While Disney World is lacking somewhat in the Marvel department, if you consider other Disney Parks, such as Disneyland Resort California, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland, then things start to feel as epic as the MCU franchise.
But until you figure out how to travel around the planet superhero-style (methods of transportation that are not yet available), here are some of the best Marvel experiences throughout Disney Parks.
1. Guardians of the Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT! – Disneyland Resort California
Located at the all-new Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park (whose Hong Kong and Paris-counterparts are still under construction), Guardians of the Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT! is an experience that will really whet your appetite for the upcoming Cosmic Rewind at Disney World. But with that said, this is no roller coaster…
Enter the Collector’s Fortress and marvel – pun intended – at his collection of relics and species from throughout the universe. But if your memory serves you well, then you’ll recall that the Collector isn’t one of the heroes. In fact, he has all the heroes in captivity – yes, Star-Lord, Rocket, Drax, Groot and Gamora need some help. But when don’t they?
Luckily, Rocket breaks free, but things get a little chaotic when your elevator free-falls from the top of the tower, all the while the anthropomorphic, animatronic raccoon gets to work saving his friends, with a little help from a mixed tape and incredible special effects! Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, the Halloween-themed version of the ride, also returns on September 3 this year.
2. WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure – Disneyland Resort California
This list just wouldn’t work without a Spider-Man-related adventure, and there’s no better example than WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Swing into action with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and watch as he battles Spider-Bots across Avengers Campus.
You might not be able to do whatever a spider can, but you will be able to board the WEB Slinger, a vehicle that will allow you to spin a web any size, so that you can help Peter Parker catch those bots just like flies, and save the day at Disneyland California Adventure Park! To get in on the action, guests must join the virtual queue using the Disneyland mobile app.
And if you wish to feel like Spider-Man himself, check out some tech at the park’s very own spidey-themed store WEB Suppliers. Pick up apparel, accessories, pins, gifts, houseware, toys and plush. You won’t leave being able to shoot web from your wrists, but you can purchase at-home-kits that will enable you to weave your very own webs nonetheless.
3. Avengers Campus – Disneyland Paris & Hong Kong Disneyland
While Disneyland California’s Avengers Campus has already been open for several weeks, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland are yet to open the doors to their very own versions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe-themed superhero land, which are said to be set within the ‘Marvel Theme Park Universe’, an alternate reality to the MCU.
The Disney California Adventure version features WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT! The Disneyland Paris version will feature an Iron Man-themed roller coaster, as well as its own version of the Spider-Man ride. Hong Kong Disneyland’s version will be Stark Expo-themed, and will include Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! and more.
While no official dates have been revealed for Disneyland Paris or Hong Kong Disneyland, we know that the former will be in 2022, and the latter in 2023. But at least we have a good idea of the variety we can expect – at Disneyland California, besides the attractions, there’s Avengers Headquarters and Ancient Sanctum from Doctor Strange, and themed eateries such as Pym Test Kitchen and Shawarma Palace.
4. Avengers Training Initiative – Shanghai Disney Resort
We’ve talked about attractions and themed lands, but Shanghai Disney Resort’s Tomorrowland is also home to an Avengers-themed stage show. The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have arrived alongside S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives to recruit some new talent – and guests are welcome to partake in this interactive experience that will truly immerse you into the world of the MCU.
Guests also have the opportunity to ‘train’ alongside their favorite heroes, such as Black Panther and Captain Marvel. The show boasts some heroic music, impressive choreography, cool aesthetics, and even a special welcome message from Tony Stark aka Iron Man himself. An Avengers inauguration just doesn’t get better than this!
Tomorrowland’s Gardens of Imagination is also a great place to grab a selfie with some of your favorite heroes – whether it’s Iron Man, Captain America, Ant-Man or Spider-Man. Here you’ll also find Marvel Mementos, home to plenty of Marvel-themed merchandise, including costumes so that you can suit up and ‘assemble’ your own team. But remember – every ensemble needs a Hulk.
5. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! – Hong Kong Disneyland
Like Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland features several Marvel-themed experiences, but one definitely worth calling out is Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! There are several Disney Park experiences that allow you to “shrink” in size and see the world through smaller eyes, but none are as expertly done as this one.
This adventure sees you teaming up with Ant-Man and The Wasp as they battle to stop classified S.H.I.E.L.D. documents from being stolen by Hydra. Board the ‘Hivebot’ and shrink to the size of the world’s smallest heroes, and battle thousands of the aptly-named ‘Swarmbots’ as you fight to protect the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science & Technology Pavilion’s Data Core.
There are many other Marvel experiences at Shanghai Disney Resort too, including the Iron Man Experience and Iron Man Tech Showcase, as well as several character meet-and-greets. Watch the Avengers ‘assemble’ in the form of Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America, Captain Marvel and Spider-Man at the Expo Assembly Station.
6. Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel – Disneyland Paris
There is perhaps no other city on the planet that’s as Marvel as Manhattan – which is why you should probably head over to Paris to experience it! The Disney’s Hotel New York has been given a marvel-lous makeover – again, pun intended – and is now known as Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel. What can you expect, though? Well, the clue’s in the name…
The 4-star hotel celebrates one of the biggest franchises ever, boasting 350 pieces of unique artwork that span the cosmos and showcase your favorite Marvel superheroes. This metropolitan masterpiece is the place to be for any fan of the franchise – whether it’s the movies or the comic books, or both.
In fact, speaking of the comic books, when you stay at this hotel, you’ll feel like you’ve been sucked into the pages themselves. The hotel features the Marvel Design Studio where you can flex your superhero-drawing muscles, photo opportunities with your favorite web-crawler and more, along with of course several rooms, each adorned with incredible Marvel artwork.
Disney World will soon have its fair share of Marvel too, though, in the form of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The roller coaster attraction currently being built at Epcot will arrive sometime during the resort’s 18-month-long 50th anniversary celebrations, which begin on October 1 this year. In the meantime, check out Super Hero Headquarters at Disney Springs, where you’ll find a treasure trove of unique Marvel merchandise.
