Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Looks like Spiderman is now going to officially become a Disney character. What does this mean for the future of the DLR? <a href="http://current.com/items/90828378_disney-buying-marvel-entertainment-for-4-billion.htm" target="_blank">http://current.com/items/90828...lion.htm</a> I'm guessing that there will be even MORE character based attractions and themes at the parks than ever before.
Originally Posted By Ursula With any luck, it won't add or change anything to Disneyland. (crosses fingers and does some chanting)
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy I'm not sure this deal was about theme parks. I suspect it had more to do with film franchises. Disney has been consistently weak in this department while other studios cleaned their clock with comic book franchises over the years. Disney will certainly exploit the characters in the parks environment, but I doubt you will see any massive build up of attractions or other elements in the near or intermediate term.
Originally Posted By Roger55 My guess and hope is that it will be similar to the Muppets and Power Rangers presence in the parks.
Originally Posted By KittyPrincess1206 I hope we don't see Spiderman walking down Mainstreet anytime soon, or at all for that matter. I think it will ruin the ambience of Disneyland.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I'm not sure this deal was about theme parks. I suspect it had more to do with film franchises." I'm pretty sure it's about both, since Iger has been very adamant about milking Disney's character franchises. Bringing Marvel characters into the fold means that Disney has several strong franchises that appeal to males - something that the company has been sorely lacking. As much I'd hate to see X-Men at Disney's parks, you can be sure that they (or some of their fellow superhero friends) will be there eventually. It would be silly of Disney not to exploit them in same manner that they've done with Pixar characters for instance.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros No matter how recognizable they might be, there's just something that seems inherently wrong with superheros in a Disney park. I think it might be because so much of their stories focus on violence and action, when that has never been a primary point in Disney's stories (it happens, but it happens to progress the plot, not because it is the entire plot). There's just something about them that just doesn't seem like it would fit in very well, but I'm not sure I can point out exactly what it is.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "No matter how recognizable they might be, there's just something that seems inherently wrong with superheros in a Disney park." Even at Disney Studios Park or Disney Studios Paris? Star Wars and Indiana Jones were violent, and yet those characters are present in various forms at Disney parks. Doesn't DL have a light saber demonstration in Tomorrowland for kids? I really hate the direction that the parks are headed... I guess I'm just trying to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I guess I'm just trying to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable.<< "Tiki Room: Under Newer Management"
Originally Posted By FerretAfros It's not that they're violent, IMO. It's that they really only seem to exist for the violence and action sequences. Star Wars and Indy do have their violent moments, but they also have a lot of character development in between. None of the comics-turned-films that I've seen even come close to that. I have a hard time relating myself to the characters in the film, and since there is very little change in their personality from beginning to end, it makes it even more difficult to connect with the film. They're entertaining, and they have some interesting action sequences. I just don't think they have the same broad appeal across generations and the staying power that some of Disney's other properties are really good with.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I just don't think they have the same broad appeal across generations and the staying power that some of Disney's other properties are really good with.<< Spiderman has no staying power?????
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL With no real info other than the full asking price purchase, I wonder what, if anything, will come of all the attractions in Marvel Super Hero Island at IOA. The Hulk, love this coaster, along with most everything else in the "Island" could be re-themed pretty easily. But the incredible Spiderman attraction would need a complete rebuild. Are these going to be grandfathered in a certain way so Universal owns the current characters as attractions, or will they now have to pay royalties to Disney a'la Tokyo Disneyland?
Originally Posted By donnyaz I would rather see Jesus and his disciples walking down main street then see spider man and Doc ock.
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL >>I just don't think they have the same broad appeal across generations and the staying power that some of Disney's other properties are really good with.<< Can only third mawnck and LadyKluck, and add, are you serious?! Google some of these characters and you just might be amazed at when they were created. It is actually a brilliant move to capture guys in their teens to thirties. A demographic Disney never really had in their pocket. Movies are the "no brainer" but I really don't see them using these characters in park outside of DHS.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros "It is actually a brilliant move to capture guys in their teens to thirties." I guess that's kind of more what I was trying to say. They may have been created a long time ago, but how many people who were into Spiderman in the 60's are still really into him? The way to create a real lasting impression on a person (and their wallet) is to have characters that don't lose their appeal to the individual after a few years. Like I said, from my experience, I've never been into comics or known anybody who is. Clearly there are people out there who are very into it. I just haven't ever met them. To my knowledge, I wasn't brought up on some remote island where comics weren't allowed, people just had no interest in them. And that sort of summarizes my feelings about Disney getting them. Good for them, but I really couldn't care less. (Which is strange, because I'm right in the middle of that male, 12-35 market segment).
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<It would be silly of Disney not to exploit them in same manner that they've done with Pixar characters for instance.>> But the Pixar characters have always had the Disney brand attached to them - even before they were owned by Disney. So it was a very easy assimilation. Marvel characters have nothing Disney about them and I would guess that Marvel was bought as an investment (diversifying their film portfolio) more than anything else. As such, it looks like a very good investment. I bet the only effect we see inside Disneyland will be more additions/improvements thanks to the additional money that Marvel brings to the Disney coffers. At least, that's my hope...
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Are these going to be grandfathered in a certain way so Universal owns the current characters as attractions, or will they now have to pay royalties to Disney a'la Tokyo Disneyland?> (Copies and pasted from the Disney business section). <The Orlando Sentinel states "Marvel also has various deals with the two-park Universal Orlando. The agreements governing two of Universal's hugely popular rides, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk roller coaster, appear to be virtually perpetual deals. According to Universal's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Universal Orlando retains American rights east of the Mississippi River for as long as its attractions are in operation."> Hm... could Spiderman (the ride) end up in HPB at DCA, then?? I was never really into comic books even at "comic book age," so the deal doesn't excite me per se. Nor does it scare me too much; I'd hope they'd have the sense not to put them on Main Street (though part of me thinks they might show up in a parade); maybe the studio parks. But I think they'll probably mostly concentrate on the films and the marketing of all that merch to the tween boy market. Still... Spiderman is easily the best thing at IOA, and I really wouldn't mind seeing it at DCA.
Originally Posted By jmuboy In the US parks, I expect the Hollywood Studios in Florida and the Hollywood Backlot area of DCA will see Marvel attractions and characters added over time. Marvel 3D to replace the Muppets 3D (pip dream here - Spidey ride like at IOA to replace the DCA Monsters ride?) I agree that these guys have no place in a MK/DL style park.
