Hey Disney Vacationers! Disney just dropped a couple massive updates on the upcoming Monsters, Inc. suspended roller coaster coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and trust me, this thing is going to be wild. Let’s take our first look at the Monsters Inc coaster load area, the “wow” moment, and a few features of the queue.
SXSW Announcement: First Look at the Ride’s Innovation
At SXSW, Disney executives gave fans a sneak peek at the load area, the wow moment, and the immersive queue experience. And if you thought the door vault scene in Monsters, Inc. was chaotic in the movie, wait until you see how Imagineers are turning it into a real-life thrill ride.
The Monsters, Inc. coaster is set to be the first suspended roller coaster at any Disney park. That means your legs will dangle freely as you weave through the chaotic world of Monstropolis, dodging doors left and right. But the real game-changer? A first-of-its-kind vertical lift in the load area.
Imagine stepping into the ride vehicle on the ground floor—totally normal, right? Then suddenly, your coaster train gets lifted straight up into position before launching into the door vault. This isn’t just a loading platform—it’s part of the story.
“Let’s Ride” Episode: More Details on the Coaster Experience
In the latest episode of We Call It Imagineering, titled “Let’s Ride,” Portfolio Executive Creative Producer Michael Hundgen shared even more details about the upcoming Monsters, Inc. door coaster.
Hundgen described how the suspended coaster ride is designed to mimic the fast-paced and chaotic movement seen in the film’s iconic door vault chase scene:
“You look at it and you go, I need to be suspended. I need my legs flaring all over the place as I’m just missing doors and thematic elements. It’s going to be really fun.”
According to Portfolio Executive Creative Producer Michael Hundgen, the inspiration came straight from the movie:
“That iconic scene in the film where the claw kind of grabs the door and lifts the door up to shoot it out into the vault — we’re recreating that.”
Once you’re lifted into place, a boosted acceleration system shoots you into the chaos of the door vault. Hundgen promises:
“That sensation alone… that’s a wow moment.”
A Queue That Feels Alive
Even before you get on the ride, Disney is making sure the anticipation is next level. The queue experience will feature multiple lift systems constantly moving. Doors will be getting shuffled, raised, and lowered all around you, making you feel like you’re inside the energy-packed world of the Monsters, Inc. factory.
Hundgen teased:
“Just from the moment you board the vehicle, you’re standing in the queue line and you’re watching all this dynamic stuff happening around you — just the anticipation for this ride is going to be insane.”
“At any given time, one [lift] will be going up, another will be going down.”
He also noted that riders will be able to see other coaster trains flying through the building, adding to the energy and motion:
“To see that kind of energy very much mimics the sensation that we saw in the actual Monsters, Inc. door vault.”
The Ride System: What to Expect
As we previously reported, former Walt Disney Imagineer Jim Shull confirmed that this coaster will be a Vekoma suspended family coaster, model 400. Translation: smooth, thrilling, but still family-friendly.
- Lap bar restraints – No over-the-shoulder harness, keeping it comfortable.
- 10-car trains – Two guests per row, keeping capacity high.
- Up to four lift hills – Meaning the action keeps ramping up throughout the ride.
- No inversions – This is about fun, not fear.
Bringing Monstropolis to Life
This new coaster is just one piece of a fully immersive Monstropolis land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney Imagineers are laser-focused on bringing iconic movie moments to life in ways that feel real, and this ride is a perfect example of that.
Hundgen summed it up best:
“Whether it was having the chance to race with Lightning and Mater or getting to actually ride a door in the door vault, you want to step into a Cars environment or into Monstropolis — we get to recreate these moments from the screen into real life, you actually get to live it.”
Final Thoughts
With all this new information, from The Monsters Inc coaster load area to the “wow” moment, and queue features, it’s shaping up to be one of the most innovative rides we’ve ever seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney hasn’t shared an official opening date yet, but with all these details dropping, it’s safe to say Imagineers are deep in the process of bringing Monstropolis to life.
Get ready to grab a door—this ride is going to be a game-changer.
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Meet the Author: Nate Bishop
I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!
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