MSHI Expansion?

[uiwansonic88]

Not sure I'm an expert, but I did get an "A" in contract law, so let me take a stab at lawyer-splaining ...

The "Marvel Action Universe" is a very specific thing--a Planet Hollywood/Dave & Busters rip-off themed to Marvel characters (mostly the ones in IoA, who were the ONLY characters all but the geekiest of fans would have recognized in 1989). Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock were all the rage at this time, everybody was trying to cash in--for example, the WWE restaurant/"experience" in Times Square.

There used to be a restaurant called Marvel Mania near Universal Studios that was apparently created with Planet Hollywood's involvement. It doesn't seem like it was quite the same thing as what was described as the "Marvel Action Universe".

www.itec.com/marvel-mania/
the studiotour.com - Food - Marvel Mania - Universal Studios Hollywood
Welcome to “Marvel Mania Hollywood” – The Restaurant That Time Forgot! | Geekscape

 

[graspthesun]

There used to be a restaurant called Marvel Mania near Universal Studios that was apparently created with Planet Hollywood's involvement. It doesn't seem like it was quite the same thing as what was described as the "Marvel Action Universe".

www.itec.com/marvel-mania/
the studiotour.com - Food - Marvel Mania - Universal Studios Hollywood
Welcome to “Marvel Mania Hollywood” – The Restaurant That Time Forgot! | Geekscape

It was actually in Universal Studios. It shut down and eventually became the House of Horrors which has been subsequently demolished and replaced with the Walking Dead walkthrough attraction.

 

[Mike S]

It was actually in Universal Studios. It shut down and eventually became the House of Horrors which has been subsequently demolished and replaced with the Walking Dead walkthrough attraction.

If only they had the foresight to keep it around. Bet they're slightly kicking themselves for that.

 

[Paulio]

If only they had the foresight to keep it around. Bet they're slightly kicking themselves for that.

The problem is even though Universal Studios Hollywood owned the theme park rights to Marvel characters, they really haven't done much to use them significantly, as in Florida and Japan. They haven't used them for attractions (the Special Effects and Backdraft stages could have been good candidate for the Spider-Man attraction instead of Transformers), and Marvel Mania suffered deeply due to Planet Hollywood's massive slowdown in sales since it only happened for a year after it opened. After Marvel Mania closed, there wasn't anything Universal Hollywood could have done with the Marvel characters and decided to kick them out of the park permanently in 2008.

In short, I don't really think Universal Studios Hollywood regret kicking out all Marvel characters from the park. Although, I wish there was a freaking Spider-Man ride at the Lower Lot instead of Transformers.

 

[Mike S]

The problem is even though Universal Studios Hollywood owned the theme park rights to Marvel characters, they really haven't done much to use them significantly, as in Florida and Japan. They haven't used them for attractions (the Special Effects and Backdraft stages could have been good candidate for the Spider-Man attraction instead of Transformers), and Marvel Mania suffered deeply due to Planet Hollywood's massive slowdown in sales since it only happened for a year after it opened. After Marvel Mania closed, there wasn't anything Universal Hollywood could have done with the Marvel characters and decided to kick them out of the park permanently in 2008.

In short, I don't really think Universal Studios Hollywood regret kicking out all Marvel characters from the park. Although, I wish there was a freaking Spider-Man ride at the Lower Lot instead of Transformers.

2008? Right when the MCU started? LOL!!!!!!!!!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

2008? Right when the MCU started? LOL!!!!!!!!!

Yuuuuuup. Different owners....

@Skubersky I'll talk to @Brian G. about updating the article with new information and I'll reach out to Jim, also.

 

[Nick]

I still think it's amazing that Spider-Man never ended up being built at USH considering how popular the ride was/is and with the Triology that was also popular during the early 2000's.

 

[Paulio]

2008? Right when the MCU started? LOL!!!!!!!!!

Yep, right around when the MCU started and when Universal Hollywood ended the Marvel theme park agreement, it wasn't a biggest cash-crow franchise that is today. Disney's acquisition of Marvel sealed Universal Hollywood's reattempt to get back at Marvel character they just kicked out lmao. Still, I really doubt Universal Hollywood regret anything, although it could have a chokehold at Disneyland Resort attempt to use the Marvel characters.

I still think it's amazing that Spider-Man never ended up being built at USH considering how popular the ride was and with the Triology that was also popular during the early 2000's.

I have no idea either, Universal Studios Hollywood didn't seem to be impressed with the Marvel characters and it's really sad that the Spider-Man ride never existed at the park, considering how incredibly popular it is as opposed to Transformers, yet you have the Hogsmeade area in the park. Would make the park be as just as popular.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Yep, right around when the MCU started and when Universal Hollywood ended the Marvel theme park agreement, it wasn't a biggest cash-crow franchise that is today. Disney's acquisition of Marvel sealed Universal Hollywood's reattempt to get back at Marvel character they just kicked out lmao. Still, I really doubt Universal Hollywood regret anything, although it could have a chokehold at Disneyland Resort attempt to use the Marvel characters.



I have no idea either, Universal Studios Hollywood didn't seem to be impressed with the Marvel characters and it's really sad that the Spider-Man ride never existed at the park, considering how incredibly popular it is as opposed to Transformers, yet you have the Hogsmeade area in the park. Would make the park be as just as popular.

In a sense, the studio was the thing that came first for Hollywood; not the park.

Now, it is starting to turn almost to a 50/50 give or take situation.

 

[Paulio]

In a sense, the studio was the thing that came first for Hollywood; not the park.

Now, it is starting to turn almost to a 50/50 give or take situation.

Yeah I know that, Universal Studios Hollywood at the time was still in the "ride the movies" philosophy so having an animated TV cartoon Spider-Man ride wouldn't really fit, although Universal Studios Florida did have the Hanna-Barbera 3D simulator ride which had nothing to do with the movies. Still though, it would be really amazing to have the ride with the famous web-slinger at USH over the giant-raging fighting robots from other planets.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Yeah I know that, Universal Studios Hollywood at the time was still in the "ride the movies" philosophy so having an animated TV cartoon Spider-Man ride wouldn't really fit, although Universal Studios Florida did have the Hanna-Barbera 3D simulator ride which had nothing to do with the movies. Still though, it would be really amazing to have the ride with the famous web-slinger at USH over the giant-raging fighting robots from other planets.

No, I mean that it was more that the Studio had more of a say of what does and doesn't happen. It wasn't a "Ride the Movies" thing, it was of what was more important.

It'd also be wise to keep in mind that this was in the GE years, and that Hollywood suffered the most out of any three of the Universal Parks operating in the 2000's.

And on the terms of Hanna-Barbera, keep in mind; what replaced that was a ride based entirely on Nick Cartoons.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Not sure I'm an expert, but I did get an "A" in contract law, so let me take a stab at lawyer-splaining ...

The "Marvel Action Universe" is a very specific thing--a Planet Hollywood/Dave & Busters rip-off themed to Marvel characters (mostly the ones in IoA, who were the ONLY characters all but the geekiest of fans would have recognized in 1989). Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock were all the rage at this time, everybody was trying to cash in--for example, the WWE restaurant/"experience" in Times Square. Or a little experiment TWDC was working on called DisneyQuest.

MAU is by definition not a "theme park." A "theme park," given the explicit definition in the contract, would be Magic Kingdom, or Sea World, or an as-yet-unbuilt but still easy-to-imagine-in-1989 Six Flags Orlando or Tampa park. Most of the contract is devoted to making sure no other theme park gets to use the IoA characters (again, the only ones with pop cultural relevance at the time). It is very much directed at making sure no other theme park builds rides, shops, restaurants, etc. with Spidey or Hulk. Especially a Six Flags park if the Marvel characters ended up in WB hands, a distinct possibility given Marvel was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. I seriously doubt anyone who drafted this contract thought WDW would ever want the characters but a new Six Flags or a Six Flags rebrand of one of the AB properties was certainly within the realm of possibility.

Universal didn't want a MAU opening up on I-Drive (Pointe Orlando would've been an obvious target, with FAO Schwartz and Pac Man Cafe) or that rumored new Disney Springs development. That would dilute the market, so close to home. But it wasn't such a huge deal that they felt the need to block them all over the country. A Marvel restaurant/gift shop with a couple traveling mall show level simulators in NYC or Chicago wasn't going to hurt IoA anymore than DQ Chicago hurt MK--if anything, it promotes the IP and lets Marvel make a little extra cash to stay in business publishing comics (again, a real concern back then). So the rules regarding MAU are far more lenient, but in theory still could be enforced if, say, Disney moved to open a Marvel restaurant in Disney Springs. However, those clauses will never have any effect on anything done in DHS, EPCOT, MK or DAK, because those are theme parks, not MAUs or a concept evolved from MAU.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Love your new default.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Love your new default.

Thanks! I poached it from www.epcotlegacy.com

 

[Yung1522]

Unrelated to an expansion. But Stan Lee, his entourage, and half of MCO TSA blocking off some terminals right now. Even closed a restaurant.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Unrelated to an expansion. But Stan Lee, his entourage, and half of MCO TSA blocking off some terminals right now. Even closed a restaurant.
View attachment 5235

So they closed a ton of stuff for Stan Lee? Why didn't he just fly charter?

 

[UK-Trigg]

Unrelated to an expansion. But Stan Lee, his entourage, and half of MCO TSA blocking off some terminals right now. Even closed a restaurant.
View attachment 5235

Wow, id be seriously peed off if I was there, closing things off to the public for one man and his band. I don't care who he is, that sucks.

 

[Andysol]

Wow, id be seriously peed off if I was there, closing things off to the public for one man and his band. I don't care who he is, that sucks.

And why him? Loads of celebrities fly standard planes. I don't know if I've ever seen something like this- and I've seen lots of celebs in the airport (I fly quite I bit)

 

[Mad Dog]

And why him? Loads of celebrities fly standard planes. I don't know if I've ever seen something like this- and I've seen lots of celebs in the airport (I fly quite I bit)

The Hulk was on the flight with them. The Hulk said" Don't want stinkin public on Hulk plane"

 

[GadgetGuru]

Unrelated to an expansion. But Stan Lee, his entourage, and half of MCO TSA blocking off some terminals right now. Even closed a restaurant.
View attachment 5235

I'm not entirely convinced that has to do with Stan Lee. Saturday was the day of the hurricane in Houston and Orlando is one of the closest major airports to Houston (USA geography is weird). A large part of Houston's traffic was probably being routed to Orlando last minute.