Bluey is way and away Disney’s hottest streaming present, and is a cultural phenomenon amongst households with babies. This leads many mother and father to surprise the place at Walt Disney World their children can journey a Bluey attraction, expertise a present or dance occasion or, on the very least, hug the lovely heeler pups from the well-known Disney+ present.
Nicely…about that. Whereas it’s true that Bluey is the preferred present on Disney+, it isn’t Disney’s. Bluey is a morass of rights, however the backside line is that Bluey is managed and produced by Ludo Studio, and funded by the Australian Broadcasting Corp., BBC Studios, and native authorities businesses.
Disney licensed Bluey earlier than it turned an enormous hit as a technique to spherical out the restricted lineup on its nascent Disney+ streaming service in 2019. Sadly, Disney doesn’t have the theme park rights to Bluey, and as such, the characters don’t seem at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or any of the worldwide parks. If all you need is the quick reply of the titular query, it’s nothing. However as you would possibly’ve guessed, there’s extra to the story…
As talked about above, Bluey is a cultural phenomenon. It’s an worldwide generational hit, in style not simply in Australia and the USA, however just about in all places. In China, Bluey’s third season has been seen 100 million occasions because it appeared on iQiyi, the nation’s Netflix.
Individuals watched 731 million hours of Bluey final yr. It wasn’t simply essentially the most watched children’ present in the USA final yr, Bluey was the second most streamed present after Fits, which advantages from an extended format, far more episodes, and being on a number of streaming providers. In reality, Bluey accounts for roughly 30% of complete TV present views on Disney+ (that means it’s not competing with Moana, Encanto, Frozen or different films).
Those that are already acquainted with Bluey want no clarification of the present’s reputation. In case your children are hooked on it, you might be probably hooked on it. Bluey is all-consuming and omnipresent. However for those who’ve solely heard about Bluey in passing, the essential gist of the present is that it revolves across the day by day lives of the Heeler household, consisting of 7-year-old Bluey and her (sure, Bluey is a woman–identical to Kevin from Up!) youthful sister, Bingo, in addition to their mother and father Bandit and Chilli.
It’s arduous to articulate what, precisely, Bluey is. It’s sort of like Fashionable Household however for babies, with the sensibilities of Sesame Avenue and Studio Ghibli. That’s an undoubtedly horrible clarification, so I’d merely advise you–as another person did for me–to take ~8 minutes of your time and watch “Sleepytime.” That’ll do a greater job than I might fumbling for a proof with one other thousand phrases or no matter.
“Sleepytime” was my first publicity to Bluey, and with that, it immediately clicked for me. Bluey isn’t the standard obnoxious youngsters’s programming. It’s extra like the tv model of Calvin & Hobbes. It’s as a lot for fogeys as it’s children–maybe extra so–and guides everybody by the journey of childhood and parenthood all of sudden.
The underside line, and level of all this, is that Bluey just isn’t merely the flavour of the week in child’s tv. It’s the uncommon present that has managed to seize lightning in a bottle, and the collective consideration and imaginations of its viewers. Bluey is extra like Recreation of Thrones, The Workplace, Associates, or Seinfeld on this regard. Clearly, very completely different kinds of reveals–however equally in style.
That is all related as a result of it implies that, not like a flash-in-the-pan hit on Disney Jr., Bluey is completely different. It is going to nearly actually be enduring. And given Disney’s affinity for acquisitions, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than Bluey will get purchased or, on the very least, the corporate obtains the theme park rights to the franchise.
Talking of which, a supply acquainted with Disney’s unique Bluey deal in 2019 informed Bloomberg that the corporate’s shopper merchandise division had the prospect on the time to license the present’s merchandising and theme park rights from BBC Studios, however Disney opted to cross on them. (Maybe Disney negotiated with GOB, who managed to keep up theme park rights to Mr. Bananagrabber, Child Bananagrabber, and another Bananagrabber household character which may emanate there from.)
That very same report signifies that Disney now regrets passing on theme park rights to Bluey. As a result of, clearly they do. Disney purchased the rights to Bluey earlier than it turned a large hit–it’s truthful to say passing over theme park rights was shortsighted. At the very least, with the advantage of hindsight. If this weblog is getting questions on Bluey at Walt Disney World, you may solely think about how inundated Disney is with these inquiries. Children don’t perceive IP rights–they simply know they watch Bluey on Disney+, due to this fact, it’s Disney. It’s sound logic!
In that very same Bloomberg report, Disney declined to touch upon whether or not the corporate has explored trying to purchase Bluey. No remark is critical, although. Disney CEO Bob Iger loves acquisitions, and has continued down that path at the same time as the corporate has had monetary woes. There’s no approach they haven’t tried to purchase Bluey.
No matter whether or not or not Bluey is acquired outright by the Walt Disney Firm, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than these passed-over theme park rights are acquired. Because the $2 billion empire continues to develop, Bluey merchandise is changing into extra ubiquitous, and its collective rightholders are dipping their toes into interactive experiences within the type of pop-up places all over the world.
The most important of those is Bluey’s World, a guided immersive expertise on the Northshore Pavilion in Brisbane, Queensland. Bluey’s World will provide a extra everlasting place to discover the Heeler household’s iconic Queenslander residence, yard and past – in actual life!
Discover a number of rooms and play video games from Bluey, as you embark on an interactive journey along with your information by the colourful and playful world of Bluey. This expansive, multi-sensory expertise options real-life units, recognisable scenes, and beloved characters and video games from hit-show Bluey.
It appears inevitable that Bluey will proceed to increase on these experiences, and Walt Disney World is a logical subsequent step for quite a lot of causes. At the start is that Disney actually wants the sort of a win. We’ve been discussing ways in which Walt Disney World can “compete” with Epic Universe, which is Common Orlando’s new theme park that opens in 2025. Spoiler alert: there isn’t a complete lot that matches a brand-new theme park in scale, scope, or potential reputation.
The listing comprises plenty of little issues and leisure choices which are achievable on a shorter timeline, together with hail marys like a Taylor Swift journey overlay of Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster. Very similar to that, a substantive Bluey providing would resonate deeply with a specific, passionate viewers.
Suffice to say, Bluey is among the only a few issues that wouldn’t essentially compete with Epic Universe, however would generate a large quantity of buzz and have big drawing in style for Walt Disney World in what’s going to in any other case be a tough couple of years in 2025-2026.
As for what we might anticipate to see in such a theoretical situation the place Walt Disney World is ready to use Bluey, one thing just like the Bluey’s World walk-through really makes a ton of sense. Imagineering was short-term displays like this with fast turnaround occasions–it’s exactly how Magic Kingdom ended up with the varied permutations of Toontown (RIP) within the first place.
Different reasonable choices embody one thing short-term again in Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (there’s plenty of unused area, and even when Monstropolis goes again right here, this space might keep open for one more yr or longer), a cavalcade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or integration into World Celebration at EPCOT (bear in mind, Bluey is Australian, so it’s sorta worldly!).
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is essentially the most logical touchdown location for Bluey, however logic might not dictate the place the characters find yourself. Want might. Except Walt Disney World has one thing up its sleeve for 2025, the park most in want of an attendance increase will likely be Animal Kingdom. About the one place I wouldn’t anticipate the characters is Magic Kingdom, as they merely aren’t wanted there.
In the end, it’ll be fascinating to see the place Bluey finally ends up touchdown at Walt Disney World. Or if the present’s characters come to the parks in any respect. As you’ve most likely gathered, my perspective is that it is a matter of “when” and never “if.” Disney already regrets passing on the theme park rights to Bluey, Bob Iger loves synergy and acquisitions, Bluey’s present rightsholders are clearly open to immersive experiences, and Walt Disney World wants a near-term shot within the arm. The celebrities are aligned, and it’s too excellent of a match for it to not occur.
Then once more, maybe that is wishful considering on my half as the daddy to a toddler who will likely be Bluey age quickly. I’ve seen different youngsters’s televisions reveals (for analysis), and they don’t seem to be good. On the contrary, most are very dangerous. Loud, obnoxious, chaotic, and uninteresting. It’s no surprise children have behavioral and a spotlight points after they’re watching crap like CoComelon. However that’s nicely past the scope of this submit. The underside line is that Bluey is definitely worthwhile, and I’m selfishly hopeful that the present’s characters seem at Walt Disney World within the subsequent few years.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Bluey coming to Walt Disney World? Does the Heeler household deserve a presence within the parks? Suppose Bluey leisure or characters could be good additions in Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, or Animal Kingdom? Hopeful that Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and different characters are added to leisure or as meet & greets ASAP? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
