Avengers Campus New Marvel Rides Construction Goes Vertical at Disney California Adventure
Imagineering has revealed a first look at the progress to expand Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, which is doubling in size with the addition of two new rides, Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense. Construction is now vertical on these attractions being built backstage!
Ground was broken on this expansion towards the beginning of this year, and we’ve been closely watching the project’s construction progress over the last few months from the former Fun Wheel. Now, a major milestone has been reached as the first steel beam has been lifted into place.
Construction has kicked into higher gear in the last few months, with construction walls encompassing more of the area in Avengers Campus and between the Marvel area and Cars Land as more land has been cleared. Most notably, a tall crane has appeared on site and is visible from around Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Esplanade, and even Harbor Boulevard.
Which brings us to the big news: Walt Disney Imagineering posted photos on Instagram of the project team standing in the future home of the new attractions, backstage on the cleared construction site between Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT and Cars Land, as the aforementioned crane lowers the first steel column into place.
Here’s the caption: “Equipping more guests to become Super Heroes requires equipment! The expansion of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park went vertical this morning with the first steel column lifted into place. New, thrilling attractions will join the campus, doubling its size in the future.”
The big question is when these two new attractions will open. Of the two attractions, Avengers Infinity Defense is the much more complex and meaty attraction. It’s an unequivocal E-Ticket, whereas Stark Flight Lab is clearly a secondary and more basic attraction. It’s filler to round out the ride roster, and we don’t mean that in a disparaging way.
Stark Flight Lab could, in theory, open as soon as 2026 if Disneyland so desires. That is, assuming it can be built and open in a such a way that is conducive to construction continuing on Avengers Infinity Defense. There’s also the question of whether Disney actually wants to open the two attractions separately.
We doubt they do. Disney has likely learned the hard way that bifurcated land openings pack less of a punch, as evidenced by Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, so we suspect the doubling of Avengers Campus will open all at once in late 2027 or 2028. (On the other hand, the staggered approach might still be beneficial at local-centric Disneyland Resort; perhaps the issue with SWGE that they’ll learn from is more about managing expectations.)
Given the relative complexity of Avengers Infinity Defense, our best guess is that construction on that will take much longer.
Right now, the pace of the project is about on par with Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, which Disney has already given a 2027 timeline. Avengers Campus appears to be slightly ahead, as Tropical Americas has yet to go vertical, but a crane is now on site there, so that’s likely to happen any day now.
Of course, this doesn’t account for differences between the two projects in scope, scale, or construction challenges (swamps vs. urban California). Setting aside all of that, which is admittedly a ton to set aside, it’s still our belief that Avengers Campus Phase 2 and Tropical Americas are fairly comparable.
Our best guess is that Avengers Infinity Defense opens between Christmas 2027 and Summer 2028. Here’s hoping that’s wrong, and Disney finds a way to condense its construction timeline. In all likelihood, these are the next new attractions to opening as part of Disneyland’s upcoming development cycle, so perhaps they’ll prioritize the project in an attempt to get it done ASAP.
Even so, it’s going to be a challenge to debut the new area by late 2027 given the current pace of work. Usually projects start moving faster once things go vertical, so perhaps the next several months will be reassuring and we’ll start to see the show buildings rising over the walls. Either way, late 2027 to mid-2028 is probably the most realistic window for Avengers Campus Phase 2 (and Tropical Americas, for that matter).
If you’re unfamiliar with Stark Flight Lab or Avengers Infinity Defense, here’s more info…
In Stark Flight Lab, guests will sit in “gyro-kinetic pods” and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm. This robot arm will hoist you into the air where you’ll make several high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man and some other Avengers.
A familiar face will join you at the Stark Flight Lab — Mr. Stark himself. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Tony Stark for the attractions in the land. Stark Flight Lab seems sweet and simple, hence our belief that it could open by 2026 if Disney has the appetite.
It reminds me a lot of Sum of All Thrills at EPCOT, but as an open air attraction. That extinct attractions in the former Innoventions (along with the anglerfish in the Seas with Nemo & Friends) used KUKA Arm technology. Sum of All Thrills was pretty cool–and clearly ahead of its time. Sum of All Thrills was also woefully inefficient, with atrocious hourly throughput. Turning this into an actual ‘ride’ with a track and multiple robotic arm stations should address that issue.
You can read more about this attraction in our Stark Flight Lab: Everything We Know So Far post.
Avengers Infinity Defense will occur in a version of the Multiverse where Thanos won. When joining battle with the Avengers, you never know what foes you’ll face from anywhere and everywhen. Avengers Infinity Defense will feature a brand new story. This family-friendly attraction will give guests the opportunity to team up with more of the Avengers and their allies from across the Multiverse to battle against enemies, led by King Thanos.
Technology that allows the Avengers to jump between worlds has gone missing, and King Thanos is using it to wreak havoc everywhere. Recruits will travel to iconic locations like Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City alongside the likes of big, and small, heroes. You also just might find yourself face-to-face with King Thanos, too.
Based on what Imagineering has shown so far of Avengers Infinity Defense, it’ll be a screen-centric attraction that also moves through physical sets with show scenes and built environments. When it comes to domestic attractions, the best comparisons are probably Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, or the Spider-Man and Harry Potter attractions at Universal.
Marvel super heroes have created a new vehicle capable of jumping between worlds and even realities – on planet Earth and beyond. The design combines elements of Tony Stark’s time-suits with Xandarian jump points and Wakandan technology to create a vehicle that combines portal technology and flight capabilities to maneuver through the skies, transporting heroes to remote worlds in a matter of moments.
Speaking of which, the ride vehicle was on display in the Imagineering booth at the 2024 D23 Expo, and it’s the same as the one utilized by Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure in Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea. You can read our review, which describes that as Avatar Flight of Passage meets Universal’s Spider-Man, for somewhat of a “sneak peek” at what to expect from this Marvel E-Ticket. This is the best comparison of all, as it’s our strong suspicion that Avengers Infinity Defense will be a lot like that, except in the Marvel Multiverse instead of Never Land.
I love Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure; it makes Sarah nauseated. I would expect the ride profiles to be fairly similar, with Avengers Infinity Defense being a bit more intense while still fitting the family-friendly label. (I don’t know how you do a completely family-friendly Marvel ride with a battle against King Thanos, but the Peter Pan ride does the same with Captain Hook–so who knows.)
The bottom line is that Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is excellent–a long and meaty E-Ticket that leaves guests (well, except those who get sick on it) feeling satisfied. I will be really happy if Avengers Infinity Defense is a clone of that ride system, profile, and track layout, and just swaps out Peter Pan and pals for Marvel.
Read more in Avengers Infinity Defense: Everything We Know So Far.
Ultimately, we’re looking forward to Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense. I’m very bullish on that E-Ticket. I’ve seen a lot of disappointment from Disneyland diehards about what Avengers Infinity Defense isn’t, but I’m telling you, it being the equivalent of Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure is a great thing. And as sick as I am of no-stakes multiverse nonsense in the Marvel films, I think that idea actually lends itself to a theme park attraction.
It’s an excellent way of playing the ‘greatest hits’ of the voluminous Marvel Cinematic Universe, and offering a little something to everyone since it’s not possible to do rides for every single super hero or villain. I’m not the biggest MCU fan anymore, but I’m really looking forward to Avengers Infinity Defense. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating it–like so many of us did with Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!
Obviously, Avengers Infinity Defense is the more exciting addition, but Stark Flight Lab is like icing on the cake since it was not previously part of the plans. I’ll certainly take another attraction in Avengers Campus, even if it is a fairly basic. Filler isn’t bad–DCA needs more filler (as does pretty much every park that isn’t Disneyland). This reminds us of the secondary attractions in Cars Land, which are pretty much perfect from a ‘payoff’ perspective and really round out the land. Avengers Campus will never be as good as Cars Land, but this should go a long way in improving it!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What is your reaction to Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense construction going vertical at Disney California Adventure? Hopeful that Avengers Campus Phase 2 debuts in 2027? Which of the two new Marvel rides are you more excited to experience? Wish Imagineering were using different ride systems for the new Avengers Campus attractions? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I will be somewhat disappointed if Infinity Defense is just a close of the Neverland Adventure ride system. It’s not that Neverland Adventure is bad, per se, but I wasn’t super impressed with it either; it left me decidedly “whelmed” as the kids (maybe) say. At the very least, I would hope it is iterated on by adding 4D effects like scents, spritzes of water, maybe some flames, etc., but then you’ve basically just built Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man again.
I would love for it to be more like Indy or Rise of the Resistance, something that puts you in massive physical sets with animatronics and effects going off all around. I won’t hold my breath for that, but I would love if Infinity Defense at least combined the screens with some actual audio animatronics and tactile effects. How cool it would be to confront Thanos in animatronic form?? If not in the ride through itself, then as part of the preshow, similar to Smuggler’s Run, the Iron Man coaster in Paris, or the Beauty and the Beast ride in Tokyo.
I haven’t ridden the Peter Pan attraction at Fantasy Springs but from what I see on POVs it is all 3D screens (surrounded by 3D set framing) and I didn’t see any animatronics or motion-props (set pieces moving, collapsing, parting ways for the ride vehicle in a dramatic way) or exhilarating ride moments.
I’m struggling to se how it’s much of an advancement over the Universal’s Spider-Man or Transformers attraction, and without animatronics, it seems hard to believe it will exceed Universal’s new attractions at Epic (Monsters Unchained and Battle at the Ministry). Nor does it look nearly as ambitious as Rise of the Resistance or Indiana Jones or Radiator Springs Racers, which are massive 3D set-driven dark rides with exhilarating thrills. Won’t Avengers be compared to all these attractions, aren’t those the expectations?
Why is Disney seemingly cautiously tip-toeing around the edges with stuff like this, let alone Web-Slingers, and not (as far as we can tell with what we know now) doing something truly immersive and thrilling that throws you back in your seat and makes you yell and laugh and feel exhilarated? (I didn’t hear anyone hollering, laughing, or cheering during the Peter Pan POV.)
As someone who really doesn’t like simulator or screen based attractions, to the point that when I had the opportunity to do the Peter Pan ride in DisneySea I considered skipping it because the POV looked fairly boring, I was blown away by that ride. I thought it was the best ride at DisneySea. What it does better than other 3D simulators is succeed in making the rider feel truly immersed in the world of the ride, unlike most others which simply do not.
That being said, I think it would be harder to replicate the effect in live action.
If the infinity defense ride is anything like Tokyo’s Peter Pan, it should be fantastic. That ride blew me away…possibly my favorite from Fantasy Springs.
The Stark Flight Lab on the other hand…sorry but this looks like a Six Flags ride. So un-Disney.
I’m trying to keep my expectations tempered for Avengers Infinity Defense, since Tokyo’s Peter Pan also had an OLC budget and guiderails. I think it’ll be great, but I’d be surprised if it’s quite up to that level.
I’m not really excited for Stark Flight Lab, but think it could surprise on the upside if the window-dressing is done well. I think a more ‘industrial’ look works in Avengers Campus, for better or worse.
As for Stark Flight Lab, it does seem like it may be aesthetically lacking in some ways, but I’m not sure I can think of any Six Flags rides that feature a huge array of Kuka arms.
Also, while I’m not a fan of Six Flags from a guest hospitality or placemaking perspective, some of their coasters put Disney to shame from a “thrill engineering” point of view.
Tom, do you think there will be any sort of bump for DLR from the Olympics being in LA in 2028? The completion timelines for Avengers Campus sync up pretty well with LA2028. I’m currently at WDW, and this place could easily be a week+ on its own. In contrast, a DLR trip would be a great stop as part of an overall SoCal itinerary. LA, OC, SD (I’ve lived in all 3!), all have a lot to offer tourists.
Probably not. While I’d love to see Disneyland do something to coincide with the Olympics, it being an NBC event reduces the likelihood of that.
As for the tourism angle, I think it’s more likely that Disneyland launches new offerings to coincide with the marketing boost derived from the Olympics. Meaning that we see a big ‘coming soon’ push during the games, but with the offerings debuting in late 2028 or 2029.
Disneyland Paris actually saw a downturn during the Olympics and (presumably) modeled that into their menu planning. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if it’s a similar dynamic with DLR and LA28, as locals either leave town or focus on going to the games–and tourists primarily visit for the events themselves.
I love the line “no-stakes multiverse nonsense”. Actually that reminded me that I had only casual interest in superhero movies before the MCU, and I’ve kind of stopped caring again. I think that’s just because the “Infinity Saga” was just so well crafted and transcended the genre.
A couple thoughts on this post:
1. As far as these new attractions opening separately or together, I’m not sure the comparison to Galaxy’s Edge is apt. That land opened with one attraction, and Avengers Campus already had two. Unless Disney wants to do a massive “re-launch” for the entire land (which I don’t see them hinting at), why not just open Stark Flight Lab when it’s ready? Then they can get a second “bump” from the Infinity Defense ride later.
2. Despite how long it’s taken for the Avengers Campus to come together, it’s pretty amazing to consider it will be modern theme park land with four legitimate attractions. That’s pretty rare these days. And technically it could be FIVE if they brought “Rogers: The Musical” back. I’m not sure what happened with that show (I never got to see it) but it seemed to be pretty universally acclaimed? Perhaps it was TOO good and execs realized it might be better served by expanding into a full Broadway show?
1. This is a fair point. My current opinions are probably skewed too much by SWGE and what I heard about the post-mortems on that, even though many of those people are no longer with the company *and* the circumstances are very different.
2. I really believed Rogers: The Musical was going to be a test for something bigger and better. That it’d return, or go on to DCL or…something? While it was well-received by fans, it actually wasn’t playing to full houses towards the end of its relatively brief run. I suspect that maybe it was too meta for a large-scale theme park production? It’s probably telling that it’s not part of the Disney Destiny programmining, which seems like the perfect location for the show. (My totally uninformed guess: it was a test for that ship but didn’t meet expectations, so they nixed those plans.)
I keep forgetting that Avengers Infinity Defense is a real thing after years of talk/rumors of Phase 2 of Avengers Campus. Thanks for the reminder with this post! We seem to make it to DL every 3-5 years and we’re at about 4 years right now. Maybe we push it to 6 and this will get done!