‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ Theme Park Ride Heads to Hong Kong Disneyland
By Patrick Frater
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Currently riding high at the international box office, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” is set to become a major new attraction at the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park.
Some elements of the then unnamed ride were teased at the D23 Expo in Japan earlier this year. The attraction will debut in 2019 as the park continues the multi-year expansion of the Hong Kong resort.
Now named “Ant Man and the Wasp: Nano Battle!,” the new interactive dark ride will involve guests visiting the Science and Technology Pavilion at Stark Expo, before traveling in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s state-of-the-art vehicle. They fight alongside , engaging in a battle against Zola and his army of Hydra swarm-bots.
In its first phase of major expansions, Hong Kong opened the “Iron Man Experience’ in 2017, which HKDL says has been consistently rated as the park’s top attraction since opening. “More Marvel experiences will be launched as part of the multi-year expansion of (the park) that extends through 2023, making HKDL an ultimate hub for Super Hero experiences in the region,” the company said.
Ant-Man himself, Paul Rudd, said: “I have been a Disneyland fan my whole life”, said Rudd. “To have an attraction as Ant Man at is so exciting.” His on-screen partner in crime Evangeline Lilly added, “It’s such an exciting moment for a female heroine to be in the title of a Marvel film. For the character to also have her own ride is an incredible honor.”
The park also recently saw a new live atmosphere stage show, “Moana: A Homecoming Celebration” launch within Adventureland in May.
Announcing financial losses in February, the park operators said that new attractions had been significantly responsible for putting HKDL “back on (a) trajectory of growth.” Losses hit $44.4 million (HK$345 million) in the year to September 2017. The park, which is 47% owned by Disney, opened its doors to 6.2 million visitors in 2016-18, a 3% increase. In-park spending increased, helping to lift overall revenue by 8% to $656 million (HK$5.1 billion).
