Are Disneyland and WDW Going to put Marvel into they Parks?

[madpringle]

I saw somewhere that they were planning on making Tomorrowland and Disneyland, Ca into Stark Plaza from the movie Iron Man. Is there any truth to this?

 

[doconeill]

I saw somewhere that they were planning on making Tomorrowland and Disneyland, Ca into Stark Plaza from the movie Iron Man. Is there any truth to this?

It's currently a rumor, and it is specific to the DLR version of Innoventions.

Disney CAN use Marvel properties without issue in CA as I understand it. In fact, anywhere west of the Mississippi.

However, Universal's contract (again, as I understand it), gives them exclusive use of the Marvel characters they have licensed and are maintaining use of, east of the Mississippi, for as long as they continue to do so.

So although Disney could bring other Marvel characters in, they can't bring in Spider-Man, The Hulk, etc. - in fact, most of the popular characters are currently tied up.

 

[snykymom]

I got an e-mail from the Disney store today advertising Marvel merchandise, though, so Disney is definitely beginning the marketing campaign.

 

[DisneyDude_82]

It's currently a rumor, and it is specific to the DLR version of Innoventions.

Disney CAN use Marvel properties without issue in CA as I understand it. In fact, anywhere west of the Mississippi.

However, Universal's contract (again, as I understand it), gives them exclusive use of the Marvel characters they have licensed and are maintaining use of, east of the Mississippi, for as long as they continue to do so.

So although Disney could bring other Marvel characters in, they can't bring in Spider-Man, The Hulk, etc. - in fact, most of the popular characters are currently tied up.

Maybe you can clarify this for me, I thought I read at some point that in a few years or so, the marvel license with Universal Orlando was running out. I could be completely wrong.

However I would LOVE to see the license run out and have them do something in WDW with Marvel. I went to Universal Orlando recentely for the first time and the Marvel area just felt very lack luster. The Spidey ride was great, however the rest of the area felt very 90's ish and the characters felt very much like just a person in the captain america, spiderman, and Dr.Doom costumes. I don't think Dr.Doom should be friendly when I approach him. I know Disney can do a MUCH better with their characters.

 

[doconeill]

Maybe you can clarify this for me, I thought I read at some point that in a few years or so, the marvel license with Universal Orlando was running out. I could be completely wrong.

Pretty much every source agrees that the contract between Marvel and Universal us open ended on Universal's part - as long as they keep using the properties and paying the fee, they retain the rights. It makes sense for something of the scale of Universal - you don't want to spend millions of dollars building rides and theming, just to not be able to renew the contract.

I'm sure Disney is more than content to keep collecting the fee. I think the decision to buy Marvel was not to get another property to use in the theme parks ($4 billion is kind of expensive just to then spend more money on integration), but rather a fully business decision to have a much bigger presence in the comics/comics movie business, the latter of which is kinda huge right now

 

[Babbletrish]

Maybe you can clarify this for me, I thought I read at some point that in a few years or so, the marvel license with Universal Orlando was running out. I could be completely wrong.

However I would LOVE to see the license run out and have them do something in WDW with Marvel. I went to Universal Orlando recentely for the first time and the Marvel area just felt very lack luster. The Spidey ride was great, however the rest of the area felt very 90's ish and the characters felt very much like just a person in the captain america, spiderman, and Dr.Doom costumes. I don't think Dr.Doom should be friendly when I approach him. I know Disney can do a MUCH better with their characters.

Well, all we can really say for certain is that things are going to get very interesting over at Islands of Adventure once that contract runs out. Hopefully, they've got a back-up plan ready in case they need to retheme it.

Now there's a good question: If Universal has to re-theme Marvel Island, what should they turn it into? (And it isn't like they haven't done this before, ie, half of Lost Continent became Harry Potter.)

 

[Queenofspoons]

Well, all we can really say for certain is that things are going to get very interesting over at Islands of Adventure once that contract runs out. Hopefully, they've got a back-up plan ready in case they need to retheme it.

Now there's a good question: If Universal has to re-theme Marvel Island, what should they turn it into? (And it isn't like they haven't done this before, ie, half of Lost Continent became Harry Potter.)

I had a crackpot theory that Universal should remodel the area into a Dreamworks Animation themed land, they could come up with new rides and retheme some of the old ones (Spiderman becomes a Megamind themed ride, the Hulk Coaster can be Nightfury themed ect.) and that would free up the Marvel Superheroes for a ride or an entire land at DHS.

Then again they could get around this by using characters that don't appear at IOA like Iron Man or Thor.

 

[Babbletrish]

I had a crackpot theory that Universal should remodel the area into a Dreamworks Animation themed land, they could come up with new rides and retheme some of the old ones (Spiderman becomes a Megamind themed ride, the Hulk Coaster can be Nightfury themed ect.)

Terrific idea, now that you mention it! I'm "meh" on the Megamind ride but... "How to Train Your Dragon" ride =