Newly minted Disney CEO Bob Iger is taking over the scandal-plagued company just as Universal Studios appears to be having a resurgence over the once unbeatable brand Disney. Universal Studios has floundered in nearly all corners of the entertainment business, from films to theme parks.
As Breitbart News reported this week, Universal actually overtook Disney at the box office this year with its animated films largely due to the fact that it avoided woke pushing woke politics while Disney alienated audiences at every turn. Now, even Disney’s much-coveted theme park brand faces stiff competition from Universal Studios with the upcoming release of the new “Super Nintendo World” in Hollywood, California. Per ABC7:
The new expanded area will make its debut Feb. 17, 2023, with rides, attractions and a restaurant. It will feature the new ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, and new features and attractions in the Mushroom Kingdom. The new Toadstool Cafe will offer food and drinks and the 1-UP Factory will provide Nintendo-themed merchandise.
Visitors will pass through Peach’s Castle on their way to the Mushroom Kingdom that includes Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. Power Up Bands, wearable interactive wristbands, will be available for visitors to enhance their experience.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is based on the video game series and gives riders an augmented reality experience along a moving ride track with a variety of outcomes.
Combined with the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” Universal Studios will soon be offering a wide range of experiences from a diverse set of (exceedingly non-woke) intellectual property brands while Disney will be fighting to earn back the goodwill it squandered by pushing LGBTQ politics on once child-friendly brands like Toy Story, Marvel, and even the recent Disney+ series Willow, the sequel to the relatively innocent 1980s fantasy movie.
In its theme parks, Disney has been treading water for nearly a year, with recent price hikes putting it on track to becoming a haven for the wealthy one percent as opposed to the “happiest place on earth” for middle-income families. Since 2021, Walt Disney World has been losing attendance to Universal Studios in Orlando, according to a recent report in October from WDWMagic. While the “Magic Kingdom” had an estimated total of 12.7 million visitors, both Universal theme parks “Islands of Adventure” and “Universal Studios Florida” earned 9 million and 8.9 million visitors, respectively.
Should the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie in 2023 avoid the trap of pushing woke politics in a children’s movie, the film will likely perform well at the box office, further ingratiating the already thriving Nintendo brand with parents looking for a safe, politics-free alternative for their kids.