MARVEL at WDW?

[TP2000]

Yes. I am not sure who made the biggest mistake, Universal for locating so close to WDW or Disney for reacting by building a "Studio" park.

Yeah, perhaps a rebranding of some sort could be in DHS future to help with that?

Now that I understand what you're saying here, it is an interesting thought. By adding Transformers to UO somewhere, Universal could rid itself of the rest of the Marvel references while still maintaining the thrill ride demographic they succeed with, and that opens the door for WDW to slot Marvel attractions and presence into one or more of its existing parks. Hmm. That could work well for both companies, I would imagine.

Universal Orlando management has to know their days of operating Marvel themed rides are numbered.

 

[Captain Chaos]

They made a few changes but the project seems to have stalled. Perhaps they have changed their minds since the buy-out. Stranger things have happened. Essentially you have an entirely new management structure since the "reanimation" rumors surfaced. And if it was an official announcement perhaps you could provide a link.

You may very well be right, I just do not remember any news releases concerning Spiderman being reimagined. And as we know, these things change all the time. Or should I say "transform"? :lol:

Universal released this OFFICIAL press release:

Universal Announcement

Over on the Islands of Adventure side of Universal Orlando, the popular attraction, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is getting a visual update with the addition of HD.

From the Universal press release:

The newly reanimated, high-definition experience will unfold within the attraction’s towering visual spaces – taking on even larger than larger-than-life proportions. The new digital animation – combined with the new Infitec system and new set enhancements – will transform what is already one of the most technologically advanced attractions ever created into what will feel like an all-new experience.

The animation is being done in 4K high definition, the highest HD resolution available right now. This will bring a whole new clarity to the visuals, making the 3D appear to be even closer.

2012 is when the updated animation will start running in the attraction.

 

[GLaDOS]

They made a few changes but the project seems to have stalled. Perhaps they have changed their minds since the buy-out. Stranger things have happened. Essentially you have an entirely new management structure since the "reanimation" rumors surfaced. And if it was an official announcement perhaps you could provide a link.

You may very well be right, I just do not remember any news releases concerning Spiderman being reimagined. And as we know, these things change all the time. Or should I say "transform"? :lol:

Spider-man isn't supposed to be done until 2012. Announced officially in May. Completely new animation and HD projections. Nothing has stalled.

Transformers will go into USF. The ride is COMPLETELY different from Spider-man, save for the ride system.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

 

[lebeau]

I wondered how long it would take for someone to take Spielberg's offhanded (and very likely inaccurate) statement and jump to the conclusion that Marvel would come to WDW just because he said the word "Transformers".



Shoulda figured jt would be the one to do it...

 

[Mouse Detective]

Universal Orlando management has to know their days of operating Marvel themed rides are numbered.

So many have this misconception. Universal gets to keep the Marvel characters for itself for as long as they want it and there is nothing Disney can do about it. Disney can't afford what it would cost them to buy Universal out on this. Universal is paying royalties to Marvel, just as they always have. The fact Marvel is now owned by Disney is irrelevant to Universal. Nothing has changed from their perspective.

Disney is making money without lifting a finger.

Didn't Disney pay $Billions for Marvel? I wouldn't call that not lifting a finger.

 

[misterID]

I'm sure Disney wanted Marvel specifically for merch and movies. I highly doubt they were all that interested in adding it into their theme parks. At least in this country. And more specifically, Florida.

The thing some people here are missing, UNI isn't getting hurt at all in this. They aren't losing a single penny. I don't really think they care. They still get to sell the perch, making their percentage and keep the rides.

 

[sublimesting]

Transformers isn't a big enough deal to warrant a whole park.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Transformers isn't a big enough deal to warrant a whole park.

True...but I think Disney would make a killing if they made a park strictly based on old toy franchises...and the "mayors" of the park could be the Toy Story characters.

The problem is the licensing.

Transformers, My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids, Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Rainbow Brite, Jem, Thundercats, etc.
Then you could have a Playskool/Fisher Price section with family rides geared towards the younger crowd.

Not only do I think that it would be a popular park for the older crowds (the people who grew up with the older properties) but also the toy companies! (The Toy business has vastly dropped since the advent of the video game...and this would be pure marketing!) Have each company sponsor the attractions...and voila! The teetering toy business would get a shot in the arm...and with the toy companies realizing how important the park is...they'd pump money into the attractions for upkeep.

 

[jt04]

So many have this misconception. Universal gets to keep the Marvel characters for itself for as long as they want it and there is nothing Disney can do about it. Disney can't afford what it would cost them to buy Universal out on this. Universal is paying royalties to Marvel, just as they always have. The fact Marvel is now owned by Disney is irrelevant to Universal. Nothing has changed from their perspective.



Didn't Disney pay $Billions for Marvel? I wouldn't call that not lifting a finger.

Universal has to meet certain criteria defined in the contract and if the do not they will lose their rights. There are two schools of thought here. Some believe that Disney would need to buy out the contract but that does not seem to make sense because Disney generates revenue directly from sales of Marvel merchandise at Universal parks. Everyone seems to forget that Universal immediately removed references to Marvel at the California park as soon as Disney bought Marvel. That is important to remember and proves that Universal is not pleased about promoting a Disney franchise though it has to in Orlando unless the were willing to immediately shut down MSHI. Obviously that is not something they could do. But now that Potter is open the game has changed and it is possible they may now do so. I still think there is little chance they will run similar ride systems so close together even if in seperate parks and with somewhat different themes.

On a side note, things get announced all the time and then get rescinded. See the FLE. :lol:

 

[SleepingMonk]

IMHO I think that this was orchestrated masterfully be Disney.

:lol:

Wow.

 

[slappy magoo]

Well if we're just pulling things outta our butts, allow me to fling this your way...

Uni holds the cards when it comes to the usage of Marvel characters in Orlando - at least the Marvel characters they're currently using. Disney is going to twist the screws when it comes to Uni trying to develop anything new involving the Marvel characters, which will make Uni reluctant to do anything new with Marvel properties. Uni sees updating Spiderman to HD as a "necessary evil," - it's considered one of the best attractions ever made by a lot of theme park enthusiasts, so they see upgrading it as just a part of upkeeping it, lest it start to look dated too soon.

I'd bet money that a good chunk of the day for Universal executives is to figure out if the Marvel section of IoA could be retrofitted into ANY OTHER THEME. If there's a way to retrofit/retheme the big things that are there, like Spiderman & Hulk, and replace the more "meh"-like things like Dr. Doom's Freefall, and make it a newly themed land. Once they determine what the theme COULD be, THEN they need to negotiate the rights, if they don't already hold those rights. This will probably include a "kill fee." Meaning that, for example, if IoA wanted to retheme Marvel to a Lord of the Rings land (just an example), they guarantee New Line/Time Warner/MGM/the Tolkien estate/Wingnut Films/anyone who owns a piece of LotR a chunk of cash even if the rides never get made (or re-made).

Now, Uni is in a position of LESS power, as Disney can leave them twisting in the wind, forced to pay money to the property owners for potentially no reason. BUT at the same time, if Uni gets those rights, and they are willing to absorb the risk of a "kill fee," then Uni can basically ask Disney "how bad do you want Marvel?" They'll have power because they'll have plans to retrofit Marvel at the ready, and if Disney doesn't want to pony up the dough, no biggie, they'll just keep their Marvel rides. The only bad thing for Uni in this scenario is that they do, indeed, have to keep spending money to promote and upkeep the Marvel attractions to not break the terms of their contract.


What this all means that unless/until Universal can either buy or develop a franchise outright, they're just going to hold on to Marvel. To do anything else will be too cost-prohibitive. But if any movie they make clicks into franchise territory, you'll see them try to figure out if Marvel rides can be rejiggered.

And it won't be Transformers.

 

[modegreen]

I think we're all forgetting how long WDI takes to build an attraction, much less blue-sky a few rides out of thin air, considering that Marvel has a lot of characters and franchises to work with (plus, do you go with the comic interpretations, like MSHI, or the feature films... then there's rights to deal with that). Remember, Disney only JUST bought out Paramount's Avengers and Iron Man 3 distribution contracts within the last year, and there's still a Spider-Man movie coming out from Sony, who is probably the most recognizable character Marvel has.

Look at it another way: How long has Muppets been owned by Disney, and there's little to show for it in the parks besides some merch. Muppets has Vinylmation and pins, which Marvel does not, but that's the kind of stuff I'd imagine would happen first, before they start building rides.

In other words, GIVE IT TIME!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

JT in talking out of hoop shocker.

But I hear that its likely an attraction themed on highway robbery is to be built. Seemingly its been tested throughout WDW for the last few years.

 

[WDWFigment]

JT, if you could please post your pointless drivel in the Armchair Imagineering forum, that would be awesome. Unwittingly, I opened and read part of this thread before realizing who the OP was.

This doesn't pass muster as Disney news or rumor. It's just BS you made up based on what you think might happen at WDW after hearing a rumor concerning another property.

Yesterday, I heard a rumor that Pepsi was going to become the official soft drink of elephants. Since WDW has elephants at Animal Kingdom, it's only a matter of time before WDW drops Coke as a sponsor since the synergy created by this elephant-soft drink-theme park relationship is too much to pass up. At which point Coke would be free to become the official soft drink of dragons. I may be flamed for saying that, but what else is new?

 

[WDWFREAK53]

JT, if you could please post your pointless drivel in the Armchair Imagineering forum, that would be awesome. Unwittingly, I opened and read part of this thread before realizing who the OP was.

This doesn't pass muster as Disney news or rumor. It's just BS you made up based on what you think might happen at WDW after hearing a rumor concerning another property.

Yesterday, I heard a rumor that Pepsi was going to become the official soft drink of elephants. Since WDW has elephants at Animal Kingdom, it's only a matter of time before WDW drops Coke as a sponsor since the synergy created by this elephant-soft drink-theme park relationship is too much to pass up. At which point Coke would be free to become the official soft drink of dragons. I may be flamed for saying that, but what else is new?

Whoa...I always liked Pepsi...but I do think Dragons are cool...so I'm on Team Coke!!!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Well thats all the proof I need.

 

[jt04]

JT, if you could please post your pointless drivel in the Armchair Imagineering forum, that would be awesome. Unwittingly, I opened and read part of this thread before realizing who the OP was.

This doesn't pass muster as Disney news or rumor. It's just BS you made up based on what you think might happen at WDW after hearing a rumor concerning another property.

Yesterday, I heard a rumor that Pepsi was going to become the official soft drink of elephants. Since WDW has elephants at Animal Kingdom, it's only a matter of time before WDW drops Coke as a sponsor since the synergy created by this elephant-soft drink-theme park relationship is too much to pass up. At which point Coke would be free to become the official soft drink of dragons. I may be flamed for saying that, but what else is new?

You can retract this and apologize when I am proven right. Disney just called Uni's bluff and went all in with Avatar. Uni will have to do something radical like convert MSHI to Transformer-land and expanding Potter-land.

The Theme Park Wars have begun.

 

[SeaCastle]

Yes, I think it is time to revive this subject that we have discussed here in detail. I'm sure everyone is pretty familiar with the subject and where regular posters stand on the issue.

So I guess the rumor is circulating that Transformers may be coming to Orlando. The big question is will it go to IoA or the Studio park. It is a fact that the old HRC is being bulldozed so that may be for Transformers but I think it is also possible that paying royalties to the mouse does not sit well with Universal execs and they will transform MSHI to Transformer-land. At which point Disney could use all Marvel characters at WDW. This has been my prediction since Disney bought Marvel. I have taken a lot of criticism for my take on it but what else is new? :lol:

So, anyone care to go on the record as to whether you think Marvel will soon be at WDW?

PS- I am fully aware that there may be a thread in the Universal section but my aim is to focus this thread on the 'Marvel at WDW' rumor.

PSS- the source of the Transformer's rumor is Mr Spielberg. I would say that gives it some credibility.


Link: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/fe...transformers-announcement-should-be-soon.html

How come it's only now you can link to news articles and blogs, when you couldn't do so for the hundreds of other times that you've been called upon to present proof for your speculation?

 

[cheezbat]

You can retract this and apologize when I am proven right. Disney just called Uni's bluff and went all in with Avatar. Uni will have to do something radical like convert MSHI to Transformer-land and expanding Potter-land.

The Theme Park Wars have begun.

no no no no...the theme park wars are just RETURNING! You've gotta remember there was quite the war going on in the 80's and 90's between the two resorts. After the opening of IOA and DAK though, things sort of died off...now it's just heating up again!

 

[slappy magoo]

You can retract this and apologize when I am proven right. Disney just called Uni's bluff and went all in with Avatar. Uni will have to do something radical like convert MSHI to Transformer-land and expanding Potter-land.

The Theme Park Wars have begun.

How is that "calling Uni's bluff?" I do not think it means what you think it means.