Why Marvel Fans Should Seriously Go to Universal!

With the Marvel Cinematic Universe taking the world by storm, Disney is finding ways to incorporate the superheroes into their Parks and Resorts. Due to a whole bunch of legal red tape, however, Disney is limited in the Marvel characters and references they can add to Walt Disney World in Florida.

Marvel fans need not fret! The next time you go to Orlando, make sure you set aside some time to go Universal!

First, a (very) brief history lesson as to why Marvel Super Hero Island still exists.  In 1994, Universal Pictures, at the time owned by MCA Inc., acquired not only the film rights to several Marvel characters but to Marvel’s theme park rights as well. This agreement exists in perpetuity, and it also dictates usage of Marvel characters in non-Universal theme parks.

Disney’s 2009 acquisition of Marvel does not have any impact on Universal’s theme park rights. Then-CEO Bob Iger said that they would honor any other agreements Marvel had with competitors, which included Universal. ALL of that is to say, Universal can still have their Marvel Super Hero Island, despite Disney’s gargantuan success with the franchise! Disney is limited to characters and films that were not used by Universal in its east-of-the-Mississippi park, which is why they can use Guardians of the Galaxy but not, for example, the Incredible Hulk.

Now let’s talk about Marvel Super Hero Island! The land itself feels like you stepped into a comic book, with a cityscape feel at every turn. There are four main attractions in Marvel Super Hero Island. The first is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, which was a first-of-its-kind motion-based 3D dark ride.

Next, there’s The Incredible Hulk Coaster, which is often seen as one of the park’s main icons. The remaining two attractions are Doctor Doom’s Fearfall, a spaceshot ride, and Storm Force Accelatron, a teacup ride themed after Storm, one of the X-Men.

You can also meet several characters from Marvel in Marvel Super Hero Island. These include characters you can also meet at Disneyland on the West Coast where Disney can use more Marvel property, like Captain America and Spider-Man. (This is due to that agreement we talked about above, which uses the Mississippi River as a line of demarcation when it comes to Marvel rights.) At Marvel Super Hero Island, you can also meet characters like Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and Rogue, which at this time do not appear in any Disney park.

To make things even COOLER, Universal has a character dining experience at Marvel Super Hero Island. Marvel Character Dinner at Cafe 4 may be the most literal name for a character meal we’ve ever heard, but where else can you DINE with Captain America? Prices are currently $49.99 per adult and $24.99 per child. This meal is only offered at select times and on select dates, so be sure to check ahead of your visit! (Note: character experiences may vary as the Universal parks move through their reopening.)

If you’re a die-hard Marvel fan, at this time you’re bound to find WAY more to see and to at Universal Orlando as opposed to Disney World. If you want your Marvel experience to come with a set of Mickey Mouse ears, you’re better off heading over to Disneyland, where Avengers Campus is slated to open this year!

What is your favorite attraction or experience at Marvel Super Hero Island in Universal Orlando? Let us know in the comments!

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