I'm more of a TOS guy.
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Western way park/5th gate
- Thread starter montyz81
- Start date
Jimmy Thick
Well-Known Member
Wolverine from the comics is a different likeness than Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Same with Downey as Stark or Nick Fury, etc.
If Disney really wanted to push the issue of the comic characters compared to their film counter parts, from a legal perspective they could have a realistic argument to be able to make the characters from the films in any theme park without disrupting the contract with Universal. Considering Universal does not feature the actors from the films in their rides, it would create an interesting argument.
Not that Disney would do something like that just to do it, I believe they will wait it out.
Jimmy Thick- Just not worth it...
If Disney really wanted to push the issue of the comic characters compared to their film counter parts, from a legal perspective they could have a realistic argument to be able to make the characters from the films in any theme park without disrupting the contract with Universal. Considering Universal does not feature the actors from the films in their rides, it would create an interesting argument.
Not that Disney would do something like that just to do it, I believe they will wait it out.
Jimmy Thick- Just not worth it...
My only disagreement with this is that in this situation this would go to court so ultimately, it would either be a judge or jury that will make the decision whether that this falls at the top of the industry, the theme park industry would not have a call saying whether it is considered a top level or not, because those numbers could be skewed numerous ways. Also universal could turn around use their recent attractions compared to disneys recent attractions and say that they would be better at keeping them at top levels, judges could consider thaat as well. I wish they had it, but I know they don't and I just want them to do anything to start bringing their other parks up to the levels they should be in orlando
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Variants on image do not make for a separate character. They're just derivative works.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Anybody who mentions a judge or going to court needs to read the contract more closely. Disputes go to arbitration in New York.
I whole heartedly agree, the only way its going to happen within 10 years is if Disney calls universal and tells them heres 100 million dollars, this should cover the cost to tear down Super Hero island and use the rest to get started on something new.
But why should Universal settle for 100 million dollars, when they could get 100 million pennies!!
(please tell me at least one person gets this reference)
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
$100 million wouldn't even cover the costs of just building a replacement land. In past discussions it seemed like the wiser members tended to agree that somewhere in the realm of $1 billion would be reasonable. Disney needs to cover designing and building a new land, demolition of Marvel Superhero Island, potential loses due to the closure of the Island, any costs associated with acquiring a new property if that is the desired direction and some profit for Universal.
CJR
Well-Known Member
They cannot be used because Universal has an X-Men attraction and the presence of The Avengers (including The Hulk), simple as that.
Disney can use other Marvel characters that are not used and Disney can definitely defend their definition of a superhero "family" in court, after all, they own Marvel. As you said, Universal has Stormforce, Dr. Doom, and The Hulk, so The Avengers and X-Men are out. Other things, however, can still be in.What they (Universal) do not have a presence of: Guardians of the Galaxy and Big Hero 6, which Disney is working on both projects.
1 billion is way to much to pay, and its way to much to build a single land, Disney really just needs to cover universals cost of rethemeing the area. It cost 500 million to build an entire land in NFL, that involved years of excavation and utility work, lets not forget that universal has the ability to make a dollar go a lot further when it comes to construction than disney does. Universal would also not have to write a check to disney every year for licensing, theres more money they come out ahead on.
Honestly I think the longer Disney waits the cheaper the price gets.
coilback
Active Member
Yeah I read the contract awhile back, but as others have stated on here, Disney gets the short end of the stick from the "families" clause in there since so many Marvel characters have been groups into families over the course of years. Of course, there's still Ghost Rider ;-)
Saying all this, if in a few years the rides are getting in real disrepair at Universal, Disney could technically throw a bit of a fit and then try and negotiate a deal with Uni to buy them out of the contract. If it looks good on paper to Uni to take the buyout rather than spend money to get them back into the correct state, I could see them going for it. I do believe that Disney still gets merchandising approval rights as well as the royalties from it, so technically when Universal tries to capitalize further on their Marvel rides (through Merch, etc), they still are handing a piece to Disney. With the acquisition of Harry Potter at Uni, they could, in the future, decide to just cut ties so they don't have to deal with any Disney red tape. Just depends on how determined Disney is in wanting to acquire the one "loose end" of their Marvel deal. Disney is pretty good at acquisition when they want to be.
But when it's all said and done - 5th gate? Don't think so. They can't even be bothered to expand on current parks or even keep them in proper repair. It seems that is going to turn around soon possibly ("soon" relatively speaking), but there would need to be a giant philosophy shift at Disney before we ever see another new gate anywhere again.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Universal knows what they will pay Disney this year. Baring an economic catastrophe, they know what they will pay next year and the year after and the year after. Universal also doesn't have to provide any justification for what they would like to be bought out of the contract.
Rodan75
Well-Known Member
This discussion ignores the possibility that UNI wouldn't want to put something different in that space and that Disney has plenty of park options to experiment with Marvel attractions besides WDW.
Bottom line, the current Orlando arrangement is at least partially beneficial to both parent companies, but neither company can be thrilled by it. At some point this will be resolved, I suspect with fewer lawyers and less fanfare than we would like to imagine.
Bottom line, the current Orlando arrangement is at least partially beneficial to both parent companies, but neither company can be thrilled by it. At some point this will be resolved, I suspect with fewer lawyers and less fanfare than we would like to imagine.
bubbles1812
Well-Known Member
Why would the price get cheaper? The only way it gets cheaper is if the Marvel properties stop making money at the box office and people stop buying merchandise in droves. The more it makes Disney, the more valuable the property and theme park rights become. Universal can set any price they want as they have all the advantage in terms of rights on the East Coast.
And I don't see how 1 billion isn't reasonable. Yes Universal can get more per dollar than Disney. But there is no incentive for Universal to say "we are only going to ask for exactly what we think the cost of a retheme would be." They can ask for the farm... Because they can. And if Disney really wants it, they are just going to have to eat the cost.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
It may be a slight thorn to Disney, but its near guaranteed revenue. Universal has lots of licensed properties at their parks.
Right and Disney will never be that desperate for intellectual property. There is a lot they own that they AREN'T using so if they needed to expand they wouldn't need to tap Marvel. Star Wars is a great example. Heck even Avatar was way cheaper than what they'd have to pay to get Marvel.
The pricings irrelevant since CL was so over bloated compared to the streamlined HP.
14 pages?
danlb_2000
Premium Member
The OP mentions the sales guy saying their were/are "construction issues". This could be related for Flamingo Crossing which they started to build around the intersection of 429 and Western Way. The future plans, if they ever get built, have additional phases of Flamingo Crossing be built all around that intersection.