Disney’s Muppet-O-Matic let guests create Muppet avatars online before their trip to Disney World—then surprised them when their Muppets appeared in unexpected ways at the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction.

Muppet Labs Muppet-O-Matic Experience at Disney World Theme Park

Build-a-Muppet meets Broadway cameo—guests gasped when seeing their fuzzy friend backstage.

As part of Disney’s Next Generation Experience, I led the creative vision for a new moment at the Muppet*Vision 3D attraction using emerging MagicBand tech. The goal: make the experience feel personal and magical. Guests designed their own Muppets online—then, after a discreet scan of their MagicBands, were surprised to see them appear in the pre-show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Though guests created their Muppets in advance, seeing them seamlessly blended into the physical world sparked surprise, laughter, and delight—a “surprise and delight moment” as we said at Disney. It was one of the first personalized theme park moments of its kind, combining technology, storytelling, and character in a way only the Muppets—and Imagineers—could pull off.

Guests know their Muppets will appear at Muppet*Vision 3D—but where and how? That's the surprise! (Art and Creative Direction: Michaelangelo Rocco, Graphic Design: Hooky Interactive)

Blending digital assets with the Muppet*Vision 3D set at Disney's Hollywood Studios, guests found their Muppets reflected in Miss Piggy's mirror, featured in a movie poster spoof, or immortalized as framed memorabilia.

Guests’ digital Muppets made their debut in a playful movie poster spoof (left) and as part of framed memorabilia (right), complete with Kermit's iconic tux. (Fun fact: I insisted on using the actual tux Kermit wore during the filming of Muppets Most Wanted in the UK—no replicas! When filming wrapped and Kermit returned to L.A., we had the studio dress him in the replica to authenticate the look. Because, details matter!)

Here’s my concept art pitch for some personalized moments with guests' Muppets—featuring a custom-made Tron suit for Pepé the King Prawn. Because, of course, even the King Prawn deserves to look stylish in the digital age. (Concept Art: Michaelangelo Rocco Text: Jim Lewis)

Here's my concept pitch and illustrations for a Muppets spoof of The Absented-minded Professor. My original concept was revised to include Bunsen and Beaker.

A Method to the Madness: I led the creative and art direction on this poster spoof, refining the final key art through rounds of wild ideas and sharp pivots. When stakeholders felt the guest Muppets looked too angelic (top left), we cranked up the chaos, bringing them front and center. (Big thanks to Amy Weitzman, Hooky Interactive, and writer Jim Lewis for their contributions.)