ANAHEIM, Calif. _ Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and other super heroes will start invading Disney California Adventure this summer, part of The Walt Disney Co.'s continuing push to stamp its Anaheim theme parks with another one of its popular franchises.
With "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" already slated to hit theaters on May 5, Disney announced Wednesday that The Guardians of the Galaxy _ Mission: Breakout ride will open May 27.
The much-hyped ride will be the first major attraction in Disney's ongoing move to transform parts of Disney California Adventure into a super-hero themed land.
For the first time, visitors will be able to meet and hang out with two popular figures in the movie _ the tree creature Groot and the leader of the Guardians, the Star Lord, around Hollywood Land.
Disney will offer an Avengers Training Initiative with female super-hero Black Widow and bow-and-arrow-wielding Hawkeye. kids will line up, interact and participate in certain tasks with the mascots.
Black Widow will also be part of a Marvel meet-and-greet rotation that already includes Captain America and Spider-Man.
Disney is calling its kick-off "Summer of Heroes."
Disney purchased Marvel in 2009 and "Star Wars" maker Lucasfilm in 2012, for $4 billion each. Disney CEO Bob Iger recently said a 14-acre "Star Wars" land, already in construction at Disneyland, will open sometime in 2019.
The Guardians ride replaces the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction.
The basement, where visitors were led to the elevator-style ride, will be re-themed to match the Guardian outer-space story.
Visitors will enter the Collector's futuristic fortress where he keeps unique artifacts from the Marvel galaxy. They will walk through a large vault and then wait to hop aboard the ride.
Riders will enter the ride _ and the elevator will go haywire.
The free-fall attraction, Disney has said, will be faster-paced than Tower of Terror, and what guests experience will vary. The journey will likely last about two minutes.
