Iron Man Experience at Hong Kong Disneyland Gets Opening Date

The Iron Man Experience, the first Marvel-themed ride for any Disney park, has an opening date set for Hong Kong Disneyland.

The simulator ride billed as a multisensory immersion experience will open January 11, 2017.

“The Iron Man Experience is a unique immersive motion experience using Hong Kong as the story background for the very first time,” said Samuel Lau, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in a press release. “We are proud to give local and overseas guests a different perspective and experience of Hong Kong while promoting our vibrant city to the world at the same time.”

The ride will be located in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, which is  home to the Stark Expo. Tony Stark’s creations will be on display in exhibition halls the Hall of Legacy, the Hall of Protection, the Hall of Energy and the Hall of Mobility. Riders will then climb aboard the Iron Wing flight vehicle to take part in the ride, which will put them alongside Iron Man battling the forces of Hydra in Hong Kong.

“We’re excited to be able to create the Iron Man Experience with an authentic Iron Man Super Hero adventure that takes place in a real city, Hong Kong,” said Ted Robledo, Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering in a press release. “We’ve set this up as the next Stark Expo after the one Tony Stark did in 2010 in New York. He’s showcasing his latest and greatest products from Stark Industries, so guests see all kinds of things in the exhibition halls when coming through the Expo. But the ultimate experience is to get on this brand-new Iron Wing vehicle, which is essentially a really large Iron Man suit that 45 guests can get into. And guests will be going out on a tour of Hong Kong ending at the Hong Kong Stark Tower.”

Because Universal Orlando owns the rights to many of the existing Marvel properties east of the Mississippi in regards to the theme parks, there has a minimal presence at Walt Disney World beyond the Iron Man-skinned monorail a few years back.

Disneyland’s California Adventure park, though, is changing the Tower of Terror ride into one based on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. And Disney Cruise Line now has two ships with Marvel play spaces.

Iron Man won’t be confined to the ride, though. There’s an Expo Shop with more than 70 Iron Man-themed items exclusive to the park and the opportunity for visitors to try on the Iron Man suit in an interactive game “Become Iron Man at The Stark Expo,” which also features a 35-second video of their transformation available for purchase.

There will also be Iron Man-themed food and beverage options such as the Iron Man Waffle, Iron Man stein, Iron Man desserts at Chef Mickey Buffet and Iron Man beverages served at the resort hotels.

And the man himself will be in character at the park.

“Anybody who visits a Disney park loves color and spectacle and excitement and adventure, and that’s all that Iron Man is,” said Iron Man creator Stan Lee.