Back at San Diego Comic-Con, we first learned that the Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot would be traveling from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the Happiest Place On Earth as part of the latest Disney California Adventure attraction dubbed ‘Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!’. And while we have received some information about the ride that will replace ‘The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’, an official opening day was not announced. However, not only do we now have that date, but it appears that the theme park will be welcoming even more Marvel madness as well.
The Disney Parks Blog recently announced that ‘Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!’ will celebrate its grand opening on May 27th, which is just a few weeks after ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ hits theaters on May 5th. But that’s just the beginning. To commemorate the Disneyland Resort’s latest addition, California Adventure will also launch an event titled ‘Summer of Heroes’. Lasting from May 27th to September 10th, guests will get to #HeroUp and experience all-new year-round experiences featuring opportunities to meet various characters from the MCU:
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off! – Don’t be surprised if you run into the Guardians of the Galaxy on their way to the Milano, with Star-Lord firing up his old-school boom box to get the party started. Gamora may prefer to stand back and observe, but everyone else is bound to get in the groove and show off their moves during this awesome rock ‘n’ roll bash!
- Super Hero Encounters – For the first time, citizens of Earth will come face-to-face with Groot, one of the Guardians of the Galaxy! You can also step up to meet the First Avenger, Captain America, along with everyone’s favorite web slinger, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
And if that wasn’t enough, the park is conjuring up some exciting limited time magic as well. On top of an opportunity to meet Cap, Spidey, and the Guardians at the park, former S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff are also joining the party in a few different ways:
- Avengers Training Initiative – Black Widow and Hawkeye assemble young recruits for a series of tests to see if they have what it takes to join the ranks of the Avengers.
- Heroic Encounter: Black Widow – Black Widow will arrive on the scene several times throughout the day in an armored Avengers vehicle for her heroic encounter with park guests.
- Grab a Piece (or Bite) of the Action – All that heroism making you hungry? Want a token as proof of your adventures when you get home? Special themed merchandise and food will be available throughout Hollywood Land.
While just about everything about Marvel’s new presence in California Adventure as part of the ‘Summer of Heroes’ sounds good, the coolest thing has to be the experience of meeting Groot. Fans will surely flock to wherever the jump at the chance to take pictures with one of the most beloved members of the Guardians. Although, one has to wonder which version of the character will be greeting guests. For all we know, there could be a fully grown Groot wandering around the park similar to monstrous Optimus Prime and Bumblebee characters found at the Universal Studios theme parks.
But considering the stage of evolution we’ll be seeing in the follow-up to James Gunn’s surprise 2014 hit, it’s possible that Baby Groot could be making an appearance courtesy of the same technology that brought Remy from ‘Ratatouille’ to life in Disneyland Paris or the puppetry that allowed Constantine from ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ to join some of the biggest and baddest villains in Disney history as they were unleashed upon Disney’s Hollywood Studios a few years back. Either way, I’m sure that the Disney Imagineers have something awesome up their sleeves to dazzle True Believers heading to the California theme park this summer.
Are you excited to ride ‘Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!’ at Disney California Adventure? What do you think of the ‘Summer of Heroes’ event? And which evolution of Groot do you expect to appear to meet guests this summer and beyond? Sound off in the comments.
Despite being a “professional writer”, Ben likes run-on sentences far too much. For more of his attempts at being funny and the occasional insightful thought, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
