Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth Return for ‘Avengers Infinity Defense’ Ride at Disney California Adventure
Since its debut in 2021, Avengers Campus has become a highlight at Disney California Adventure, but fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of new attractions. Disney initially teased a dedicated Avengers dark ride at the D23 Expo in 2019, envisioning a thrilling Quinjet adventure that would take guests to Wakanda and beyond.
By 2022, the concept evolved significantly, with Disney announcing that the ride would explore the multiverse, featuring a formidable variant known as King Thanos instead of the familiar film villain. Although construction was slated to begin in 2025, details about the ride’s narrative and cast remained elusive for quite some time.
At this weekend’s D23 Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney finally unveiled the details fans have been waiting for. The ride, officially named ‘Avengers Infinity Defense’, is set to open in 2028 at Disney California Adventure, with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, and Iman Vellani all reprising their iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe roles for this attraction.
According to Disney, guests will be welcomed as new recruits by Vellani’s Ms. Marvel before joining forces with Hawkeye, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man to confront King Thanos across various worlds. The dark ride will replace the former Backstage Red Car Trolley barn and will accommodate 12 riders per vehicle across three rows.
In addition to ‘Avengers Infinity Defense’, Disney announced another attraction, Stark Flight Lab, a flight-spinning ride that will also debut in 2028. This ride will feature Downey Jr., Mackie, and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel as in-universe flight instructors guiding guests through training missions.
Together, these two new attractions will effectively double the size of Avengers Campus, joining existing favorites like Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. This expansion is part of several major projects Disney revealed during this year’s D23 presentation, which also included new experiences themed to ‘Coco’ and an upcoming Avatar-themed destination.
The prolonged wait for definitive details had led many fans to doubt whether the ride would progress beyond concept art. With construction now confirmed for both attractions and a firm opening date set for 2028, ‘Avengers Infinity Defense’ finally provides Disney California Adventure guests with a timeline to anticipate after years of teasers that began before the pandemic.
Securing five MCU actors to reprise their roles specifically for a theme park attraction underscores the seriousness with which Disney and Marvel are approaching the project. The combination of star power and the King Thanos storyline indicates that Disney aims to create a ride with a compelling narrative rather than simply rehashing the films’ climactic battles.
With Avengers Campus already recognized as one of the park’s busiest areas, the addition of two star-studded rides positions Disney California Adventure to remain a major attraction for Marvel fans well into the next decade.
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