Why Deadpool is Blocked from Disney World

If you’re a Disney Parks fan, you’ve undoubtedly seen the legion of posts regarding Deadpool and Wolverine joining Avengers Campus at Disneyland. While Marvel’s two big summer blockbuster superheroes might be taking over California Adventure with a new Meet and Greet and stage show, the Walt Disney World Resort has the Merc with the Mouth stopped at the gates.

Deadpool, in his iconic red and black bodysuit, stands with two swords on his back, forming a heart shape with his hands. He poses in front of a fairy tale-style castle with turrets, resembling a theme park setting at dusk. — Credit: Inside the Magic

Disneyland might be Walt’s original park, but Walt Disney World is the bigger and arguably better as it caters to a much larger consumer base. If that’s truly the case, why have Deadpool and his clawed companion been denied access to the Florida counterpart?

Deadpool is, without a doubt, one of the most popular fixtures to come out of Marvel Studios in recent years, having one of the biggest fan followings amongst Disney’s core consumer base. Having him at the parks might not be the most family-friendly idea, but could he truly just be a victim of circumstance?

No Disney World for Deadpool?

Statue of walt disney holding hands with mickey mouse in front of cinderella castle at disney world, with a clear blue sky background. — Credit: Disney

Experienced Park-Hoppers know that Deadpool and Wolverine aren’t only two Marvel mainstays not permitted in the park, as a contract dispute between Disney and Universal Studios has kept many of our favorite heroes out of Florida for years. From Captain America to members of the X-Men, the arrangement has divided the Multiverse long before Doctor Strange, Loki, or the TVA got involved.

Inside Universal summarizes the agreement between Disney and MCA with the following statement:

“In 1994, the Marvel Entertainment Group entered into a binding contract with Universal Orlando’s then-overlord, MCA, Inc. The contract allowed Universal Orlando to construct and maintain a ‘Marvel Universe’ within their planned second gate (a.k.a the future Islands of Adventure). The contract remains in perpetuity, or indefinitely, unless Universal decides to close Marvel Super Hero Island, stop making payments for property usage, or Marvel opts out of the contract feeling their brand is suffering through Universal’s usage of the property.”

Even though Disney acquired Marvel Studios in 2009, the contract remains unchanged, meaning everything stated above is still in effect. That also means that certain figures can’t exist on Disney property east of the Mississippi since Universal still holds all rights for its characters at Islands of Adventure.

That said, the agreement doesn’t say that ALL Marvel characters are verboten. Disney has used certain figures for its Florida park experiences before, and Deadpool might just make the cut.

Holding Out for Some Heroes

Avengers stand around Hong Kong Disneyland's Tomorrowland — Credit: Disney

The agreement states that mainly characters surrounding the Avengers, Fantastic Four, or X-Men, essentially meaning that everyone else is fair game. That’s how we got Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT.

Since Deadpool isn’t technically one of the X-Men, he is still an option for Walt Disney World. However, his R-rated stunts and crude conduct might be primarily what keeps him out of the parks.

Besides, with how much of a reaction Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine got from the fanbase, it feels incomplete to have one and not the other. While it might take some severe negotiations to reunite the team in Florida, California fans continue to live large with their favorite heroes, villains, and antiheroes alike.

What Marvel characters do you want to see in Disney World? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!