In 2009, Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment Inc. for a cool $4 billion. They did the same with Lucasfilm three years later, eventually taking over full rights to beloved Spider-Man and Iron Man franchises.
Fan boy theories following each acquisition aren't hard to guess. Once Star Wars sequels and annual Avengers'-connected films were confirmed, the question became whether Disney would make these storied comic book franchises into real-life theme park attractions.
This week, the fantasy came one step closer to becoming reality.
Disney recently bought three adjoining parcels of land near its flagship Disneyland theme park, fueling speculation that a possible expansion could include Marvel or Star Wars characters. This coincides with the company's promise to invest $1 billion into its Anaheim resort in exchange for a 30-year break on entertainment taxes.
According to Themeparkinsider.com founder Robert Niles, the more pressing need is to expand parking lots for the waves of people superhero-themed rides would attract.
"Fans should expect to see that new parking before any new Star Wars or Marvel attractions debut at the resort," Niles wrote on an Aug. 5 post. "Anyone who's driven to Disneyland on a Friday afternoon when all annual passes are valid knows that parking gets tight at the resort. Add Star Wars Land into the mix, and parking would become impossible."
The area consists of two occupied office buildings and a small Harbor Boulevard hotel built on 14.7 acres, worth an approximate $60 million. While the hopes is costumed Spider-Mans' and Obi-Wan Kenobis' will grace these grounds one day, Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said expanding either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure may not necessarily be a part of this blueprint.
"With the resort's continued growth resulting in additional cast members and a record number of guests, this property will help to support additional infrastructure needs, including warehouse and office space and parking," Brown said in speaking with the L.A. Times.
For now, comic book fans will have to settle of on-screen adaptations, like the highly anticipated "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" release in December.