by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:15 AM ET, Wed January 11, 2017
On Tuesday, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the Hong Kong Government joined together in a celebration for the grand opening of Iron Man Experience, the first-ever Marvel-themed ride at a Disney amusement park.
The addition of the Iron Man Experience to Hong Kong Disneyland cements the theme park as one of the top tourist destinations in Asia. Besides being the first Marvel attraction, the Iron Man Experience is also the first Disney attraction to feature the city of Hong Kong as its story setting.
As part of the storyline for the Iron Man Experience, Hong Kong has been selected as the Asia headquarters of Stark Industries, the company run by innovator, pioneer and the man behind the Iron Man mask, Tony Stark. Guests at Hong Kong Disneyland will explore the Stark Expo, which will focus on his high-tech creations in various exhibition halls, including the Hall of Legacy, the Hall of Protection, the Hall of Energy and the Hall of Mobility.
Tourists visiting the park will join Iron Man in a battle against Hydra across Hong Kong, flying through the air while seeing all of the city's iconic landmarks, including Tsing Ma Bridge, Victoria Harbor and the region's pristine mountain ranges.
"We are always pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation so that our guests can step into the magical worlds of their favorite stories and meet their most beloved characters," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek said in a statement. "We're thrilled to be adding the high-tech, action-packed universe of Marvel to Hong Kong Disneyland, and we'll continue building on it as we move into the next phase of expansion."
In addition to the opening of the Iron Man Experience, Hong Kong Disneyland is scheduled to open a third resort hotel, dubbed Disney Explorers Lodge, in the first half of 2017. In recent years, the size of the park has grown by almost 25 percent due in part to the addition of three themed areas, Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point.
Over the next few years, Hong Kong Disneyland plans to build additional Marvel experiences at the park and an all-new Frozen-themed land.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
