UPDATED June 9, 2025

In August of 2024, Disney hosted the massive D23 Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim, California. The major convention broke news from across Disney’s spectrum of offerings, including films, television streaming, video games, and parks. One of the biggest announcements of the weekend came with the reveal of a BRAND NEW expansion to Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus.

Avengers Campus

Initially opened in 2021, the land marked the first full Marvel-themed area in a U.S. Disney park. Now, Disney has announced TWO new Marvel attractions coming to the land: Stark Flight Lab and Avengers Infinity Defense. 

A NEW attraction called “Stark Flight Lab” will debut in Disney California Adventure’s Avengers Campus! pic.twitter.com/bMJwFk7MKa

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) August 11, 2024

Here, we’re discussing Stark Flight Lab, a new Iron Man attraction which will have Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark! Here, you’ll visit Tony Stark’s workshop to see what he’s been tinkering with, and if you’re lucky, find yourself practicing for battle, too. Avenger trainees will sit in two-person “gyro-kinetic pods” and roll along a track before stopping in front of a giant robot arm.

©Disney

This robot arm will then hoist you into the air and into simulated flight, where your vehicle will make several high-speed maneuvers inspired by Iron Man’s own movements as well as a few other familiar Avengers. From there, the ride vehicles will transfer from a track to a robot arm and then back again, which Disney is very excited to unveil when the ride officially opens later.

“Nothing like this has ever been done before in a theme park,” said Bruce Vaughn,  president and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering. “Usually, we hide all the tech behind the scenes so you can focus on the story. Here, the tech IS the story, so we’re putting it front and center.”

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the ride system for the attraction!

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Disney has also teased ride variation, making sure this is a unique ride experience that will garner repeat rides.

In March 2025, Robert Downey Jr. spoke fondly of Disney Imagineers working in this new attraction and called them “the living embodiment of the Stark Enterprises mission statement.”

Iron Man in Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure

He went on to speak about the creativity and passion that was poured into creating this attraction for Avengers Campus, calling his time with Imagineering “the privilege of a lifetime to be invited to participate.”

As further details are revealed for Star Flight Lab, we’ll keep you posted right here!

Timeline for the Avengers Campus Expansion

As mentioned above, TWO new Marvel attractions are coming to the land, with Avengers Infinity Defense joining Stark Flight Lab.

Though Disney has not revealed a completion timeline for the Avengers Campus expansion, it has been confirmed that work on the project has officially begun: As of Sunday, January 12th, Disneyland has closed the Timon parking lot to make way for construction at Avengers Campus.

Please be aware that construction on the Avengers Campus expansion shut down a California Adventure attraction, the Red Car Trolley, on February 8th, 2025. Disney needs the space taken up by the trolley’s barn for the expansion, so the entire ride has been permanently closed.

Click HERE to check out everything you can enjoy at Avengers Campus NOW!