Disney Parks Teases Black Panther Expansion

Disney Parks is teasing a Black Panther expansion at one of their locations. The chairman of Disney Parks Experiences and Products, Josh D’Amaro mentioned the MCU’s beloved property during an Investor Summit this week. WDWNT reported his remarks about getting a Wakanda experience into the real world somewhere. This week also brought news of Disney committing to a $60 billion dollar spend on the parks over the next decade. Inside those comments to the SEC, the company argued for even more leveraging of the various brands and franchises in the attractions being brought to various parks. One of the popular additions to the Disney Parks is Avengers Campus. With Black Panther being one of the most popular corners of the MCU, seeing Wakanda represented makes a ton of sense.

“Imagine bringing Wakanda to life,” D’Amaro said. “In terms of bringing the latest Disney-Marvel-Pixar intellectual property to the parks, we haven’t come close to scratching the surface. And we have learned that incorporating Disney I.P. increases the return on investment significantly.”

Disney Investing $60 Billion Into The Parks

Just yesterday, Disney revealed that SEC filing to pour $60 billion into parks and experiences. While there have been challenges on other fronts resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the parks business is still strong. With that massive investment, Disney is putting even more of its weight behind the myriad Disneyland and Walt Disney World locations around the world. Part of the blueprint for more attractions is leaning into IP for whatever comes next.

Disney argues that it “will explore even more characters and franchises, including some that haven’t been leveraged extensively to date, as it embarks on a new period of significant growth domestically and internationally in its parks and resorts.”

“We believe that the company’s financial condition is strong and that its cash balances, other liquid assets, operating cash flows, access to capital markets and borrowing capacity under current bank facilities, taken together, provide adequate resources to fund ongoing operating requirements, contractual obligations, upcoming debt maturities as well as future capital expenditures related to the expansion of existing businesses and development of new projects,” the company wrote in the 8-K filing with the SEC.

Black Panther and DisneylandForward Initiative

DisneylandForward was announced a little while ago with some accompanying Black Panther attraction concept art. The Disney initiative to work with the city of Anaheim to widen the parks’ offerings had a lot of fans excited. It would see the expansion of their territory in the California city. While nothing has become official yet. It’s clear that Disney sees the Disney California Adventure park and Disneyland as some landing spots for that Wakanda attraction if they can secure more space.

The company told the Orange County Business Journal, they were “seeking additional square footage or hotel rooms beyond what is currently approved and allowed,” apart from simply working, “with the city and community to update our existing approvals to allow for integrated development to be located and built throughout Disney properties.”

Disney would also offer, “We are at the very early stages of this effort with the city, and this multiyear process will include many opportunities for public involvement.”

Would you like to see a Black Panther Disneyland ride? Let us know in the comments down below!