Disney in the early days of Disney MGM Studios was planning on building an entirely original fully themed land based entirely around the Muppets franchise, with every location within based on some element of the franchise.
We have already discussed parts of the proposed Muppet land based on a Muppet parody of the Great Movie Ride, and the proposed Muppet pizza restaurant, but there was also to be a second Muppet themed restaurant in the land based entirely on the most famous Muppet cook, Swedish Chef.
This location would have been located in the present-day PizzeRizzo building and be the largest dining location within the land. It would have been themed as a cooking school run by the famous Muppet chef where you could try some dishes he had apparently put together in his kitchen
When the land was canceled, this location was still built, but without any of the theming, leading it to become a flex space where Disney would put props from their films over the years for guests to look at, fitting perfectly in the backlot surroundings that the space now found itself in.
Eventually, it would become a restaurant, being a version of Pizza Planet from Toy Story, although notably less themed, still retaining the run down Hollywood warehouse look.
Eventually, the space would actually end up becoming a Muppet themed restaurant, taking a reimagined concept from the other proposed Muppet dining location and becoming PizzeRizzo, a Muppet themed pizza parlor featuring Rizzo the Rat.
The Swedish Chef would never get a place to share his talents at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but the spirit of the original proposal lives on in PizzeRizzo finally bringing a Muppet dining location to the park where it was always intended to be.
Be sure to come back next week when we explore the full plans for Muppet Studios at Disney MGM Studios. Also, check out all the entries in Never Built Disney Studios so far here.
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