Disney to sue park in italy?

[kingslyZISSOU]

I don't think disney could sue them, even if they wanted to. Its not similar enough. but I think CBS could probably sue them for using the twilight zone music in the preshow video.

 

[SirNim]

It's the actual TOT arrangement and recording of the music... Whoever owns that "sound recording copyright" would sue...

 

[krankenstein]

Do we know that this movie park doesn't have premission from CBS to use just the music? It isn't like they are claiming it is a Twilight Zone ride. They might have signed a deal to use the music for all we know.

 

[EpcoTim]

That looks like a ride called "The Edge" that killed a few people at Six Flags Great America back in the early 90's.

I can't see Disney suing them with all the other parks ripping them off, and that they leave alone.

 

[miles1]

I'm not going to debate the similarities, but what would Disney really gain by suing? They'd be tied up in court for at least a couple of years, shell out tens or hundreds of thousands in legal fees, and at the most gain some damages that the Walt Disney Company considers chump change. If they were to force the offending park to remove the ride, it would create ill will with that parks Italian fans, and possibly other potential European WDW visitors as well. Perhaps the only benefit they could gain is to force the park to re-theme the ride. Is it worth the effort?

 

[ChrisFL]

Does Disney have some type of responsibility to maintain their intellectual property? I was under the impression that if you don't actively protect your intellectual property that you can lose the rights to it in the future? A few years ago the Univ of Miami sued a high school in Oklahoma (I think it was Union HS) because their helmet design was too similar to the U of Miami's. I don't think Miami has any real worry of competition from the HS, I was under the impression that they needed to fight it to maintain their trademark and prevent trademark dilution in the future. Is this not true (I'm not a lawyer so I honestly don't know).

Oh yes, they do have every right to maintain and protect their intellectual property. I think the problem is that the differences in laws between the U.S. and other countries and jurisdictions is why we don't see a lot of these rip-offs torn down or sued....I mean even Nara Dreamland stayed open well after Tokyo Disneyland opened (although clearly no one could truly mistake one for the other)

 

[EpcotServo]

Well the The "Tower of Terror" music used on the ride IS used ON-RIDE on this copycat.

You can hear it in this crummy video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsxkw0VpQoY&feature=related

THAT is lawsuit worthy indeed!

 

[krankenstein]

Well the The "Tower of Terror" music used on the ride IS used ON-RIDE on this copycat.

You can hear it in this crummy video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsxkw0VpQoY&feature=related

THAT is lawsuit worthy indeed!

I'll ask again, does anyone have proof they do not have permission from CBS to use the music? Just b/c the music was licensed to Disney doesn't mean they have the exclusive rights the the music. CBS could've very easily agreed to let this park use The Twilight Zone music for a nominal fee.

 

[jmvd20]

Are people being serious? Should Disney sue because that is a "rip" off of the ToT?

I hope there is a great deal of sarcasm in this thread...

Anyway, if anyone should be able to sue Movieland it would be Cedar Fair since that ride is exactly like the demon drop... Though I doubt the Demon Drop is patentend by CF

Demon Drop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmFhNPecAl8

Movieland "Hollywood Tower" Demon Drop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4079bvz0a7A

 

[rainfully]

Meh. It's just an Intamin Freefall ride. There used to be quite a few of them... now not so many.

I rode one of these in Texas back in the 90's... it's closed now.

Any park can theme the ride however they like... this park seemed to choose a loose ripoff of ToT... too loose for Disney to worry.

 

[Rob562]

I'll ask again, does anyone have proof they do not have permission from CBS to use the music? Just b/c the music was licensed to Disney doesn't mean they have the exclusive rights the the music. CBS could've very easily agreed to let this park use The Twilight Zone music for a nominal fee.

I don't have proof as to whether or not they have permission, but as others have said, they're using the Tower of Terror audio track that's available on the WDW Official Album.
Looking at the album's liner notes, that piece has two copyrights that they would have to receieve permission for. The original Twilight Zone theme (c. 1959) and the "Tower of Terror Theme" (c. 1994) which is basically everything ELSE you hear in the music that's not specifically the TZ theme.

Also, this video may not specifically be a pre-show, but rather it may be some sort of promotional piece.

As this is in Italy, it may be of more interest to the management of Disneyland Paris, as the Studios park there now has their own Tower of Terror. I haven't ridden the newer version of the Tower, so does anyone know if they use any part of the original Tower's soundtrack?

-Rob

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I can see the similarities, but I think Disney would have a tough time proving it was a stolen idea. In many theme parks around the world there are rides similar to each other - there's always little differences but the concepts are the same. I think that's normal w/theme parks. I mean, if they start hiding hidden mickeys around the park, that's another story.

 

[krankenstein]

I don't have proof as to whether or not they have permission, but as others have said, they're using the Tower of Terror audio track that's available on the WDW Official Album.
Looking at the album's liner notes, that piece has two copyrights that they would have to receieve permission for. The original Twilight Zone theme (c. 1959) and the "Tower of Terror Theme" (c. 1994) which is basically everything ELSE you hear in the music that's not specifically the TZ theme.

Also, this video may not specifically be a pre-show, but rather it may be some sort of promotional piece.

As this is in Italy, it may be of more interest to the management of Disneyland Paris, as the Studios park there now has their own Tower of Terror. I haven't ridden the newer version of the Tower, so does anyone know if they use any part of the original Tower's soundtrack?

-Rob

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't know the two themes are different and was just checking to make sure there wasn't some way they could have a license for it.

 

[marni1971]

...interest to the management of Disneyland Paris, as the Studios park there now has their own Tower of Terror. I haven't ridden the newer version of the Tower, so does anyone know if they use any part of the original Tower's soundtrack?

-Rob

WDSP ToT? The preshow music is identical to Orlando/Anaheim and the ride music is the same as Anaheim. Tid bit: The preshow and ride narration is French, but there is the capability to play the Anaheim narration too if asked for.

 

[WDW Monorail]

i think the story line is different. i know italian, and to what i can hear, the story line is different

The story line is almost exactly the same.

Nothing is worth suing over in Italy.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Even if it was really close enough to consider a real lawsuit, which it really isn't, I am not sure that Disney wants to draw that much noteriety to any other theme park.

It would certianly put a park into the international spotlight that normally does not even register as a blip on the radar.

 

[fosse76]

That looks like a ride called "The Edge" that killed a few people at Six Flags Great America back in the early 90's.

I can't see Disney suing them with all the other parks ripping them off, and that they leave alone.

I have to correct you for misleading statements. The accident, at what was then Marriott's Great America, injured three teen boys in 1984. They were not killed. Six Flags coincidentally officially acquired the park within the same week. And before you go bashing Six Flags, Disney's injury/death toll, statistically speaking, is identical to that of Six Flags.

 

[fosse76]

Even if it was really close enough to consider a real lawsuit, which it really isn't, I am not sure that Disney wants to draw that much noteriety to any other theme park.

It would certianly put a park into the international spotlight that normally does not even register as a blip on the radar.

This nothing, compared to the park in China that is a much more obvious ripoff.

http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1678