Kermit on the High Seas: Muppet “Live Appearances” Teased for Disney Cruise Line

Are Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the whole Muppets crew getting ready to pack their bags (and their chaotic energy) for the high seas? New reporting suggests yes, and Muppet fans might want to keep their passports close!

What’s Happening:

• The Muppets have always had a way of showing up exactly where we need them: on stages, on screens, and sometimes on the most unexpected adventures. Now, according to new reporting, their next destination might be one of the most magical places possible aboard the Disney Cruise Line. 
• With the fleet preparing for major expansion and fan interest in The Muppets higher than ever, a recent article from Time Magazine hints that “live appearances” from the beloved characters could soon be part of the Disney-at-sea experience. And as noted by Attractions Magazine, this could mark a major new chapter for the Muppets within Disney’s growing slate of entertainment.
• Disney Cruise Line just launched its newest ship, but the momentum isn’t slowing. With six additional ships currently in development, Imagineering has more room than ever to expand storytelling, entertainment, and character offerings. 

• In a special edition of Time Magazine devoted to The Muppets, entertainment writer Chris Nashawaty sat down with Leigh Slaughter, VP of The Muppets Studio and live characters strategy at Walt Disney Imagineering. Their conversation shed new light on Disney’s long-term ambitions for the franchise.
• Slaughter emphasized the enduring demand for Muppet magic:
  • “They want some laughs and a little bit of joy. We’re here to make the world a whole lot happier and a little weirder.”
• Nashawaty followed that sentiment with a tantalizing tease for fans:
  • “To that end, fans may want to start booking their travel plans for next year, because they’re about to see a lot more of Kermit and company at Disney’s cruise ships and theme parks, including live appearances from the characters on land and sea.”
• This wouldn’t mark the Muppets’ first voyage with Disney Cruise Line. Guests sailing aboard the Disney Fantasy may remember their role in the interactive Midship Detective Agency game, where guests solve a Muppet-themed mystery featuring props, video clues, and classic Muppet humor.
• For now, everything remains unconfirmed. Disney Cruise Line has not announced any forthcoming Muppet entertainment offerings or character programs for upcoming ships. But with multiple new vessels on the horizon and Imagineering hinting at bigger plans for the franchise, the timing may be perfect for a Muppet-sized return to the spotlight.

More Muppets News:

• Kermit Finds a New Home: Iconic Statue Heads to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta
• Video: Sabrina Carpenter "Arrests" Muppet Star at "Short n' Sweet" Tour Finale
• How "Sam and Friends" Shaped the Muppet Universe