We all knew about the Avengers attraction coming to Avengers Campus, but it was a surprise when we found out that a 4th attraction is now also in the works and it’s called Stark Flight Lab.
We all knew about the Avengers Infinity Defense attraction coming to Avengers Campus, but it was a surprise when we found out that a 4th attraction is also in the works for the land called Stark Flight Lab.
This is not the big E-Ticket ride of the expansion. That role belongs to Avengers Infinity Defense. But Stark Flight Lab could still be a fun supporting attraction, and Disney California Adventure can always use more ride capacity.
In this article, we will go over everything we know so far about Stark Flight Lab, including what the ride will be like, which Marvel actors are involved, when it opens, and our thoughts on the project.
Latest Update on Stark Flight Lab
(UPDATE) – Disney has confirmed that Stark Flight Lab will open at Disney California Adventure in 2028 as part of the Avengers Campus expansion. The ride will open alongside Avengers Infinity Defense, and together the two new attractions will double the size of Avengers Campus.
Disney also revealed new details about the experience. Guests will sit in two-person “gyro-kinetic pods” that roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm. The robot arm then hoists the pod into the air and sends guests through high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man and other Avengers.
Disney also confirmed that several MCU actors will reprise their roles for Stark Flight Lab, including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, and Brie Larson as Captain Marvel.
For a while I wasn’t sure what this ride was supposed to be, but this gives us a much better idea of what Disney is building here. This sounds like a simulated flight/training experience where different Avengers help put recruits through their paces.
Stark Flight Lab Attraction Overview
- Location: Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure (Disneyland Resort)
- Status: Under construction
- Opening Date: 2028
- Ride Type: Robot-arm / simulated flight attraction
- Ride Vehicle: Two-person gyro-kinetic pods
- Thrill Level: TBD, likely action-heavy
- Lightning Lane: TBD
- Ride Length: TBD
- Height Requirement: TBD
- Capacity: TBD
- Confirmed Actors: Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, Brie Larson
Stark Flight Lab is one of two new attractions coming to Avengers Campus as part of the land’s expansion. The other one is Avengers Infinity Defense, which is the bigger headliner E-Ticket attraction.
Disney says Avengers Campus is being expanded and will double in size with these two rides. Construction is already in progress, and Disney has confirmed that the expanded land will reconnect with Cars Land.
What Will Stark Flight Lab Be Like?
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro originally announced Stark Flight Lab at the “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase” during the D23 Expo at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
“If you’re up for another mission, Tony Stark has one for you. And you know Tony, he always wants to try something new and exciting, and it’s going to make you feel like a Super Hero yourself.
With the just announced Stark Flight Lab, you’re going to sit in two-person pods and deploy to a test station. Then a robot arm grabs your pod and starts whirling you around in a simulated flight.
And, a familiar face will join you at the Stark Flight Lab — Mr. Stark himself. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Tony Stark for the attractions in the land.“
Here is a video taken at the D23 Expo that shows more about how the ride system for the Stark Flight Lab works:
Now we have a little more information on how the ride works. Guests will sit in two-person “gyro-kinetic pods” that move along a track and stop in front of a giant robot arm. That robot arm will pick up the pod and move guests through high-speed maneuvers, making it feel like they are training to fly like an Avenger.
From the concept art and descriptions, this seems like it may be at least partially outdoors, though Disney has not confirmed every detail of the layout. It also sounds like each pod may be paired with screens or show elements that help simulate the flight experience.
The big question is how varied each ride will be. If each group of guests gets a slightly different simulated flight or different Avenger instructor, that could give the ride some nice re-rideability. If it is the exact same experience every time, then the novelty may wear off faster.
Which Marvel Actors Are in Stark Flight Lab?
One of the bigger updates is that Disney confirmed several on-screen Marvel heroes will reprise their roles for Stark Flight Lab.
The confirmed actors include:
- Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
- Anthony Mackie as Captain America
- Brie Larson as Captain Marvel
Robert Downey Jr. was already announced as part of the original Stark Flight Lab reveal, but adding Captain America and Captain Marvel makes the attraction more interesting.
Disney described these characters as instructors, which makes sense for a ride that is themed around a flight lab or training experience. Instead of this being just a generic robot-arm ride, the Marvel characters should help give it more personality and make it feel more connected to Avengers Campus.
When Will Stark Flight Lab Open?
Disney has confirmed that Stark Flight Lab will open at Disney California Adventure in 2028.
That is the same opening year as Avengers Infinity Defense, and both attractions are part of the same Avengers Campus expansion. Disney has not announced a specific season, month, or opening date yet, so we still do not know if this will open in early 2028, summer 2028, or later in the year.
Since the two attractions seem to be part of the same integrated expansion, it makes sense that Disney would open them together instead of splitting them up. That said, there still may be some strategic reason to open Stark Flight Lab first, build hype for Avengers Campus, then open Infinity Defense later the same year. They could go either way on that.
At least until Disney gives us a more specific opening window, I would not plan a Disneyland trip around Stark Flight Lab opening in early 2028 and plan on going later in the year to be safe.
My Thoughts on Stark Flight Lab
I’m not quite sure how I feel about the Stark Flight Lab.
I am totally onboard for Avengers Infinity Defense, as that looks like the big E-Ticket attraction Avengers Campus has needed since day one. Stark Flight Lab, on the other hand, feels more like the supporting ride in the expansion.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Disney California Adventure needs more rides, and Avengers Campus definitely needs more to do. If Stark Flight Lab is fun, has decent capacity, and gives guests a reason to ride more than once, it could be a really nice addition to the land.
The ride system is definitely intriguing. Guests being picked up by a giant robot arm and moved around in a simulated flight sounds exciting, but it also raises some questions. How intense will it be? How long will the ride last? How many guests can it handle per hour? And will the motion be too much for guests who get nauseous on screen-heavy or simulator-style rides?
That last part is probably my biggest concern. If this ends up being something like a more intense version of a robot-arm simulator, it could be a lot of fun for some guests but too much for others. I only hope it isn’t quite as nauseating as Forbidden Journey, though in some respects it looks like it could be.
The other thing I’m watching is capacity. Robot-arm attractions can be tricky because they sometimes move fewer guests per hour than a traditional dark ride. If Disney has multiple pods and multiple robot-arm stations running at once, that should help, but we need to see how the final setup works.
I do like the actor involvement. Having Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, and Brie Larson involved should make the experience feel more like a real Avengers Campus attraction and less like a generic flat ride with a Marvel skin.
For now, I’m intrigued. Stark Flight Lab is not the Avengers Campus attraction I’m most excited for, but I do think it has potential. If Disney gets the motion, re-rideability, capacity, and Marvel character integration right, it could be a fun supporting ride that helps round out Avengers Campus.
As soon as we know any more info on this story we will update you so keep tuned for more…
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Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about the Stark Flight Lan ride coming to Disney California Adventure…
- Are you happy with this announcement?
- What would you like to see included in the ride?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
George Mells
Sunday 18th of August 2024
The video makes the ride mechanics look much like a game show of some years ago that put the contestant in a chair attached to a robot arm that moved them around the array of screens. But I wonder about thruput on such a ride. But if the Pandora flying ride can get people thru then this should too.