Photos: Avengers swing, soar into Disneyland

Now that it’s getting safer to assemble, the Avengers are at last descending on Disneyland. A Spider-Man ride that lets visitors blast bots with virtual webs from their bare hands and a show of strength from the royal guard of Wakanda are among the highlights of the new Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure Park, whose debut was paused for about a year by the coronavirus pandemic before it opens to the public Friday.

“We’re excited to finally open up the gates and let everybody in,” Scot Drake, a portfolio creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, said at the park Wednesday. “We had 70-plus years of stories and amazing characters to pull from, 23 epic films, and for us it was, ‘What is the best way to get our guests right in the middle of those stories, right in the middle of the action?’” Central to that aim is ‘WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure,’ which combines classic ride structure with an array of cameras that capture guests’ body motion and allows them to play Peter Parker.

Operators separated by plexiglass partitions are pictured inside WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure ahead of the opening of the Avengers Campus area at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California, US, June 1, 2021.

Elsewhere, majestic music blasts to announce the marching arrival of the Dora Milaje — the royal guard that protects T’Challa in ‘Black Panther.’ With their leader Okoye, the shaven-headed women of Wakanda twirl their spears and explain their principles to give wannabe warriors in the audience a lesson in the fighting arts.

Jon Favreau, from left, Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, a Captain America character, Marvel President Kevin Feige and Josh D'Amaro, chairman, Disney parks, experiences and products, appear on stage at the Avengers Campus dedication ceremony at Disney's California Adventure Park on Wednesday, June 2.

Cast Members Ryan Garcia, left, and Cristal Aros demonstrate Spider-Bots toys at the Avengers Campus media preview at Disney's California Adventure Park.

Another Avengers Campus is planned for Disneyland Paris. The California version will have major additions. Other heroes, including Thor and Iron Man, will make appearances, and Doctor Strange will work his wizardry in his Ancient Sanctum several times a day.

The character of Black Widow is pictured ahead of the opening of the Avengers Campus area at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California.

Amanda Rubinos-Luna, Brand Merchandise Manager, operates a web-shooter toy ahead of the opening of the Avengers Campus area at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim. Disney’s two Anaheim parks reopened with restrictions on April 30 and will reopen at something nearing normal on June 15.