Disney’s Latest Change Divides Fans After Announcement Rocks the Kingdom

in Disneyland Resort

Posted on by Thomas Hitchen 3 Comments
Josh D'Amaro and Bob Iger in front of Disney California Adventure Park entrance

There are many draws to a vacation at a Disney Park. From Disney World attractions to Disneyland Resort entertainment, the choice of magical experiences feels infinite, and the selection, at least on the West Coast, is about to get even bigger.

Wondrous Journeys projections at Sleeping Beauty Castle
Credit: Disney

Southern California’s Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney’s original vision and blueprint for the future Disney Parks empire, holds a special place in many a Disney fan’s heart. The nostalgic ode to the amusement parks of yore is laid out in lands like Fantasyland and Frontierland, Tomorrowland and New Orleans Square, inviting Guests of all ages to enjoy a vacation full of Mickey Mouse magic.

Over the years, the Disneyland Resort, like Walt Disney World, has changed massively. The two Parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, at the Anaheim-based Resort have welcomed new lands like Marvel’s Avengers Campus, attractions like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and characters like those from Encanto‘s (2021) Casita Madrigal in just the last few years, which emphasizes The Walt Disney Company and CEO Bob Iger’s initiative to infuse more of the brand’s franchises and IP into the Parks.

Avengers Campus and Guardians of the Galaxy -- Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disneyland Resort
Credit: Disney

Related: Get Ready For the Disney100 Celebration at Disneyland Resort

Just recently, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock stated he wanted the theme parks to quickly establish more IP experiences for Guests, and ones that did not take immense amounts of time like building a new attraction or land. Potrock’s comments were echoed this month when Iger revealed he had been collaborating with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairperson Josh D’Amaro on bringing more franchises to the Parks in a way that attracted Guests and retained the satisfaction of loyal visitors.

Pixar Pier and balloons at Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort
Credit: Disney

Disneyland Resort entertainment gets a boost.

And it seems the team at Disney are working fast. This week it was revealed that Disney California Adventure Park will be gaining a brand-new one-act musical direct from the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, Rogers the Musical, made famous by the Disney+ series Hawkeye at the end of 2021, will takeover the Hyperion Theater in the Disneyland theme park for a limited time. Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) shared the news:

A timeless story of a timeless hero! A short one-act musical is coming for a limited time this summer to Disney California Adventure Park! Stay tuned for more details

The announcement was met with hundreds of reactions, with fans showing excitement for the addition to Disneyland. Many fans celebrated this addition and also shared excitement for the inclusion of Agent Peggy Carter on the promo teaser.

Hesti (Hesti4EverAP) said:

YAY!!! Best news ever!!! I’ve always wanted this to happen (at the Hyperion) and I can’t believe it’s actually happening!! As a HUGE fan of Cap and this musical, I was screaming like crazy when the @Marvel panel surprised us with it at @DisneyD23 Expo last year!

The new injection of Marvel-themed content went down well with others like @justjusticegage, who wrote:

This is exactly the correct decision for what to do in this space.. EEK.

JD (@JDIsip) offered a suggestion for the Disney Resort:

This is wonderful! But hear me out @DisneyParks – that crowd is probably gonna be waiting a long time for a 15-20 minute show… I’d have a bunch of Avengers out there waving to everyone leaving the theater, so they feel like they got a two-fer experience.

The decision did rock the boat, though, especially when looking at the offerings at Walt Disney World Resort. @footyhedgehog said:

Another example of DLR favoritism over WDW – which hasn’t gotten a new major stage show in years with the exception of Frozen and multiple bird show rewrites. Entertainment is the cheapest way to get the most amount of guests out of lines, satisfied. Give Orlando some love.

Walt Disney World cannot have most Marvel-themed content due to a historic contract which prohibits Marvel and its characters being used east of the Mississippi river. Of course, there are exclusions, as many will have noticed when visiting EPCOT Park to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Another thought comes by the way of Mike (@whiskeyvision), who wrote:

Rogers the Musical is so corny, it was designed to be. The writers wanted to make a bad musical as a joke in the show. Having it staged in the Hyperion is such a low-hanging fruit move, when they could have been working on a much better replacement to Frozen

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Rogers the Musical is a fictional tale about the life of Captain America himself, Steve Rogers. In the Hawkeye TV show, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) visits the in-universe Rogers the Musical after being invited to the premiere — but he’s the only Avenger that does. Now, Mr. Barton won’t be alone as thousands of Disneyland Resort Guests will soon be able to partake in this musical masterpiece where the Battle of New York is more Broadway than Battle.

Over at Disneyland Park, there is more Disney live entertainment, with the 100 Years of Wonder celebration, Wondrous Journeys, taking place over Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Marvel success across the world

Implementing Rogers the Musical at DCA is a sure sign of more Marvel, and maybe other IP, coming to the Parks. On the last Earnings Call and while commenting on the success of the International Parks like Disneyland Paris, CFO Christine McCarthy emphasized the integral role Marvel offerings played in the company’s overall revenue for fiscal Q1.

Manhattan Restaurant at Disney's Hotel New York -- The Art of Marvel
Credit: Disney

Disneyland Paris, in the last year, has rethemed one of its existing hotels to Disney’s Hotel New York — The Art of Marvel, and opened its own Avengers Campus. The focus Disney leadership seem to have on infusing IP elements to draw more Guests is seemingly at the heart of many recent decisions, and if the Art of Marvel and Disney’s current Paradise Pier retheme to Pixar Place is anything to go by, Rogers the Musical may be just the tip of the (Steve Rogers) iceberg.

Do you think its a good thing that Rogers the Musical is joining the ranks of Disneyland Resort entertainment? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

Thomas Hitchen

When he’s not thinking about the Magic Kingdom, Thomas is usually reading a book, becoming desperately obsessed with fictional characters, or baking something delicious (his favorite is chocolate cake -- to bake and to eat). He's a dreamer and grew up on Mulan saving the world, Jim Hawkins soaring through the stars, and Padmé Amidala fighting a Nexu. At the Parks, he loves to ride Everest, stroll down Main Street with an overstuffed pin lanyard around his neck, and eat as many Mickey-shaped ice creams as possible. His favorite character is Han Solo (yes, he did shoot first), and his favorite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer except when it's One Tree Hill. He loves sandy beach walks, forest hikes, and foodie days out in the Big City. Thomas lives in England, UK, with his fiancée, baby, and their dog, a Border Collie called Luna.

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