News Disney confirms multiple EPCOT projects are paused

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I'm wondering at what point Disney attempts to just try and force Uni to let them use Marvel in WDW. I'm sure there's a team of lawyers salivating somewhere with the chance to try and reclaim some Marvel usage for WDW. Yeah, there's a contract, but a contract hasn't stopped people before
So you’re wondering at what point Disney just decided to engage in illegal behavior?
 

DoleWhipDrea

Well-Known Member
These theme park licensing rights are all very interesting...and I can’t help but wonder if Disney and Universal have tried agreeing to “trade” certain rights and stipulations now that Disney owns The Simpsons. Has anyone heard anything along those lines? I know that Universal has to essentially rent the costumed Simpsons characters for their parks.
 

DreamfinderGuy

Well-Known Member
These theme park licensing rights are all very interesting...and I can’t help but wonder if Disney and Universal have tried agreeing to “trade” certain rights and stipulations now that Disney owns The Simpsons. Has anyone heard anything along those lines? I know that Universal has to essentially rent the costumed Simpsons characters for their parks.
Simpsons license allegedly expires in 7 years. Considering Disney doesn't have a place for them in WDW I can't see why they'd be opposed to negotiating with Universal. They get a cut of the merch sales and don't have to do anything about it.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
I'm wondering at what point Disney attempts to just try and force Uni to let them use Marvel in WDW. I'm sure there's a team of lawyers salivating somewhere with the chance to try and reclaim some Marvel usage for WDW. Yeah, there's a contract, but a contract hasn't stopped people before

The conditions of the contract are very much in Universal's favor, giving Disney a few options. Also, this is not an agreement with some mom and pop company, Comcast probably has as big a legal department as Disney does.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Simpsons license allegedly expires in 7 years. Considering Disney doesn't have a place for them in WDW I can't see why they'd be opposed to negotiating with Universal. They get a cut of the merch sales and don't have to do anything about it.

I could be wrong, but I don't see the Simpsons license being overly valuable to Universal now.

While the Simpsons are still popular to an extent, they certainly don't have the cultural cachet they had 20 years ago, and I don't think they're adding many new fans. I don't think the Simpsons area is driving very many guests to Universal that wouldn't be going otherwise.

I'd guess the biggest benefit to extending the license at this point would just be not having to spend the money to retheme that whole area.
 

ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
There are always outliers!

But yeah, I know there are still some kids that enjoy them, but I think they're mostly being introduced by parents who are fans. The show's ratings are pretty low now.
I'm actually trying to steer him away from them...he has a tendency of repeating phrases he picks up from shows and never letting go of them (autism is fun!). It doesn't help that there's often something pointing to them right on the home page of Disney+.
 

DreamfinderGuy

Well-Known Member
I could be wrong, but I don't see the Simpsons license being overly valuable to Universal now.

While the Simpsons are still popular to an extent, they certainly don't have the cultural cachet they had 20 years ago, and I don't think they're adding many new fans. I don't think the Simpsons area is driving very many guests to Universal that wouldn't be going otherwise.

I'd guess the biggest benefit to extending the license at this point would just be not having to spend the money to retheme that whole area.
I just don't see what they would put there in replacement. It makes more sense to leave Simpsons sit.

On that note, hey Universal, I have a really cool time travelling car to show you...
 

Nland316

Well-Known Member
I could be wrong, but I don't see the Simpsons license being overly valuable to Universal now.

While the Simpsons are still popular to an extent, they certainly don't have the cultural cachet they had 20 years ago, and I don't think they're adding many new fans. I don't think the Simpsons area is driving very many guests to Universal that wouldn't be going otherwise.

I'd guess the biggest benefit to extending the license at this point would just be not having to spend the money to retheme that whole area.
Only thing that keeps me thinking they’d still want the property is merch sales.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Doesn't Universal claim rights to Black Panther in Florida?

1. Black Panther is off limits for WDW, but it's a question where "Wakanda" or any supporting characters from him would be off limits. The publicly available contract does not really talk about such details.

2. Technically, I don't think Universe has rights to use Black Panther either. the contact basically says that they lose rights to additional characters if they didn't use them in a (long since passed) time frame. Black Panther is prohibited from other parks east of the Mississippi not because Uni is using him and has the rights, but because he is in the "family" of other characters that are used/rights owned by Uni (e.g. Captain America and the Avengers family).
 

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