Disney has a huge catalogue of IP’s that they own and can use as they see fit, and since they purchased 20th Century Fox, that catalogue has grown exponentially with Predator, Alien, and even Die Hard. It remains to be seen whether characters from their newly expanded library will ever make it into the Disney theme parks, but here I’ve curated a list of ten characters that I believe should have a presence at the Disney theme parks around the world.
Alongside the ten characters (including group characters), I have included which lands they could possibly be placed in and which parks. I’ve tried to include all 6 Disney theme park resorts.
I’ve also excluded Grogu and The Mandalorian and Raya and Sisu from Raya and the Last Dragon because I’m certain we’ll be seeing them in the Disney parks at some point in the future. Marvel characters who haven’t made physical appearances in the MCU have also been excluded.
This article is purely a fluff piece made for fun weekend reading and discussion. It’s not confirmation on what new characters are coming to the parks.
SPOILER ALERTS FOR:
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Avengers: Infinity War
- WandaVision
The Belcher Family
“When I die I want you to cremate me and throw my ashes in Tom Selleck’s face.”
– Linda Belcher
Since their debut in 2011, the Belcher family of Bob’s Burgers have quickly become just as beloved as The Simpsons. If you’re unfamiliar with Bob’s Burgers, the show follows the daily life of the Belcher family, who run a burger restaurant. With the help of a hilarious ensemble of supporting characters, we get to enjoy the madcap adventures that the family get themselves into.
Since The Simpsons are currently over at Universal Studios, Disney could capitalise on the popularity of their newly acquired adult animations by introducing the Belcher clan into their parks, maybe even build a Bob’s Burger’s restaurant? They could quite easily slot into the Hollywood themed areas of the Disney parks.
Where they could go:
- Hollywood Land at Disney’s California Adventure
- Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Production Courtyard at Walt Disney Studios Park
The resorts in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai don’t have appropriate locations for The Belcher family to go, plus I’m unsure of their popularity in Asia, so I decided to leave those resorts out for now. Although, Hong Kong does have a Hollywood Hotel, so maybe they could have meet and greets there?
Dolly Levi
“Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around, encouraging young things to grow.”
– Dolly Levi
Dolly Levi may be an unfamiliar name to some, but most have heard of the musical and film from which she’s from. Hello, Dolly! is one of the most popular musicals of all time.
Created by Thornton Wilder for his play, The Matchmaker, Dolly is a socialite and matchmaker who travels to Yonkers, New York, to find the perfect woman for Horace Vandergelder, a famous “half-millionaire.” The film adaptation is based on the 1964 musical adaptation of the play, and it stars Barbara Streisand and is directed by the one and only Gene Kelly. Despite achieving three Academy Award wins and a further four nominations, the film would not profit until later in its life. It has since become a popular hit among musical fans, and Dolly Levi’s iconic looks have ingrained themselves in the minds of many worldwide.
The show has seen countless productions worldwide, and the Dolly Levi character currently holds three Tony Awards. Two Best Actress Awards for Carol Channing, who originated the role on Broadway in 1964, and Bette Midler, who starred in the 2017 revival. The third goes to Pearl Bailey, who was a Broadway replacement as part of the all-Black revitalisation of the original Broadway production. Bailey wowed audiences and critics so much that they honoured her with a Special Tony Award since she was ineligible for Best Actress. This shows how popular Dolly is with audiences.
READ: Reopening Status of Every Disney Theme Park Around the World
Now, Disney owns the rights to the film, Dolly would be the perfect character to introduce to the parks, and she could potentially fit into multiple lands. Still, I think she would be best suited for Main Street, U.S.A, since she’s from around that general time period. Disney could pair her up with Mary Poppins because the two have fairly similar looks and great costumes that would help make the meet and greet pictures look spectacular. They also have the potential to pull from one of her many looks in the 1969 film version.
Dolly’s appearance has changed so much through the years, not only with the costumes but even her race and gender. It begs the question of which version Disney should use. Since it’s the film they own the rights to, it would likely be that version, but it would be fun if they had cast members of colour play her too since Dolly was one of the first blind-casted characters in Broadway history.
Where She Could Go:
- Main Street, U.S.A (all Disneyland parks except Shanghai)
- Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom
- The American Adventure at EPCOT
- *Gardens of Imagination at Shanghai Disneyland.
*Shanghai Disneyland doesn’t really have a place where she could go, so I’ve settled on Gardens of Imagination.
Ultron
“I had strings, but now I’m free. There are no strings on me…”
– Ultron
The maniacal robot hellbent on ending human life doesn’t exactly scream Disney, but now that Avengers Campus is open in Anaheim there would be no perfect place for such a monster.
The character made his live-action debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and he has somewhat of a presence in the parks as one of his drones can be found in the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout.
READ: Official Commercial Released for Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure
It makes sense that Ultron would be a character whose cast member is placed on stilts since he’s so tall, and Disney is no strangers to having character costumes include stilts, thanks to Groot. But Disney would have to be careful not to make him too much like the Transformers costumes found at Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida.
Where He Could Go:
- Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure & Walt Disney Studios Park
- Stark Expo at Hong Kong Disneyland
- Tomorrowland at Shanghai Disneyland
Due to the complicated Marvel theme park rights, I’m pretty sure Disney is locked out from using Ultron at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. But if they were allowed to use him, then he could go into their respective Tomorrowland’s.
Futurama
“I hope he didn’t die. Unless he left a note naming me his successor, then I hope he did die.”
– Bender
Everyone is so bewildered by The Simpsons becoming Disney property that we’ve neglected to see that so has Matt Groening’s other animated sitcom, Futurama. Running from 1999-2003 and then again from 2008-2013, the series follows Fry after he wakes up 1000 years in the future after accidentally freezing himself. From then on, he lives and works alongside his distant nephew, Professor Farnsworth, who runs an intergalactic delivery service.
Futurama has many characters that Disney could put in the parks, but the obvious ones they should start with is the main trio: Fry, Leela, and Bender. Fry and Leela could easily be face characters that could speak to guests, while Bender makes sense as a costumed character (or “fur” character).
Where They Could Go:
- Tomorrowland/Discoveryland at the Disneyland Parks
- Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Nick Fury & Maria Hill
“I recognize the council has made a decision, but given that it’s a stupid-*ss decision, I’ve elected to ignore it.”
– Nick Fury
Considering that they were the faces of S.H.I.E.L.D until Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it’s quite surprising that Nick Fury and Maria Hill haven’t yet appeared in the Disney parks. Since the events that transpired in the 2014 film, they’ve been independent operatives working alongside The Avengers. So far, Nick Fury’s only live-action appearance outside of the films has been in the touring stunt show Marvel Universe Live, and Maria Hill is yet to make any appearance outside of the films.
With Avengers Campus now open in Anaheim, there is no better place to host the two characters. They would especially be suited for the stunt show featuring Black Widow and Spider-Man.
Where They Could Go:
- Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure & Walt Disney Studios Park
- Stark Expo at Hong Kong Disneyland
- Tomorrowland at Shanghai Disneyland
As mentioned previously, those Marvel rights are tricky when it comes to Florida and Japan due to Universal Studios. But if they can be used then Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland would be the best fit for Japan, but instead of the Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios for Florida, I would propose them having a meet & greet in EPCOT near Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
K-2SO
“There Were A Lot Of Explosions For Two People Blending In.”
– K-2SO
Once an imperial droid, K-2SO was hijacked and reprogrammed by Cassian Andor, becoming his faithful yet smart-mouthed companion. With the legendary Alan Tudyk voicing, K-2SO quickly became one of the funniest Star Wars characters in the franchises entire history.
Unfortunately, K-2SO did perish alongside the rest of the Rogue One squadron during the film’s finale. Still, his relevance as an IP isn’t completely gone because he is set to return in the prequel series Andor, which is currently filming. Once the series is released on Disney+, there would be no better time to debut him in the parks, possibly alongside his pal, Cassian?
READ: Disneyland Trip Report: One Month After Reopening
How K-2SO could be brought to life is tricky since he’s so tall. It wouldn’t look right if he were a cast member in a suit like Groot or the Transformers characters at Universal, so I personally think it would be fun to have him come to life as an interactive Audio-Animatronic controlled by a cast member behind the scenes.
Placing K-2SO in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge seems like the obvious choice, but since the land is currently canon-locked between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, around thirty years after his death, he would have to go elsewhere. However, this could potentially change in the future if some rumours do come true.
Where He Could Go:
- Tomorrowland/Discoveryland at the Disneyland parks
- Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios*
*Animation Courtyard sounds odd on paper, but that is where Star Wars: Launch Bay is located in this park.
Wanda Maximoff & Vision
“A family is forever. We could never truly leave each other even if we tried.” – Wanda
Shockingly, fan-favourites Wanda Maximoff and Vision haven’t made an appearance in the Disney parks, even with the opening of Avengers Campus. Since the new land is set in a separate universe to the MCU where the snap didn’t happen, theoretically, the original Vision was never killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, so he could potentially make an appearance in the land.
The two characters popularity only grew with the release of their limited series, WandaVision, which had fans go absolutely go crazy every Friday. Wanda is also set to appear in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she may or may not be one of the villains.
While the two have their standard costumes from the MCU films, thanks to WandaVision, not only does Wanda now don an updated version of her classic Scarlett Witch costume but the shifting time periods of the series allowed for different costume designs from the I Love Lucy style of the 1950s to their Halloween outfits in the 1980s themed episode. If Disney wanted to go to the extra limits, Wanda and Vision could regularly appear in their usual costumes, but maybe we could see them alternate between their various costumes from WandaVision during the Halloween season.
Where They Could Go:
- Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure & Walt Disney Studios Park
- Stark Expo at Hong Kong Disneyland
- Tomorrowland at Shanghai Disneyland (and if possible, Magic Kingdom & Tokyo Disneyland)
The Sanderson Sisters
“Oh look, another glorious morning. Makes me sick!” – Winifred Sanderson
Yes, The Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus have an annual Halloween show at the Magic Kingdon, but they’ve yet to appear in any parades, meet and greets, and actually… any other Disney park.
READ: Thora Birch Teases ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Involvement
For the unfamiliar, the Sanderson Sisters are the main antagonists of the 1993 cult classic Hocus Pocus. Once hung for witchcraft in old Salem, the sisters are resurrected some 300 years later, after a virgin lights their black flame candle. They then have one night to suck the lives out of as many children as possible, or else they will be sent back to hell. It’s quite the ghoulish plot for a Walt Disney Pictures film, but it’s much more fun than it sounds.
With Hocus Pocus 2 gearing up to start filming this Autumn, I would say that there would be no better time than now to introduce the trio to the parks to reintroduce them to older fans and introduce them to younger generations.
Where They Could Go:
- Fantasyland at the Disneyland parks
- Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom
Brandy’s Cinderella & Whitney Houston’s Fairy Godmother
“And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes
Impossible things are happ’ning every day!”
– The Fairy Godmother
The Disney parks are no stranger to Cinderella’s tale; after all, she was one of the first Disney Princesses. She even has her own castle in Florida and Tokyo and shares two more wither her fellow princesses in Hong Kong and Shanghai parks. But it’s not the animated classic from 1950 I’m talking about here, but the 1997 made-for-TV movie starring Brandy and Whitney Houston.
The film follows the same plot as most Cinderalla adaptations, except it features music and songs by the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein. Originally made for television in 1957, the Julie Andrews film has been remade twice (including Disney’s 1997 version) and has even been adapted for the stage. Including popular songs such as “Impossible,” the 1997 version has become a cult classic among Disney fans. It also holds a very special place in the hearts of many members of the African Diaspora (particularly in North America and the UK) as it is the first mainstream film to feature a Black princess, and technically, the first Disney film to star one.
The film has slipped under many radars over the years but has maintained a steady fanbase and had a recent resurgence of attention thanks to it becoming available to stream on Disney+ earlier this year.
The films versions of Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother have never appeared in any Disney parks, probably because there is already a Cinderella and a Fairy Godmother regularly appearing in almost all the parks. Still, with the limited appearances of Angelina Jolie’s version of Maleficent in the past, I see no reason why Brandy and Whitney Houston’s versions couldn’t make a seasonal appearance, possibly during February when the United States and France (albeit unofficially) celebrate Black History Month.
Where They Could Appear:
- Fantasyland at the Disneyland parks
Agatha Harkness
“Who’s been messing up everything? It’s been Agatha all along!”
– Lyrics from “Agatha All Along.”
Agatha Harkness HAS to make an appearance in the parks at some point. She just has to! In one quick swoop (accompanied by one catchy as f- theme song), Agatha quickly became one of, if not the most popular villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The witch harkens (pun intended) back to the days of the Salem witch trials, where she was to be executed by her own coven for meddling with dark magic. However, her ability to rip the magic from other witches helped her survive. We, as an audience, first meet Agatha in Westview, where she’s pretending to be Wanda and Vision’s nosy next-door neighbour, who regularly stops by to help out with Wanda’s needs. It’s not until the last few episodes that we discover that she has been pretending to be afflicted by Wanda’s spell and spying on the Maximoff family the entire time, eventually figuring out that Wanda is the fabled Scarlett Witch, a being more powerful than the sorcerer supreme.
READ: Production On Marvel’s ‘Ironheart’, ‘Echo’ Series Could Begin As Soon As Next Year
Like the rest of Westview, Agatha has many different costumes Disney could use, from her 50s dress to her witch costume. But we all know it would be fun to meet her, no matter the garb.
But where could she go? That is a tricky question because, as of right now, Agatha doesn’t really fit within Avengers Campus, but the new land in California does have an entrance that leads directly into Hollywood Land. I think an Agatha meet and greet would be perfect just on the edge of both Avengers Campus and Hollywood Land, especially if it’s the Westview version of Agatha. If Wanda were to make a park debut, only then do I think Agatha would fit into Avengers Campus, possibly as part of a show featuring the two.
Where She Could Go:
- Avengers Campus/Hollywood Land at Disney’s California Adventure
- Avengers Campus/Production Courtyard at Walt Disney Studios
- Stark Expo at Hong Kong Disneyland
- Fantasyland at Tokyo Disneyland & Shanghai Disneyland
And that’s the list. I hope you enjoyed this little weekend fluff piece. Are there any characters I missed, or do you disagree with any? Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter!
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