Disney Doubles Down on Villain Park With First Character

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Hades at Disneyland

Credit: MouseSteps

Disney’s extensive list of heroes, heroines, princesses, and everything in between have an enormous sea of fans waiting to meet them at the Parks. While there will always be love for Mickey, Minnie, and all their friends, there’s a severely untapped market for Disney’s villains.

Gaston, Jafar and the Queen of Hearts
All Images Credit: Disney

It was recently confirmed that Disney has an interest  in a expansion or entire Park dedicated to the studio’s most famous villains. Although the company hasn’t made an official statement yet, Disney might have just confirmed its direction with a brand new Meet and Greet.

Related: What Guests Want to See In a New Villains Land at Disney

Regarding Meet and Greets, the villains definitely get the short end of the stick. Aside from characters like Gaston and Darth Vader, the most Guests typically see the villains in all their over-the-top glory is during the Parks’ Halloween events or other special celebrations, such as the Oogie Boogie Bash or Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. A whole expansion or Park would need a complete rogues gallery of characters to greet Guests.

Disney’s Villain Park Gets First Meet and Greet

villains after hours
Credit: Disney

While Disney has a fair share of meetable villains like Loki, Maleficent, and the recently upgraded Jafar, a new expansion needs a special appearance to rope Guests in for some wickedly wild fun. So, Disney reached into their backlogs of the vault to bring a legendary baddie from the golden age of the company.

Related: The Six Catchiest Disney Villain Songs Ever Made

Before Dr. Facilier, Scar, Captain Hook, or Maleficent, even before Mickey Mouse, there was Peg Leg Pete. Pete has arguably had the longest and most decorated career out of any Disney Villain, having numerous short films and appearances in his filmography. Strangely though, he’s never been given a true Park appearance… until now.

Escape From the Vault

Pete gets a Meet and Greet
Credit: Twitter @ScottGustin

It was recently announced Pete would be making his full Disney Park debut March 19, 2023 at the grand reopening of Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland. While this is an incredible announcement for fans of Disney animation, it could be the smoking gun pointing towards a bigger project for the villains.

Related: Disney Character Meet and Greet Leaves Family in Tears

This likely won’t be the last time fans see Pete either. Since he’s practically the company’s original bad guy, what better way to welcome Guests into a Disney-villain-focused project than with its own answer to Mickey Mouse? It seems entirely too convenient that Pete would appear just after Disney shared the possibility of a villain Park, and this is definitely the catalyst of something bigger.

Do you think Pete has a bigger role to play? Tell us in the comments below!

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