4. Pixar

The deal that made Steve Jobs a big stakeholder in the Walt Disney Company has made some serious waves in Disney’s theme park business over the past couple of decades. Obviously, a number of attractions are inspired by Pixar movies such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and more. Perhaps more interesting, however, is the number of specific areas devoted to Pixar properties, both in the United States and abroad. There are:

• A Bug’s Land at California Adventure
• Cars Land at California Adventure
• Toy Story Playland at Walt Disney Studios Park and Hong Kong Disneyland (and soon to appear at Disney's Hollywood Studios, if recent rumors are to be believed...)

Having three distinct themed areas when Pixar has only released ten original properties is extremely impressive. What all those lands have in common is their mass appeal for children. Children are the ones who can become the most entrenched in the Disney theme park magic, and Pixar has made that happen.

5. Marvel

This is the first of two Disney acquisitions that we don’t quite know yet what kind of impact it will have on the theme parks. Only time really will tell. We can look at what we DO know, though.

With the rights in Orlando firmly in the hands of Universal Studios, the Marvel characters have thus far been limited to appearing at Disneyland's Innoventions in the US (which has recently closed). Internationally, Spider-Man has a meet and greet at Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, and The Iron Man Experience at Hong Kong Disneyland is expected to open sometime next year. Even though I personally wonder if Marvel properties are the best choice for the Disney parks, it's clear that these properties will have an increasing presence at Disney parks, even if Walt Disney World is excluded for now. 

6. Lucasfilm

Star Wars is a seminal film series for a number of generations, and the fact that Disney now owns the rights has huge implications. We know that Star Wars Land is on its way to Hollywood Studios, and a truncated version is heavily rumored to be on its way to Disneyland as well. Though we don't have any specifics to report at this time (an announcement isn't expected until later this year), we're willing to bet that a beefed up Star Wars presence at either park will draw serious crowds.