Avengers Campus to let Disneyland visitors sling like Spidey By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.31.20 Word Count 902 Level 1030L 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. They can 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 opened across the resort at Disneyland Park last year. Like Star Wars, the Avengers Campus will be an immersive experience that tells the super-heroic stories through 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 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 Imagineering. He spoke at This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. a media event where he revealed new details and provided a first look at the project. "It's about living out your superhero fantasies." Self-Replicating Bots Central to that aim is "WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure." This attraction uses a combination of physical and digital images to allow riders to play Peter Parker alongside Spidey Tom Holland. The ride begins as 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. Then guests are summoned to help round them up. The eight-seat cars that have been set up to begin test runs 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 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, it can recognize the faces and hands of riders. Strong says the all-ages, all-sizes attraction can play simple or advanced. Those who get a knack for the slinging can experience many layers of game play and find "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 are still alive in this attraction. "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 Avengers headquarters with Marvel's Taskmaster. He's the villain from the forthcoming "Black Widow" movie. Wannabe warriors will 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 is in its final phases of construction, although the park is currently closed. Fears of the new coronavirus have led to smaller 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. But, he said, Disney has been incredibly strong and adaptable throughout its history. The Avengers campus is being built mostly over the park's former A Bug's Land. It is incorporating the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout attractions that opened in 2017. The campus structures 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. Cooking "Experiments" The storytelling even extends to the food. Pym's Test Kitchen 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 brioche bun that is dwarfed by a large 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. There are many subtle winks and references to the Avengers films, including the Shawarma food joint that Iron Man suggests his allies visit in 2012's "The Avengers." 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 statement. The park will include tiny details that might be noticeable to only the most dedicated movie fans. Which sentence from the article provides the BEST support for the statement above? (A) Like Star Wars, the Avengers Campus will be an immersive experience that tells the super-heroic stories through rides, shows and eateries. (B) Spidey will also be seen soaring over the structures as one of 15 different costumed Avengers who will roam the land. (C) Pym's Test Kitchen will feature cooking "experiments" from Ant-Man Scott Lang and his scientist supporter Hank Pym. (D) There are many subtle winks and references to the Avengers films, including the Shawarma food joint that Iron Man suggests his allies visit in 2012's "The Avengers." 2 Read the following sentences from the article. 1. Some assembly is still required, but the Avengers are gathering in a big way at Disneyland this summer. 2. However, its creators say the experience will be something entirely new. 3. Two years in the making, it can recognize the faces and hands of riders. 4. The campus structures are being built in layers to look like they've existed for ages. Which two sentences taken together provide the BEST evidence to support the idea that the new park has required much time and attention to detail? (A) 1 and 2 (B) 3 and 4 (C) 1 and 4 (D) 2 and 3 3 How has the coronavirus affected Disney's California Adventure? (A) It has caused construction on the Avengers Campus to stop after the delivery of materials ended. (B) It has caused Disney to push back the July 18 date for the opening of the Avengers Campus. (C) It has caused Disney to impose strict sanitation regulations but forced the park to close. (D) It has caused many people to either cancel or postpone their reservations at the park. 4 Which of the following MOST influenced the design of the new park? (A) the idea that it should be exactly the same as other Disney parks (B) the desire to make visitors feel like they are becoming the heroes (C) the sense that most guests just want to meet heroes and villains (D) the goal of presenting even the characters who die in the movies This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com..