions, it would be a dream theme park for me (all it would be missing is Harry Potter (but it's in good hands with Universal, so I'm not complaining about that). I would rather have Muppet land than Avatar (the movies) any day of the week.
I like the thumbnail you used for this video. It would be hilarious seeing Statler and Waldorf in the old ski lifts over Tomorrowland if there had been a Muppetland in the parks!
Great video, I always enjoy all the BTS stories and in-depth research provided. Wonderful job. I do have a question regarding a point made toward the end of the video regarding the Henson family pulling out of the Disney deal. I read via a Jim Henson biography by Brian Jay Jones that Henson himself was getting frustrated by Disney and Eisner's insistence of control and nickel and diming of the Muppet operation (Jim never being one to want to be micromanaged) and the several attempts on the part of Disney to (regardless of what Henson told them) still try and acquire the Sesame Street characters. Henson was getting weary of the deal, sharing his thoughts with his family. After his unexpected death the family, still dealing with Disney's continued insistence of taking control, made what they felt would have been their father's decision to pull out, based more on history and actions of the Disney company than emotion and grief. That's one interpretation of it, of course, I'm sure there's other but it felt like there was more to that story.
7:47 - I'd hoped from the very moment of seeing the thumbnail that you'd have mentioned that Disney Special. The Muppets Visit Disney World was awesome. I remember watching it on VHS as a kid. I loved Disney-Muppet collabs like Christmas Carol and Treasure Island. I wish they'd do more stuff like that.
As someone whose lifelong dreams were crushed,l I remember very well that Henson and Davis, Jr died on the same day. (Dreams were crushed by Hensons' death, as I hoped to be a Muppeteer when I grew up, not by Davis', as I had the musical sensibilities of your average fish). It's been decades now, but I still count 5/16/90 as the day I "grew up". Feelsbadman
As a child I ALWAYS wondered where "I'm going to go to Disneyworld" phrase came from. I enjoy this channel and channels like this because I learn something
Now that they own them just retry. It would work better because we have the internet. Make an ad that's like the coffee commercials but less threatening. And because I love Duffy and he's essentially Mickey and Minnie's kid he's in charge of Disneyland but he calls Uncle Kermit and chaos ensues.
The fact that Frank Oz himself said that Michael Eisner and the Disney deal basically killed Jim Henson tells me all I need to know. I'm glad Eisner wasn't able to get his hands on sesame street
While the concept sounded cool, it seems rather excessive that they would try to pull it off for a year, even with the Muppets' popularity at the time. If I were a kid at that time (I say that when I wasn't even BORN then lol), I likely would've gotten upset at the idea that I wouldn't get to see Mickey and friends at Disneyland for a whole year. True, the other Disney characters would still be there, but Disneyland without Mickey and friends is like Nintendo without Mario or Legend of Zelda: it just doesn't look right.
I went to Disney World at the age of 6 (so 1995), and I didn't care whatsoever for the costumed characters roaming the park. They made me uncomfortable, so I avoided them. Not to say every kid feels this way, but certainly a significant portion would. Also, the costumed characters are really a tiny and insignificant part of the whole experience. I think kid-you wouldn't have been very disappointed at all. Especially since most of your exposure to Disney if you were a kid in the 90s would have been The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Aladdin, so those are the characters you'd most likely want to see. I think if you'd experienced the Muppet Takeover you'd be looking back on it now with nothing but fondness and a little bit of pride for having experienced something not everyone would get to see. I am very high.
I would have loved to have experienced this. The Muppets were a big part of my childhood and I think I felt more of a connection to those characters than I ever did to Mickey and Minnie. The only classic Disney character I really connected with was Goofy (and to a certain extent Pluto). The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island were all in the rotation in my VCR.
@@dreyga7872 yes! In the Caribbean, it was between the United States and Caribbean, Central American and South American separatist groups back in the early 1900s
Fuck, You don't know how bad I want my house to smell like the confectionery candle. One of the best parts about going to Disney was walking by the shop and smelling the fumes.
As much as I love The Muppets, I don't know how well this would've worked. When people go to Disney, they expect to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, first and foremost, and not Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and Gonzo. I would've loved it though.
Henson did own the rights to the Sesame Street characters and leased them to the Children's Television Workshop. The reason that the Seasame Street would NOT be part of the deal was because Jim Henson (according to a Jim Henson Biography) had promised ownership to CTW upon his death. This however did not happen as the Sesame Street would be owned by the Henson family until 2000 when CTW (Now Sesame Workshop) bought all rights to the characters. Also in 2000 the Henson family sold off the Muppet Show characters to the German TV company E.M. TV. The Henson family still own Fraggle Rock. Awesome video thank you for posting it!
I remember hearing that this was going to happen. If only there could have been more options to keep The Muppets in the park and collaborations between the two companies!! Great to hear Disney Dan narrate this episode especially! Another informative and interesting video!!
I remember when I was little, I loved seeing the Kermit billboard in Disney World. Forget the giant welcome sign.. The Kermit billboard, THAT was when I knew I was in Disney
I was in the Hospital with pneumonia at the same time. He called me long distance to tell me that the puppet man had passed away of what I had. That I had better take care of myself. I was 25 at the time. LOL Leave it to my Father not to remember Jim Henson's name.
8:50 “The deal that was so close to being completed hit a major roadblock...” meanwhile on screen: “Its safe to say that the Henson people were never really happy with the Disney situation.” Something isn’t adding up.
Absolutely love your vids, dude! You are such a great documentarian, and certainly an inspiration to the work I do on my own channel. Happy turkey day! 🦃
Jim Henson really was taken from the world far too soon. There's no telling what amazing sights we missed out on by not having him around for just a little while longer.
Ever heard of Del Grosso's park in Tipton Pennsylvania? It's a cool, small park by the Del Grosso family, who is known for their pasta sauce. They also have a water park across the street.
Probably for the best it didn't happen. I know he was a marketing genius, but replacing your flagship mascots with something else, even a very well known set of characters, probably wouldn't have gone as well as he'd hoped.
Hey everyone! Hope you liked this takeover video about a takeover. If you want to smell all of the delicious Disney and theme park smells, make sure to go to magiccandlecompany.com and use the coupon code Defunctland to get 15% off your order. You'll be amazed at these I promise. Have a great Thanksgiving! Oh yeah... and thank you for 400,000 subscribers. This is crazy! You're all the best.
I loved the ending when Disney Dan was saying that he forgot the advertisement and the video cuts straight to the credits before he can finish his sentence. Also I love your videos! I learn a lot from them!
Defunctland I would have loved a muppets takeover.
Defunctland woah, a video takeover about a takeover. Takeover-ception
Can this invasion be a month long thing in the VR?
Do the history of MUPPET VISION 3-D Disney California Adventure (2001-2014)
Thanks for watching everyone! Hope you guys enjoyed this awesome story. (And the Theme Park Candles are legit!)
I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed that intro! Freaking gold
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!!!! Great video mate! =)
I have to say, having Disney Dan invade Defunctland to celebrate this video on the Muppets invading Disneyland was a _stroke of genius_
Forgetting to plug the candles though? Rookie mistake, Dan. Stuff like that is why you'll probably never be put in charge of "DefunctDan" again, lol :P
(Seriously though, I actually think I know someone who would enjoy these candles, so I'ma grab at least one for a Christmas gift. Thanks you guys for mentioning 'em)
Fantastic video Dan! Not going to lie, I was mildly skeptical at the idea of a defunctland episode being run by somebody different, but I think you knocked it out of the park!
DISNEY DAN U ROCK! XD
Jack Lindquist sounds like an absolute madman, in the most brilliant way possible.
Laughing Rat 🐀
He sounds like the rich, crazy grandfather we all wish we had.
Almost like Jim, himself.
Dammit, this would have been GOOD!! I like the change-up, but they'd HAVE to warn tourists in advance of this temporary change. People travel very far expecting all-Disney theming & characters.
Oh, I didn't even think about that, you're right! Being someone who loves the Muppets and has been to Disney world, this would have been awesome, but if I traveled from across the world expecting Micky mouse and this is what was there I'd probably be pissed... And really confused, hahaha!
They were advertising it the year before. That’s a lot of warning! Besides, if people wanted Mickey and friends, they’d still be in the Florida parks..
@@5roundsrapid263 in my experience, no matter how much warning you give people in terms of customer experiences they'll still get pissed
mrdinger I’ve worked in retail for a long time and totally agree!
@@thefaulkness yeah but they were gonna do it and its not like similar equivalents don't happen all the time...many amusement parks like canada's wonderland covert into haunted houses at certain times. Bars/clubs into all ages night and lgbt nights. The muppets were insanely popular and the positives would far outweigh the negatives.... There's the personal responsibility of looking before you leap. especially if your investing thousands into trip. There was no internet (at least as it is today) to help, but a simple phone call would help. Disney also had and has lots of information to provide you by mail before travel... there was helpful tips Like disney was a ''dry'' park until recently.... by the way ive been a victim of the change overs recently. I had a date and went to buy museum tickets but there were having some party for politicians, Its my own fault as i should of checked... I admit i was annoyed though
Man, if only this had *ACTUALLY* happened. It's too bad that by the time Disney finally got their hands on the Muppets, they basically stopped caring and just tossed them aside.
Now that Dan successfully invaded Defunctland, I expect him to take over Disneyland on January 1st, 2019.
ItsMamaLuigi yeah.. we’ll rename Disneyland into... DISNEY DAN... oh wait...
@@DistoryDan DisneyDand?
@Disney Dan I love when you and Kevin crossover. However, I'm now wondering if you need an area of Defunctland Park - RUclips crossover meet and greet.
@@DistoryDan @Disney Dan I love when you and Kevin crossover. However, I'm now wondering if you need an area of Defunctland Park - RUclips crossover meet and greet.
Welp too bad but it didnt happen
"It's time to sing the music ,it's time to light the lights , its time to go to defunctland on the defunctland show tonight,
Nathaniel Foga ‘it’s time to put on makeup, it’s time to dress up right, it’s time to raise the curtains on the defunctland show tonight.’
"It's time to face your maker on the Muppet Show tonight!"
It's time to hire Eisner, it's time to close some rides. It's time to go to Defunctland with Disney Dan tonight!
Duh duh da da da dada duh duh de duh
its time to PLAY the music not sing dude
What if... A Muppet ride replaced Hall of Presidents?
And instead you had a boat ride taking you through scenes of America with the Muppets re-enacting them? Obviously include a bit with Abraham Lincoln
And then at the end Statler and Waldorf criticizing the ride and saying it was dumb. You could have 50 different ending jokes to keep it fresh so people would ride it again and again.
And call it “History of America with the Muppets”
Rollercoaster Rider Disney take notes.
I like Hall of Presidents though. I'd like for them to update the movie right before though, but in general I like the attraction.
that would make me actually want to check out the Hall of Presidents. As a Brit, I don't see the appeal in the attraction at all (and I can imagine this being the same for many tourists), I'm at Disney to have fun not listen to some boring American patriotic drivel, however the muppets getting involved would make it much more interesting for me.
@@Mico it's educational. I like seeing animatronics of all of our presidents
I’d love to see Statler and Waldorf criticizes the ride but pointing out something like “hey why is this ride so white-centric?” And pointing out other moments where America wasn’t great. It could be funny
Disneyland: "Let's party for a year, and party so much we're gonna need a full year to recover!"
The next January: "....Urghhhhh... what did I do last year... Minnie, do you remember anything? Hopefully nothing happened to the park!"
"...............Okay, the park's fine!"
Kermit: well, we almost make a total mess but you know, our creator died, and well.... Welcome back
Kermit marries Minnie Mouse,
Miss Piggy marries Mickey,
hilarity ensues.
@@Sarah_Gravydog316 lol
lol
This was such a sad video. I wonder where the Muppets would be today if the sale had gone through.
I know right, so many what-ifs! Had Jim stayed alive long enough for not only Muppetland to be a thing but into the 2000s, would he and Disney kept getting along so well? Would both Jim and Disney have wanted to continue their relationship after the initial partnership legally ended in 2005?
If the Muppets joined Disney to stay in 1990, Jim Henson hadn't died suddenly and they continued to be as successful as they were in those days, would Disney still have pursued Marvel? I'm guessing they would have eventually still bought Lucasfilm/ Star Wars, but I'm not so sure about Marvel ..
thesledgehammerblog I think The Jim Henson Company would have basically been like Pixar.
@@WiGgYof09 I think they may have done pixar collaborations and resource usage as well - henson has really only more recently started getting into using computer animation with their kids shows - there likely would have been more appetite to start sooner and they would be further ahead than they are now.
agreed
This was a crazy idea, they probably would've had to cut it short with attendance going down for people who want to see Mickey.
They could have taken it to the next level and had Micky in his own special section of the park in vacation gear or something. Just to give guests the opportunity to see Mickey while still holding to the fun muppetland lore
@@ProtoPacket that's actually a pretty good idea!
This could've totally happened in the '70s or '80s... the Muppets were massive; way more than people could've imagined. There was actually talks of Jim Henson buying Disney in 1984.
@rudy2fat plus they spent months advertising the Muppet takeover. People would've gone knowing what the deal was
I'm pretty sure the muppets were more popular than Mickey at this point
Had Jim not passed so early...this would've been the COOLEST event I was pissed for not having been born yet when it happened! Death always steals the most amazing people and possibilities from us. RIP Jim and Sammy.
8:35
Me: “Wait... what does Sammy Davis Jr’s death have to do with-“
*looks to the right*
Me: “Oh... that makes way more sense.”
What an incredibly sad day that was.
@@ericandy88 We lost great lives
A terrible bloody day. Goes down with the week where both Groucho Marx and Elvis died.
See man I would have loved this, Muppets rule! I remember when Jim passed it was awful, so sad. I'm very glad we still have Muppetvision 3d and Great Moments in History, it's wonderful to see the Muppets in the parks still ☺
Pixels Ltd muppetvision is no longer at DCA 😢
@@jelliecat Aww that's a big shame. I haven't been to Anaheim recently, absolutely love it in Orlando, was a real pilgrimadge for me when I finally got there last year.
No more muppetvision? That was my favorite attraction
I was about 10 when Jim Henson died, it was heartbreaking. I'm almost 40 now and if I watch that clip of Big Bird singing "It's Not Easy Being Green" at his funeral I bawl like a little girl.
@@jelliecat what is it? destroy chicken attacks?
Top 10 Most Ambitious Crossovers
I’m glad they invaded Club Penguin instead of the actual Disneyland
Mr Neddlemouse What did they do I don’t remember.
Mr Neddlemouse I was so upset when I missed that event because my family’s pc started acting up
It's too bad they didn't invade Virtual Magic Kingdom.
Talyn Lopez I was so excited to see miss piggy until I realized she wasn’t gonna talk to me because she was a virtual character
@@SirBlackReeds I ALWAYS FORGET VMK WAS A THING AND YOU JUST BROUGHT BACK SO MUCH NOSTALGIA
That actually sounds like it would have been neat
Maswartz226 I agree! I loved this idea.
Animal chasing the wenches in Pirates of the Carribbean alone would be worth the price of admission.
This is #2 on my saddest Muppets "what could have been" list, after the "The Most Expensive Muppet Movie Ever!!" idea where he budget was going to slowly run out as the film progressed until it was elementary school play-level cheap. We got the Jason Segal movie and a grump(ier than usual) Frank Oz instead.
all i can bet is the painters who were going to repaint the mountain.... were extremly happy XD as how long would that of taken to of painted XD much more have to repaint after a year
This would have been AWESOME. If they had done this and advertised it as like a "Muppet Month" or something I'd have bought tickets immediately. I'm obsessed with the Muppets.
Looking at this video, I realized two things. Disney transforming Disneyland into Muppetland would have been a radical and game-changing event that would have either surprised or shocked Disney fans worldwide, and I miss Jim Henson. A lot. He was a true revolutionary who did great things and died way too soon.
I hate to poke a hole in your research, but The Jim Henson Company _did_ own the *Sesame Street* Muppet characters until the JHC was sold to the German company. And they managed to make one Muppet property sale before the Hensons got the rest back, and it was to CTW, who bought the *Sesame Street* characters lock, stock, and barrel.
And the *Sesame Street* Muppets were a sticking point early in the Disney sale negotiations. Eisner _really_ wanted them because of their marketing potential, but Jim was adamant that they were _NOT_ going to be part of the deal.
Hm. I'd figured that, Kermit aside, the Muppets on Sesame Street were a work-for-hire situation and thus always part of CTW. Learned something new. I remember when Disney finally got its hands on the Muppets (but not Fraggle Rock, Jim's movies, etc.), JHC put a rider in there that stops Disney from blocking old Sesame Street episodes with Kermit.
Another part of the problem was that at the time Anheiser Busch parks and now SeaWorld Adventure Parks have a long term licensing deal with CTW to have the characters in the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks as well as being the owner of the Sesame Palace park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The deal gave them exclusive rights to use the characters.
@@Soufriere84 I’m so glad Disney didn’t get their hands on Fraggle Rock.. it would’ve been a horrific outcome. They would’ve turned it into another cold, corporate entity and wrung the magic out
Okay okay okay - I know you guys collaborated in the past but this? This is the video that has me subscribing to Disney Dan's channel now.
Melly B ❤️
Same! I might finally subscribe to his channel too!
Rob Plays ehh I would wait a while longer for him to prove himself rob, he doesn’t even do hotel rate math in his videos
This takeover would have honestly been pretty awesome! I love What If situations.
Great video! Great to see you again, Disney Dan!
WheeledJustice cheers!
10/10 best guest host. I usually dislike when folks do this.
Comrade Dan 10/10 comment.
Statler: This invasion by Disney Dan was pretty good.
Waldorf: Certainly better then the invasion of Kevin memes!
Both: DOOOOHOHOHO!
Statler: imagine if we were in Disney
Waldorf: if we were we’d be stinking rich
Statler: and we wouldn’t have to sit through the video
Doooohooooo
I mean
There not wrong......
Disney caring about the Muppets, that's a nice joke
They cared back then, but with Jim Henson gone and him never having really set up an enterprise that made content without him involved Disney has this property they likely don't see much value in because the person who made it valuable is gone.
@@RaithSienar public interest in the Muppets have gone down too, but I think if they put in the effort they could be be popular
@@HandmadeGoose97 with the resurgence of muppet babies I think you will see that change, there are a lot of kids like my daughter who are growing up with it now and peaking their interest in the property
@@whormongrmuzik they tried around 2008 to reboot the Muppets, and then a few years ago they had a show (that got canceled). I'm just not sure if it's Disney not knowing how to market the Muppets or if it's just the sad fact that maybe the world forgot about them
Disney doesn't know what they're doing when they write for the Muppets. In the latest sitcom series they had scenes where Kermit would be conniving, mean, cruel. The puppeteer (Steve Whitmire) pushed back, telling them they shouldn't change Kermit's personality like that... and Steve was later fired. Disney should've listened -- their writers drove the Muppet value into the ground
Well, at least Muppetland gave us the foundations for things like Pixar Fest.
Defunct Dan. That's a New One
Wow. Today I learned Jim Henson died on the same day as Sammy Davis Jr
Wow, I had no idea Jim Henson and Sammy Davis Jr died on the same day...
If Walt Disney is still alive and in perfect, he would've had a wonderful friendship with Jim Henson from the start. Jim would've been accepted as animator, writer, and voice actor.
Jim Henson and Walt Disney Pictures would've had a happier, healthier, cleaner, thriving, and innovative relationship with each other had the deal went through smoothly.
Yeah, if things worked out then Disney would have been 20% cooler (Mlp reference). I mean Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Muppets with a prominent appearance in the parks with lands dedicated to all of them with a ton of attractions, it would be a dream theme park for me (all it would be missing is Harry Potter (but it's in good hands with Universal, so I'm not complaining about that). I would rather have Muppet land than Avatar (the movies) any day of the week.
Kermit and his muppet buds would have had a fight with mickey and his buds if this happened.
Yep, only with toon props instead of the usual slapstick the Muppets where known for.
Gotta admit, a mixed marshal arts match between Mickey and Kermit sounds like a funny and awesome idea. xP
I think Goofy would’ve destroyed Fozzie.
I can see Mickey using a hose to spray Kermit while Fozzie uses a rubber chicken to slap Goofy. Miss Piggy would turn the tides, though.
I SEE YOU EVERYWERE
Your editing is always so good. I sometimes forget these aren’t big budget Netflix doc shorts and done on RUclips. Always informative and amazing work
I like the thumbnail you used for this video. It would be hilarious seeing Statler and Waldorf in the old ski lifts over Tomorrowland if there had been a Muppetland in the parks!
Great video, I always enjoy all the BTS stories and in-depth research provided. Wonderful job. I do have a question regarding a point made toward the end of the video regarding the Henson family pulling out of the Disney deal. I read via a Jim Henson biography by Brian Jay Jones that Henson himself was getting frustrated by Disney and Eisner's insistence of control and nickel and diming of the Muppet operation (Jim never being one to want to be micromanaged) and the several attempts on the part of Disney to (regardless of what Henson told them) still try and acquire the Sesame Street characters. Henson was getting weary of the deal, sharing his thoughts with his family. After his unexpected death the family, still dealing with Disney's continued insistence of taking control, made what they felt would have been their father's decision to pull out, based more on history and actions of the Disney company than emotion and grief. That's one interpretation of it, of course, I'm sure there's other but it felt like there was more to that story.
A Defunctland on Muppets? Is it Christmas
I am literally watching your videos right now! Thank you so much for this upload!
Shellsn Bees 🐝
Steely Dan? More like Stealy Dan!
y'know, cuz he stole the channel
Platitudinous And he’s gunning for the man who stole Kevin’s water.
WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT STEELY DAN.
Steely Dan? I smell a JoJo’s reference
@@qweenqwerty6214 Jojo? All I know is that Steely Dan is an amazing classic rock band.
@@masterchaoss hell yeah I love Steely Dan! Ricky Don't Lose that Number, Haitian Divorce, the Royal Scam. All amazing!
2:29. Mickey woke up in the middle of a wrecked Cinderella’s castle with a massive hangover.
Interesting idea, but it would have been criticized the same way as the 25th anniversary cake castle...
7:47 - I'd hoped from the very moment of seeing the thumbnail that you'd have mentioned that Disney Special. The Muppets Visit Disney World was awesome. I remember watching it on VHS as a kid. I loved Disney-Muppet collabs like Christmas Carol and Treasure Island. I wish they'd do more stuff like that.
As someone whose lifelong dreams were crushed,l I remember very well that Henson and Davis, Jr died on the same day.
(Dreams were crushed by Hensons' death, as I hoped to be a Muppeteer when I grew up, not by Davis', as I had the musical sensibilities of your average fish).
It's been decades now, but I still count 5/16/90 as the day I "grew up". Feelsbadman
This episode, though its end was sad, has been one of my favorites. I like how the host swap mimics the whole concept of the Muppet takeover.
I love the muppets and I LOVE this video! Great job guys!
This is just tragic all around...😢
This sounds like it would’ve been an amazing experience
This was the first Defunctland video I ever watched so I was confused when I watched any other video with the normal narrarator
this made me laugh.
As a child I ALWAYS wondered where "I'm going to go to Disneyworld" phrase came from. I enjoy this channel and channels like this because I learn something
Awesome video Dan!
10:44
"How many candles did you sell? "
Dan "DANG IT, I FORGOT THE ADVERTI-".
.
ohhh
How I love this channel
Now that they own them just retry. It would work better because we have the internet. Make an ad that's like the coffee commercials but less threatening. And because I love Duffy and he's essentially Mickey and Minnie's kid he's in charge of Disneyland but he calls Uncle Kermit and chaos ensues.
For a suggestion, why not look into Santa's Village? They made tons of videos for the park, which Rifftrax sometimes riffs on
Walter is very depressed learning about this and how it was cancelled
Also, this was insanely creative and I loved it. Excellent work!
As a Dan myself Defunct Dan drove up engagement for me
The fact that Frank Oz himself said that Michael Eisner and the Disney deal basically killed Jim Henson tells me all I need to know. I'm glad Eisner wasn't able to get his hands on sesame street
Until 2004, The Muppets had finally been bought out by Disney, and they’d been under the company ever since, for better or worse.
Reminder: this ALMOST happened
While the concept sounded cool, it seems rather excessive that they would try to pull it off for a year, even with the Muppets' popularity at the time. If I were a kid at that time (I say that when I wasn't even BORN then lol), I likely would've gotten upset at the idea that I wouldn't get to see Mickey and friends at Disneyland for a whole year. True, the other Disney characters would still be there, but Disneyland without Mickey and friends is like Nintendo without Mario or Legend of Zelda: it just doesn't look right.
I went to Disney World at the age of 6 (so 1995), and I didn't care whatsoever for the costumed characters roaming the park. They made me uncomfortable, so I avoided them. Not to say every kid feels this way, but certainly a significant portion would. Also, the costumed characters are really a tiny and insignificant part of the whole experience.
I think kid-you wouldn't have been very disappointed at all. Especially since most of your exposure to Disney if you were a kid in the 90s would have been The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Aladdin, so those are the characters you'd most likely want to see. I think if you'd experienced the Muppet Takeover you'd be looking back on it now with nothing but fondness and a little bit of pride for having experienced something not everyone would get to see. I am very high.
hiii. like the Shantae pic.
*cue image of Kirby in Smash Bros World of Light*
I would have loved to have experienced this. The Muppets were a big part of my childhood and I think I felt more of a connection to those characters than I ever did to Mickey and Minnie. The only classic Disney character I really connected with was Goofy (and to a certain extent Pluto).
The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island were all in the rotation in my VCR.
Bananas are native to tropical Indomalaya and Australia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.
You're doing god's work, SirBanana
Oh okay.
Bananana.
(doot doo do do do)
I think there was a banana war somewhere right?
@@dreyga7872 yes! In the Caribbean, it was between the United States and Caribbean, Central American and South American separatist groups back in the early 1900s
"I'm going to disney world" is marketing genius.
Good job Dan!!!! We loved it!!!
Thanks!!
Fuck, You don't know how bad I want my house to smell like the confectionery candle. One of the best parts about going to Disney was walking by the shop and smelling the fumes.
Great episode
As much as I love The Muppets, I don't know how well this would've worked. When people go to Disney, they expect to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, first and foremost, and not Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and Gonzo. I would've loved it though.
Henson did own the rights to the Sesame Street characters and leased them to the Children's Television Workshop. The reason that the Seasame Street would NOT be part of the deal was because Jim Henson (according to a Jim Henson Biography) had promised ownership to CTW upon his death. This however did not happen as the Sesame Street would be owned by the Henson family until 2000 when CTW (Now Sesame Workshop) bought all rights to the characters. Also in 2000 the Henson family sold off the Muppet Show characters to the German TV company E.M. TV. The Henson family still own Fraggle Rock.
Awesome video thank you for posting it!
I remember hearing that this was going to happen. If only there could have been more options to keep The Muppets in the park and collaborations between the two companies!! Great to hear Disney Dan narrate this episode especially! Another informative and interesting video!!
Kendrick Harris thanks Kendrick!
nice teamwork guys. I really enjoyed this one.
I remember when I was little, I loved seeing the Kermit billboard in Disney World. Forget the giant welcome sign.. The Kermit billboard, THAT was when I knew I was in Disney
Clever advertising
I was in the Hospital with pneumonia at the same time. He called me long distance to tell me that the puppet man had passed away of what I had. That I had better take care of myself. I was 25 at the time. LOL Leave it to my Father not to remember Jim Henson's name.
8:50 “The deal that was so close to being completed hit a major roadblock...” meanwhile on screen: “Its safe to say that the Henson people were never really happy with the Disney situation.” Something isn’t adding up.
New defunctland?? The man Kevin is too giving🙏🙏 I am truly greatful!
Absolutely love your vids, dude! You are such a great documentarian, and certainly an inspiration to the work I do on my own channel. Happy turkey day! 🦃
Thanks! haha
Honestly, this Muppet Takeover of Disneyland sounds interesting. Makes you wonder what would Disneyland be after it happen.
3:14 he must have been a good marketing manager; he marketed himself!
The moral of the story?
Mickey and Minnie can never seem to catch a break.
The Muppet takeover is so intriguing to me. If Disney make it like a one month event, I would definitely go to Disneyland again.
Yes, it’s been months dude!
It's been a week and a half
Defunctland
So it has.
This was great! Really entertaining and enlightening! Keep up the good work!
Was waiting for a new video 😁
Another great video. Had a lot of fun watching & as always learned some new stuff
Of course it didn't happen: that would require Disney to actually know what to do with the muppets.
Defunct Land is my favorite doc series. You guys do a really great job!
0:46 seconds before mention of Michael Eisner.
"In August of 1989, Michael Eisner..." uh oh, I don't like where this is going
No way. Right when I was missing Disney Dan on Defunctland!
Mitchell Kru I knew you were missing me, so I arranged this just for you. Shhhh. Haha
Jim Henson really was taken from the world far too soon. There's no telling what amazing sights we missed out on by not having him around for just a little while longer.
OMG THE BEGINNING MADE ME THINK I WAS LISTENING TO ROSE TINTED CHEEKS BY TTC lmao
I just finished a binge of all of your videos... how dare you give me more.
It's not an awesome Defunctland/DisneyDan crossover without a hilarious cut-off
I do love how their events have a well thought story theme that follow up with each other every year it's really neat. :)
Just found the channel and I'm in love!
Ever heard of Del Grosso's park in Tipton Pennsylvania? It's a cool, small park by the Del Grosso family, who is known for their pasta sauce. They also have a water park across the street.
Do you think Defunct Disney Dan knows Doug Dimmadome?
Doug Dimmadome, owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome?
Wow this is amazing I've been waiting for someone to cover this🐸
The Disney Company caring about The Muppets? That’s a good one
Probably for the best it didn't happen. I know he was a marketing genius, but replacing your flagship mascots with something else, even a very well known set of characters, probably wouldn't have gone as well as he'd hoped.
Haha it’s so strange to see a Defunctland video with eisner in it that doesn’t involve something like a 😱