Credit: Marvel StudiosIn 2017, Disney shocked fans when it announced that it would be closing the young-guest-focused Bug’s Land at Disney California Adventure Park and replacing it with Marvel’s Avengers Campus. The new campus would be the ultimate place for guests to meet some of their favorite Marvel superheroes and become a part of the action.
Bug’s Land officially closed in 2018 and work began on Avengers Campus. After a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new land finally opened on June 4, 2021, to massive fanfare and happy crowds.
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Since its opening, guests have been able to meet characters like Captain America, Doctor Strange, Thor, Loki, Black Panther, Iron Man, Shang Chi, and Black Widow.
However, Disney’s newest Marvel meet and greet will change that tradition.
This summer, Disneyland Resort guests will have the opportunity to meet the characters from Marvel’s newest film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing) will all be greeting guests at The Happiest Place on Earth.
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Unlike the rest of Marvel’s superheroes, who spend their time in Avengers Campus, The Fantastic Four will be meeting guests in Tomorrowland, over in Disneyland Park.
Now, you might be wondering why Disney decided to put its newest group of superheroes in Tomorrowland, and the answer might surprise you.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps was heavily inspired by Tomorrowland, and fans will absolutely recognize some of the scenes in the movie as areas that look like Tomorrowland. So, it makes a lot of sense for the four heroes to be stationed there!
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In addition to the core four, Disney is also reportedly working on bringing H.E.R.B.I.E. to the parks. H.E.R.B.I.E. is the Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics, who can be seen in the film’s trailer and works closely with The Fantastic Four.
At this time, we do not know if H.E.R.B.I.E. will be greeting guests this summer with the rest of the team, or if his reveal will happen at a later time, and possibly occur in another part of the parks.
Why Not Disney World?
As you may have realized, The Fantastic Four are going to be meeting guests at Disneyland Resort. Unfortunately, they are unable to meet guests at Walt Disney World and will be unable to do so for quite a while.
For thirty years, Universal Studios has had the exclusive rights to use Marvel characters in its Islands of Adventure theme park. The deal between Marvel and Universal was made years before Disney purchased Marvel, which happened in 2009. And the deal states that no park “East of the Mississippi” can use these characters.
And Universal has the rights to these characters, including the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four “in perpetuity”, which, in layman’s terms, means for as long as they want.
Disney does, however, have access to several Marvel characters who are outside of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four, including Deadpool, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Doctor Strange.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will premiere in theaters nationwide on July 25.
While we do not have an exact date the group will begin greeting guests, Inside the Magic will keep readers updated as we learn more!
Are you excited to be able to meet The Fantastic Four at Disneyland