If you’ve visited Disney California Adventure or, more likely, had your TikTok algorithm churn out some Marvel Cinematic Universe videos, chances are you’ve come across its fourth-wall-breaking attraction, “Story Time With Deadpool.” Now, the attraction is making headlines because its Deadpool & Wolverine-inspired performers joke made a tongue-in-cheek reference to a recent wrongful death lawsuit filed against their parent company while quipping about Disney+’s terms and conditions.
In a TikTok video from user gothgirl_doesdisney, the attraction’s Deadpool actor regaled the audience on the tale of “Cinderpool.” During the dramatic story, Deadpool joked about Cinderpool being late because “he had to read every single page in the terms and conditions when he signed up for Disney+.” Wolverine’s actor chimed in after a mix of nervous laughter from onlookers, saying he didn’t get the reference. Which in turn, laid up Deadpool’s Abbott and Costello-esque response, saying, “They do.”
For those unaware, Disney recently tried to get a “wrongful death” lawsuit filed against it thrown out. According to CNN, the plaintiff, Jeffrey Piccolo, filed the lawsuit after his wife died at Disney Springs; she’d gone into anaphylactic shock after dining at one of the resort’s restaurants in 2019. Deadpool’s quip about reading Disney+’s terms and conditions comes into play when you consider that Disney claimed Piccolo couldn’t sue because he signed up for a free Disney+ trial that same year. Within the Disney+ trial’s terms and conditions was a clause that said all legal action against the company must be forced through arbitration. In layman’s terms, it had fine print that prevents the company from facing litigation.
Understandably, folks online were outraged by how evil the Mouse House’s legalese mindset was in the face of death on its premises. Last week, Disney did an about-face, with Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro releasing a statement announcing that the company has waived its right to arbitration and is allowing the matter to proceed in court.
That could be why the Deadpool performer was OK to make the joke. Even still, folks watching “Story Time with Deadpool” seemed appalled the attraction would go so far as to allude to it in an off-the-cuff joke during a performance. io9 reached out to a Disneyland representative for clarification or comment, and we’ll update this piece if or when we hear back.
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