Wow, Disney just bought out Marvel..

[edandcolleen1995]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090831/ap_on_bi_ge/us_disney_marvel_entertainment_1

Isn't Marvel like the big deal over at Universal?

Plus now we will have Spiderman swinging in on ESPN Football with the scores!

 

[wdwfan16]

This should be interesting.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090831/ap_on_bi_ge/us_disney_marvel_entertainment_1

Isn't Marvel like the big deal over at Universal?

Plus now we will have Spiderman swinging in on ESPN Football with the scores!

Wow...so, I'm wondering about Universals rides..> Spiderman is an awesome ride.. do they have to do away with it? Rename the Hulk ride? Lose out the characters??

Wow...crazy!!

 

[korzmom]

i was wondering the same thing.what happens to that part of UIOA? i love the spiderman ride,its one of the best rides IMHO in orlando. I dont understand why they couldnt just spend that 4 million on building something original. I read that they are doing this because theres not that much interest for boys at disney,i dont know about you guys but my ds never having a problem finding something he liked!

 

[Big V]

Disney - Universal Studios!

 

[TonyB]

Korzmom,
It isn't about keeping boys interested while at Disney, it is about keeping boys interested in product lines. That's right, it all boils down to $$$$. Teen/Tween girls have Hannah, Wizards and a bevy of Princesses. Boys have Cars & Buzz/Woody. How many teen boys are headed to school in a Buzz shirt?? Very few...

 

[Monte Cristo]

I dont understand why they couldnt just spend that 4 million on building something original.

Just to be clear, it was $4 Billion, not million.

 

[Becky2005]

This should be interesting.

When I read the title I thought it was a joke at first because of Universal having all the Marvel character rides, etc...

 

[TonyB]

Provided that this deal passes the antitrust review and the garners the approval of Marvel shareholders, it will be fun to watch this unfold...

How long will IOA keep the Marvel characters? Will they sign a licensing agreement with Disney to keep them there? Will Tony Stark wear a Disney employee name badge in Iron Man 2 next year? Could a 5th park be based on Marvel characters once they leave IOA?

I was there last week & a bus driver told me... LOL

 

[sbell111]

Provided that this deal passes the antitrust review and the garners the approval of Marvel shareholders, it will be fun to watch this unfold...

How long will IOA keep the Marvel characters? Will they sign a licensing agreement with Disney to keep them there? Will Tony Stark wear a Disney employee name badge in Iron Man 2 next year? Could a 5th park be based on Marvel characters once they leave IOA?

I was there last week & a bus driver told me... LOL

Depending on how Universal's licensing deal with Marvel is written, there may be no need to ever create a new agreement with Disney and they would always be able to keep the current theming at US as-is.

 

[Micca]

I also was interested to learn about this deal. I supposed when Universal's deal with Marvel expires the movies and the character licenses will belong to Disney. At which point Universal can either pay Disney to continue making the movies and utilizing the characters at their parks(highly unlikely), or Universal will have to re-theme those attractions and the movies will bear the Disney brand.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Disney - Universal Studios!

wow...interesting idea!

Depending on how Universal's licensing deal with Marvel is written, there may be no need to ever create a new agreement with Disney and they would always be able to keep the current theming at US as-is.

Maybe Disney just gets a portion of the profits there?

Can't wait to find out more!

 

[Feralpeg]

Depending on how Universal's licensing deal with Marvel is written, there may be no need to ever create a new agreement with Disney and they would always be able to keep the current theming at US as-is.

I believe that Disney will simply license the characters to Universal. Universal will continue with the current attractions. Having both Disney and Universal in Orlando makes Orlando a much more interesting tourist destination. Not every one is all about Disney, yet most people who visit Universal also visit Disney. The two companies have a great relationship going. What is good for Universal is ultimately good for Disney. The poke fun at each other occasionally, but they also work closely to keep Orlando at the top of the tourist chart.

Universal has had some tough times lately. If Disney can bolster them a bit, it will ultimately prove good for both companies. By the way, Disney has featured Marvel toys at Once Upon A Toy for a couple of years.

 

[sbell111]

An interesting thing about this buyout is that, through Universal's licensing of Marvel characters, Disney will get paid every time someone buys a ticket to Univeral Studios.

A bonus is that they will be able to build a Marvel-themed park in the future, if they so desire. Imagine if Disney decided to build a thrill park based on Marvel characters, Universal Studios could be in serious trouble.

Another bonus to the buyout is all the other bits of Marvel Entertainment that would be fairly easily folded into Disney: film, animation, publishing, toys, character licensing, etc.

 

[sbell111]

I believe that Disney will simply license the characters to Universal. Universal will continue with the current attractions. Having both Disney and Universal in Orlando makes Orlando a much more interesting tourist destination. Not every one is all about Disney, yet most people who visit Universal also visit Disney. The two companies have a great relationship going. What is good for Universal is ultimately good for Disney. The poke fun at each other occasionally, but they also work closely to keep Orlando at the top of the tourist chart.

Universal has had some tough times lately. If Disney can bolster them a bit, it will ultimately prove good for both companies. By the way, Disney has featured Marvel toys at Once Upon A Toy for a couple of years.

US needs WDW much more than WDW needs US.

I don't believe that Disney has any real interest in helping Universal Studios. If US rolled over and died, Disney would not shed a tear. What they might do is complete the planned, but unfinished, resort projects and possibly build a thrill park to fill the niche left by US.

 

[sbell111]

I also was interested to learn about this deal. I supposed when Universal's deal with Marvel expires the movies and the character licenses will belong to Disney. At which point Universal can either pay Disney to continue making the movies and utilizing the characters at their parks(highly unlikely), or Universal will have to re-theme those attractions and the movies will bear the Disney brand.

For several years now, Marvel has been moving away from licensing their characters for movies in favor of producing or coproducing them under the Marvel Studios umbrella.

 

[hellokitty86]

I wonder what my DH will have to say about this. He is a comic book freak and he loves Marvel!

 

[TheGoofster]

US needs WDW much more than WDW needs US.

I don't believe that Disney has any real interest in helping Universal Studios. If US rolled over and died, Disney would not shed a tear. What they might do is complete the planned, but unfinished, resort projects and possibly build a thrill park to fill the niche left by US.

Actually, I agree with Feralpeg

Unless Disney is planning on making their own thrill park (highly unlikely seeing how they normally only make one new headline ride once every few years) then USIA really is helping to bring in the teen / young adult demographic that Disney is weak in. I think a lot of families with teens go to Orlando because of USIA, and while there, they also do WDW. If something were to happen to USIA, and nothing were to replace it, I think you would notice a big change in families with teens going there.

True, US needs Disney a lot more than Disney needs US, but I do think that having both parks so close to each other is really a huge benefit for both of them.

I think that USIA will continue with the way it is. They might have to pay some royalties to Disney for the use of the characters, but I don't think they are going to try to change the theme of their park anytime soon. What they might possibly do is when they add new rides (every few years or so) they might start phasing out the Marvel characters that way.

 

[luvmyfam444]

So noone things the parks will merge? Add them as the 5th park - you could hop on over to US just like any other WDW park?

 

[Deb in IA]

WWSLD?

(What Would Stan Lee Do?)