Marvel Cinematic Universe fans assemble in Disneyland Paris

Marvel’s Avengers Campus is the newest themed area at Walt Disney Studios in Disneyland Paris.

Marvel’s Avengers Campus in Disneyland Paris is located in the Walt Disney Studios Park, which is the second of two Paris theme parks. The main Disneyland Park is the one with Sleeping Beauty’s castle as its centerpiece, while Disney Studios houses the Hollywood Tower.

Marvel fans are serenaded with the scores from various MCU films as they walk through the area that contains two rides, a few restaurants, as well as Marvel hero interactions. Along with Iron Man’s A.I. FRIDAY making announcements near the Avengers Quinjet, here is some of what MCU fans can experience at Avengers Campus.

Rides

The Avengers Flight Force rollercoaster features Iron Man and Captain Marvel saving the world from missile projectiles hurling toward Earth. There is a prelude with a realistic moving animatronic Iron Man communicating with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, who is on-screen flying around in space, coordinating a plan with her Avenger partner. The attraction depicts the adventure of the duo working together to take out incoming threats. Flight Force is an indoor rollercoaster speeding through the dark (similar to Space Mountain), with flashes of light provided by the intermittent scenes of Iron Man and Captain Marvel zooming by on screens, blasting missiles.

Spider-Man’s W.E.B. Adventure is an interactive 3-D experience for all ages. The pre-ride introduction has Tom Holland portray Peter Parker on a screen at the Worldwide Engineering Brigade HQ where experimental spider-bots go out of control and must be caught by ride-goers. Once you take a seat, guests use their 3-D glasses and webslinging arm movements to shoot webs at the small robots. The gameplay works exceedingly well as riders move from screen to screen and rack up points by taking out robotic spiders, while Spider-Man swings around to get in on the action. There are also a few giant boss level bots that your team can defeat by wrapping up its legs with webbing.

Restaurants

Stark Factory is a quick service eatery with pizza, pasta, and salads. The Avenger themed highlighted food item is a Thor thunder cake – a custardy caramel dessert that is topped with a thin lightning designed piece of chocolate. Stark Factory showcases a life-size Hulkbuster suit and a wide assortment of props from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Hawkeye’s bow, Falcon’s wingsuit backpack, and Shuri’s vibranium panther gauntlets. One sitting room even preserves Agent Carter’s desk from her television series, accompanied by other decorations from that set.

Pym Kitchen is a reservation only buffet with Ant-Man decorations and videos of food being shrunken and enlarged. The kitchen staff brings this effect to life with giant sandwiches, donuts, and croutons that are larger than the sliders at the next station. There are also mini corn dogs, madeleines, and especially thin frites (French fries). The oil and vinegar come in test tubes and some of the drinks are served in beakers. The nicest incorporation of the theme are chocolate flakes on top of the desserts, like a Pym particle tube on the red velvet cake and a Pym disc pressed into the cream on the cheesecake.

Other Attractions

When walking around Avengers headquarters guests will likely come across Marvel heroes. There are the Guardians of the Galaxy throwing a dance party; led by Star-Lord, with Gamora reluctantly showing off her best moves, as Rocket calls in remotely, helping Star-Lord with the musical selections. Then the Dora Milaje train young warriors on how to use their vibranium staffs.

Patrons may also spot Spider-Man on the roof of the W.E.B. building waving to fans. He will even respond to people calling up requests, such as “do a flip”, replicating a comical movie moment from Spider-Man: Homecoming. There are also character meet and greets; the star of the most recent MCU theatrical release, Wasp, poses with fans who wait on line next to a giant Pym disc.

Avengers: Power of the Night is a spectacular nighttime light show that combines projections, fireworks, and drones to recreate amazing Avenger imagery. This is a limited-time attraction that ends this coming May. The heroes are projected on the Hollywood Tower and their weapons or powers are brought into the demonstration in various ways.

Doctor Strange opens his portals with drones circling to the left of the tower followed by Captain America throwing his shield into an outrageously detailed drone formation. Thor calls for his giant drone hammer, then Hawkeye and Black Widow stand back-to-back, firing their weapons in opposite directions – fireworks are released for Widow’s bite and Hawkeye’s arrows. A projection of Shang-Chi manipulates the floating ten rings, via circling drones. Wasp quickly buzzes around the night sky, represented by a single lit drone, as Giant Man is projected onto the tower. The largest drone assemblies were of the Avengers’ symbol, Nick Fury’s face, and a full Spider-Man hanging on the side of the tower.

All of the characters and attractions fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as evident by Brie Larson and Tom Holland’s inclusion, and yet the experience has a sense of timelessness. The campus represents an era at the height of the franchise that would basically consist of the period after many of the heroes were introduced and before major character deaths or exits played out. If the timing of Iron Man and Captain Marvel teaming up would only work in MCU continuity during the 5-year Avengers: Endgame jump, the purpose is not to think about the timeline and just enjoy the experience of the Avenging pair flying together. And even if posters of Sam Wilson as Captain America can be spotted around the park, surely MCU fans would also embrace a Steve Rogers sighting.

Beyond major theme parks such as Avengers Campus, what other ways will the Marvel Cinematic Universe extend its seemingly endless reach in popular culture?