Released by Playmates in 1989, the Muppet Babies Imagination Park Playset capitalized on the popularity of the Jim Henson Muppet Babies characters that were introduced in the 1984 theatrical release of The Muppets Take Manhattan.
The Muppet Babies earned an eponymous spin-off series that aired from 1984 to 1991 as part of CBS’s Saturday morning line-up. The show won seven Daytime Emmy Awards and inspired licensed toys and games that brought the characters to life beyond the screen.
The Muppet Babies Imagination Park Playset offered a colourful interpretation of the young characters, their whimsical natures, and their love of adventure. Its central feature was a battery-operated train that carried the Muppet Babies on a tour through an amusement park, stopping to activate a series of small rides that featured the characters at play.
The playset was divided into four distinct playlands, each with its own ride: an umbrella stand spinner, a soapy river with a bathtub boat, tea cup and saucer Ferris wheel, and a whirl-around sock-washing machine.
The rides were motionless until the train passed over a switch in each section of the track. The switch activated the playland ride until a button was pressed to release the train onto the next destination.
IN THE BOX
A complete playset included the locomotive with roller-skate and cupcake rail cars, rail system, four directional barriers, cup and saucer Ferris wheel, bathtub boat, sock-monster ride, umbrella ride, and eight Muppet Babies figures (Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Rowlf, Skeeter, and Scooter). A sheet of set-up instructions was also included inside the box. The locomotive required one C-cell battery.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
The Muppets franchise encompasses a broad range of merchandise for collectors and the Muppet Babies line offers an extension of that world. In addition to the Imagination Park Playset from Playmates, collectors may encounter the Muppet Babies board game from Milton Bradley (1985), the Muppet Babies 3-D Play Set from Colorforms (1985), comics published by Harvey Comics and Marvel’s Star Comics imprint, plush toys, and more.
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