Photos: Perfect for When Cabin Fever Strikes at Home, New Anniversary "Muppet Treasure Island" Mug Appears at Walt Disney World
The holiday season brings plenty of new merchandise and fun to the retail locations of Disney Parks, but these items typically bear a holiday or Christmas theme. Well, a recent visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort clued us in that we’ll be getting some 30th anniversary merchandise celebrating the classic film, Muppet Treasure Island.
This mug, spotted at the 5&10 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, features the logo for the film emblazoned on side, and with Kermit dressed as Captain Smollett as a medallion on the other side. The mug itself is sculpted to resemble a pirate tankard, appearing as though made of wood with metal braces even though the whole thing is ceramic.
Featured on the bottom of the mug is a rat, who can be argued is Rizzo though we may recall that during the film, the ship was sold to many rats as a caribbean cruise, who populated the ship (and island excursions!) throughout the ship. The mug retails (at press time) for $27.99 plus tax.
Originally debuted on February 16th, 1996, Muppet Treasure Island is a fun and witty fan-favorite adaptation of the classic novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Seen through the zany and musical lens of The Muppets, we follow Jim Hawkins (one of the humans of the film) as he gets his hands on a mysterious treasure map, alongside his friends Gonzo and Rizzo. Together, they round up a crew and set sail on the Hispaniola, with Kermit serving as Captain Smollet, Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney, Sam Eagle as Mr. Arrow, and Miss Piggy as Benjamina Gunn - a twist on the character of Ben Gunn from the original novel. Additional Muppets round out the cast and pirate crew, themselves led by the nefarious yet charming Long John Silver, played by the legendary Tim Curry.
Over time, the film has become a classic thanks in large part to Curry’s performance, combining serious acting while surrounded by absolute chaos and absurdity (similar to Michael Caine’s role in The Muppet Christmas Carol). Memorable songs, as well as an adventure and humor that cross generations of viewers while staying faithful to the source material with the Muppets brand of chaos, helped make the film the long-lasting favorite it has been for three decades.