Disney sets opening date for Guardians of the Galaxy attraction at California Adventure

Are you ready to dance with superheroes? If so, plan on a trip to Anaheim. Disney has set the opening date for the new “Guardians of the Galaxy”-inspired attraction and the company is going all out to commemorate the occasion, with new character interactions and even a dance party.

Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout will open May 27 at Disney California Adventure, but the attraction is just part of the park’s Marvel makeover planned for this summer.

Park goers can also look forward to encounters with some fan-favorite characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including members of the Guardians and Avengers teams. It’s all a part of what the Disneyland Resort is calling the Summer of Heroes, which will launch on the same day as the Guardians attraction.

“It’s going to be a thrilling summer at the Disneyland Resort,” said David Duffy, Disneyland Resort’s director of creative entertainment in a press release Wednesday. The Disneyland Resort encompasses California Adventure and the neighboring Disneyland, as well as three hotels and a shopping district.

“You can choose an awesome encounter with Star-Lord, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Hawkeye or Captain America, step up to meet Groot for the first time, and find out if you have what it takes to join the Avengers,” Duffy continued. “It’s all part of the adventure with Summer of Heroes.”

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As previously announced, the new “Guardians”-themed attraction, which took over the space previously occupied by the Tower of Terror at California Adventure, will involve visitors assisting Rocket Raccoon to rescue his friends out of the Collector’s Fortress.

The Collector, of course, is the keeper of the largest collection of intergalactic relics and rarities (including living things) who appeared in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Mission: Breakout will include randomized events during the experience and will feature all new sights and sounds, including music inspired by the movie’s popular “Awesome Mix” soundtrack.

The attraction has been described by Joe Rohde, the creative lead on the project, as a sort of superhero-themed take on “The Italian Job.” It’s been hinted that it will contain more frantic action than the Tower of Terror.

“The previous ride was a mystery ride,” Rohde said at a media preview in January. “It invested more than half of its entire time in building the mystery. This is a comedy-action-adventure-prison-break farce. We need none of that time. So we invest immediately in movement.”

Additional ongoing Marvel experiences set to launch with the Summer of Heroes event include Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off, which will involve Peter “Star-Lord” Quill blasting music from his old-school boombox.

While encounters with Groot, Captain American and Spider-Man will continue year-round, for a limited time visitors can also meet Black Widow, who will appear several times throughout the day in an armored Avengers vehicle as part of the Summer of Heroes event.

Another limited experience includes the Avengers Training Initiative where Black Widow and Hawkeye will assemble a group of young recruits to see if they have what it takes to be an Avenger.

Marvel fans should also note that special superhero-themed food and merchandise will be available throughout the Hollywood Land section of Disney California Adventure for a limited time.

These limited Summer of Heroes events will run from May 27 to Sept. 10.

Those more interested in a classic Disney experience can look forward to the reopening of the Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America attractions as well as the return of the “Fantasmic” nighttime spectacular this summer at the neighboring Disneyland. Those attractions had been closed due to construction for a “Star Wars”-themed land, which is set to open in 2019.

Fans also have until June 18 to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade in Disneyland.

Additional reporting by Todd Martens

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Twitter: @tracycbrown

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