Let us take a moment to mourn the departure of the Twilight Zone theme and storyline from one of our favorite Disneyland rides, the late Tower of Terror. But if Rod Serling and the fifth dimension mean nothing to you, you'll probably be happy to hear that the attraction's Guardians of the Galaxy-themed reimagining has an opening date—and it's soon.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! will officially open at Disney California Adventure on May 27, according to an announcement on the Disney Parks Blog.
The ride will still subject brave passengers to a series of drops amidst a more comical, sci-fi tone than its predecessor. The plucky and furry Rocket Raccoon leads guests through this breakout mission that promises new audio and visual effects, randomly programmed drop sequences and music inspired by—but not necessarily from—the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (not-so-coincidentally, the cosmic superhero sequel opens in theaters a couple of weeks before the ride).
If you've visited the theme park in recent weeks—hopefully before last weekend's ticket price increase—chances are you've already spotted signs of the ride's opening, with a square of the reworked exterior visible underneath the scaffolding.
In addition to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, Disney is mounting an entire "Summer of Heroes" promotion, from May 27 through September 10. Experiences include an "Avengers Training Initiative" led by Black Widow and Hawkeye and superhero-themed merchandise and food in the Hollywood Land section of the park. Throughout the year, visitors will be able to pose for pictures with Guardians characters, like Groot and a boombox-toting Star-Lord.
When the ride was first announced last summer, Disney hinted that Mission: BREAKOUT! would be the first in a whole new universe of superhero attractions in California Adventure. There's still no word on that front, but over on the Disneyland side, Disney promises that the Disneyland Railroad, Rivers of America attractions and “Fantasmic!”—all of which have been under renovation, presumably due to construction for the Star Wars land set to open in 2019—will return sometime this summer.
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