Avengers Campus to let Disneyland visitors sling like Spidey By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.31.20 Word Count 939 Level 1180L This artist rendering released by Disneyland Resort shows a concept for the Spider-Man Adventure attraction in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. Photo by: Disneyland Resort via AP Some assembly is still required, but the Avengers are gathering in a big way at Disneyland this summer. A new Spider-Man attraction allows riders to sling webs with their bare hands and join live-action fights between Avengers members and Marvel supervillains. These are among the highlights of the new Avengers Campus that arrives July 18 at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, California. The new attraction takes its cues from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which debuted across the resort at Disneyland Park last year. Like Star Wars, the Avengers Campus will be an immersive experience that seeks to tell super-heroic stories across a series of rides, shows and eateries. "We've been trying to figure out how we bring this land to life not just where you get to see your favorite heroes or meet your favorite heroes, but where you actually get to become a hero," said Brent Strong. He is the executive creative director behind the new land for Walt Disney This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Imagineering. He spoke at a media preview that revealed new details and provided a first look at the project that was first announced last year. "It's about living out your superhero fantasies." Self-Replicating Bots Central to that aim is "WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure," which uses a combination of physical and digital images to allow riders to play Peter Parker alongside Spidey Tom Holland. The ride begins as an open house where Spider-Man, played by Holland, shows off small but smart- and-powerful Spider-bots. He and a team of other inventive teens known as the Worldwide Engineering Brigade, or WEB, have developed them in an old building donated by Iron Man Tony Stark. Of course, the self-replicating bots spiral out of control and start to overrun the place, and guests are summoned to help round them up. The eight-seat cars that have been set up to begin test runs through the facility look like many other people-moving vehicles on Disneyland attractions. However, its creators say the experience will be something entirely new. "With nothing in your hands, you get to reach out and you will sling webs on this ride," Strong said. "While there's a ton of technology to make that happen, it just feels like magic, it feels like being Spider-Man." Gesture Recognition System The imaginary magic comes from a new gesture recognition system two years in the making that can recognize the faces and hands of riders. Strong says the all-ages, all-sizes attraction can play simple or sophisticated. Those who get a knack for the slinging can experience "layers and layers of game play" and uncover "a million Easter eggs." Spidey will also be seen soaring over the structures as one of 15 different costumed Avengers who will roam the land — all of them still alive in this timeline. "The Avengers Campus is literally going to be teeming with heroes," said Dan Fields, the executive creative director behind the live entertainment for the project. "It's a hero-rich environment." Visitors can get down in a dance-off with members of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Black Widow and Black Panther will do battle atop the ramparts of Avengers headquarters with Marvel's Taskmaster, the villain from the forthcoming "Black Widow" movie. Wannabe warriors will get to train in the fighting arts of Wakanda with Okoye from "Black Panther." Thor will walk the campus looking for people worthy enough to wield his hammer. His brother Loki will be lurking, looking to help or harm depending on his mood. The campus, in its final phases of construction, has shut down, as fears of the new coronavirus have led to diminished crowds and cancellations of large gatherings around the world. Coronavirus is a flu-like illness. It began in China and has been spreading across the globe since December 2019. Health officials have been encouraging social distancing, which means staying home and staying away from other people to help slow the spread of the virus. Many schools have This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. shut down. Many companies are telling employees to work from home. Major sporting and entertainment events have also been canceled or postponed. Disneyland has said it is committed to the health of its workers and guests and has imposed strict sanitation regulations. Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger told shareholders March 11 that company leadership is "sobered" by the crisis. However, he said, Disney has been incredibly strong and adaptable through its history. Mystical Magic Contains Generations Of Ruins The Avengers campus is being built mostly over the park's former A Bug's Land and incorporating the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout attractions that opened in 2017. The campus structures, entering their final phases of construction, are being built in layers to look like they've existed for ages. The Webslingers building is a crumbling warehouse that is overlaid with the modern tech created by WEB. The Sanctum where Doctor Strange will weave guests into his mystical magic contains generations of ruins. The storytelling even extends to the food via Pym's Test Kitchen, which will feature cooking "experiments" from Ant-Man Scott Lang and his scientist supporter Hank Pym. They include a "Not So Little Chicken Sandwich," a tiny, shrunken brioche bun that is dwarfed by an enlarged hunk of breaded chicken. Several sizes of pretzel, including one as big as a pizza, will circulate on an overhead conveyor belt. It will seem to change size when sent through shrink and growth rays. Subtle winks to the Avengers films abound. One includes the Shawarma joint that Iron Man suggests his allies hit up after the Battle of New York depicted in 2012's "The Avengers," where the heroes can be seen quietly eating in the post-credits scene. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. Quiz 1 Read the following sentences from the article. 1. "While there's a ton of technology to make that happen, it just feels like magic, it feels like being Spider-Man." 2. Those who get a knack for the slinging can experience "layers and layers of game play" and uncover "a million Easter eggs." 3. The storytelling even extends to the food via Pym's Test Kitchen, which will feature cooking "experiments" from Ant-Man Scott Lang and his scientist supporter Hank Pym. 4. One includes the Shawarma joint that Iron Man suggests his allies hit up after the Battle of New York depicted in 2012's "The Avengers," where the heroes can be seen quietly eating in the post-credits scene. Which two sentences taken together provide the BEST evidence to support the idea that dedicated fans will be able to get even more out of the experience? (A) 1 and 3 (B) 2 and 3 (C) 1 and 4 (D) 2 and 4 2 Is the author of the article suggesting that the opening of the Avengers Campus could be delayed? Which selection from the article BEST supports your answer? (A) No; "Some assembly is still required, but the Avengers are gathering in a big way at Disneyland this summer." (B) No; "These are among the highlights of the new Avengers Campus that arrives July 18 at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, California." (C) Yes; "The campus, in its final phases of construction, has shut down, as fears of the new coronavirus have led to diminished crowds and cancellations of large gatherings around the world." (D) Yes; "Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger told shareholders March 11 that company leadership is 'sobered' by the crisis." 3 How does the article develop the idea that the new park is designed to immerse visitors in the Marvel universe? (A) by describing several interactive attractions and the attention to detail in designing the campus structures (B) by highlighting the comparisons between the new park and several existing Disney parks and attractions (C) by noting that 15 different Avengers will roam around the park, including those who might have died in the movies (D) by providing information about the work of a group of teens who call themselves the Worldwide Engineering Brigade This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4 Which of the following statements BEST represents Brent Strong's approach toward the design of the new park in the article? (A) Strong says the technology used to create the attractions will give visitors a new experience that allows them to imagine they are the superheroes. (B) Strong says that figuring out how to bring the movies to life was a long and frustrating process requiring both physical and digital efforts by many. (C) Strong says the number of characters who will be walking around the park will allow visitors of all ages to enjoy a ridiculously hero-rich environment. (D) Strong says that designing attractions where visitors can participate in a dance-off or train to be warriors with characters from the films is the most fun. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com..