Hong Kong Disneyland – Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! Opens Sunday, Launch Ceremony Yesterday
Heroes of all sizes go all-in with Super Heroes and Hong Kong’s unique Marvel character at the world’s first Ant-Man and The Wasp attraction
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! further expands Hong Kong Disneyland as Asia’s Marvel Hub
(Hong Kong, March 28, 2019) – Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL) grew in strength as Asia’s must-visit destination for Marvel experiences today as more than 1,000 guests, including government officials, key Marvel representatives, Marvel fans, media and celebrities, gathered for a sneak peek of the highly ant-icipated Marvel-themed attraction Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! set to open to the public this Sunday, March 31.
With an explosive story, immersive media and a larger-than-life show set, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! is a one-of-a-kind interactive adventure. It is the first attraction ever to feature the iconic characters Ant-Man and The Wasp, and is also the first-ever Marvel attraction in a Disney Park to feature a female Super Hero as a title character.
In this high-tech, high-energy ride, guests can go all-in fighting alongside Ant-Man and The Wasp as they are shrunk down to the size of an ant! Featuring an entirely new Marvel story with the first Hong Kong-specific Marvel character, Leslie Lam, guests will join the battle against the evil artificial intelligence Arnim Zola and his army of Swarmbots.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! is the second Marvel-themed attraction at HKDL, continuing the park’s growth as an ultimate hub for Marvel Super Hero action in the region.
Launch Ceremony brings together VVIPs
Officiating at today’s Launch Ceremony were Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Eliza Lee, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, the Hong Kong SAR Government; Stephanie Young, managing director of HKDL; and Bob Weis, president of Walt Disney Imagineering.
Also at the Ceremony were actor Paul Rudd, who plays Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment; Peyton Reed, director of Ant-Man and its sequel Ant-Man and The Wasp; Stephen Broussard, producer of Ant-Man and The Wasp; and renowned Hong Kong actress Jessica Hsuan (宣萱) who plays Leslie Lam, the Chief Engineer of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science & Technology Pavilion, a new Marvel character created for this attraction.
“The adventure’s state-of-the-art gaming features are cinematic in scope, production values and storytelling. What makes the innovative experience even more inviting is the local storyline created just for Hong Kong Disneyland,” said Paul Chan. “And down the road, I know there will be more Marvel superheroes to marvel over, creating Asia’s ultimate hub of exciting “Marvel” experiences at Hong Kong Disneyland in the years to come.”
Stephanie Young said, “Marvel stories are deeply loved by guests from all around the world, and our markets especially resonate with these stories. This is proven by the success of Iron Man Experience — consistently rated as HKDL’s most popular attraction since opening in 2017 — and our Marvel-themed promotions here at the resort, such as the Marvel Super Hero Summer and the Marvel 10K Weekend. We believe heroes come in all sizes, which is why Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! allows guests of all ages to fight against Hydra together with Marvel Super Heroes.”
“Apart from the new Marvel fun, even more popular Disney characters and stories are arriving in HKDL under the multi-year expansion plan,” she added. “HKDL remains as committed as ever to the success of tourism in Hong Kong and will continue to make the resort the destination of choice for guests in the region.”
Asia’s Marvel Hub empowers heroes of all sizes
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! continues HKDL’s Marvel story that began with Iron Man Experience. Guests will join a critical mission to defend Hong Kong against Hydra’s attack as the evil artificial intelligence Arnim Zola attempts to steal the Data Core containing highly confidential information.
While Iron Man is busy fighting the Hydra-bots at Stark Tower, he calls upon Ant-Man and The Wasp to help protect the S.H.I.E.L.D. Pavilion, because only they have the ability to shrink down between the Swarmbots’ tough armor and destroy them from the inside. But with thousands of Swarmbots and only two of them, Ant-Man and The Wasp need guests to jump into action!
Aboard S.H.I.E.L.D.’s newest combat vehicle, D/AGR, a.k.a. the Dagger, guests will head to the Data Core while disabling Swarmbots along the way using EMP Blasters.
“It’s so exciting to see Ant-Man and The Wasp transition from the screen into an attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland. With this experience, we have the opportunity to immerse fans in their story in ways that we haven’t been able to do in the films,” said Kevin Feige.
“From the pages of our comic books to the big screen, Marvel has been thrilling fans of all over the world. Today with Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT at Disneyland Resort in California, to the Iron Man Experience right here in Hong Kong Disneyland, our fans are experiencing those thrills in a whole new way by stepping right into Tony Stark’s boot jets or battling monsters right next to Rocket and Groot. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! is the next chapter, and mind-blowing Marvel adventure, and we couldn’t be more proud and thrilled to shrink down and experience it with you,” said Joe Quesada.
An authentic Marvel experience featuring Hong Kong elements
HKDL and Walt Disney Imagineering worked closely with Marvel Studios in the production of this new attraction. Director Peyton Reed and his production team lent their full support, while the stars of the film, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, joined the action by reprising their roles. As a result, guests will be immersed in a truly authentic Marvel experience.
“I grew up going to Disney parks, and now to be part of an attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland is a dream come true,” said Paul Rudd. “I can’t wait to share this experience with my kids – they’re going to love it!”
“It’s so exciting to play a lead character and the first female super hero in a Marvel-themed attraction,” said Evangeline Lilly. “I hope guests of all ages will be inspired by this experience – and have as much fun as we had making it!”
A new Marvel character named Leslie Lam was created for this attraction. A Hong Kong native, Leslie is the Chief Engineer of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science and Technology Pavilion who oversees all of the pavilion’s research and development. She will train guests to use state-of-the-art EMP Blasters as well as provide important information throughout the battle. Leslie is played by Jessica Hsuan (宣萱) who is the first Hong Kong artist to be invited to play a Marvel character.
“As a Hong Kong artist, it’s amazing to see our very own Hong Kong Disneyland continue to grow and to have new local Marvel characters who truly represent our city,” said Jessica Hsuan.
During the battle, guests will receive comments from both Ant-Man and The Wasp. They may also catch some humorous local references by the two heroes. Be sure to keep a sharp eye out for hidden Marvel details — otherwise known as Easter eggs — during the ride.
To make the attraction even more immersive, the Secure Storage Vault for Alien & Weapon Technology inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. pavilion showcases 14 types of artifacts and research items from Marvel movies, TV shows and comics. Some of these are unique and exclusively exhibited at HKDL.
“After directing two films with Ant-Man and The Wasp, it was so much fun to work with Walt Disney Imagineering to bring their story to life at Hong Kong Disneyland,” said Peyton Reed “This kind of experience is a completely different setting for these characters – we can play with their abilities and stories in all new ways.”
Cinema-quality show elements and design elevates experience
Leveraging innovative technology, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! implements cinematic appeal into this captivating dimensional battle where everyone will be shrunk down to the size of an ant. The ride features an original score by Christophe Beck, the composer for the Ant-Man movies, along with special visuals and sound effects that take the experience to the next level of immersion.
There are 150 targets, shown in many different shapes and sizes, that provide guests different levels of gaming challenge. The D/AGR’s onboard computer keeps track of guests’ hits and accuracy, and the scores are accumulated and shown on the vehicle displays. Scores are awarded based on the number of target hits and the size of those targets. The smaller the target, the more it is worth. Extra scores can be earned for finding secret combos and special sequences. Using their EMP Blasters, guests should try to shoot and disable as many Swarmbots as possible to help Ant-Man and The Wasp defeat Zola. They can also compete with their family and friends to see who can earn the highest score!
Marvel fun happening all across HKDL
As Asia’s epicenter of Marvel action, HKDL offers guests a complete Marvel experience with two first-of-a-kind attractions, two merchandise shops with exclusive merchandise, food and beverage options, and the Iron Man Heroic Encounter.
Inside Pavilion Gifts, the new shop in the north wing of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Pavilion, guests can purchase Ant-Man, The Wasp and S.H.I.E.L.D. items. Around 40 new and exclusive items based on Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! will be introduced this month. For a complete Marvel experience, guests can also stop by Starliner Diner for meals inspired by Ant-Man and The Wasp. To honor the opening of this new Marvel attraction, park admission tickets will also feature a new design celebrating Ant-Man and The Wasp.
As the spring seasonal event “Carnivale of Stars” also begins, HKDL invites guests to uncover a series of Marvel-themed character eggs scattered around the park, including Iron Man, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Black Panther and new character eggs based on The Wasp and Captain Marvel.
Multi-year expansion well underway
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! is an important milestone for HKDL’s multi-year expansion. The third Marvel-themed attraction is currently in the works as HKDL continues to expand into an ultimate hub for Marvel Super Hero action in the region.
The expansion plan is also bringing some of the best stories and characters to life through first-of-a-kind experiences, including Frozen, Marvel and the Disney Princesses, underscoring Disney’s commitment to the continuous growth of HKDL as well as Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
To learn more, please visit https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com.
