New photos show the Avengers Infinity Defense show building and a big entrance canopy rising, more than 18 months after the Cars Land walkway closed for the work. Both new rides are due in 2028.
The Avengers Campus expansion at Disney California Adventure is now tall enough to loom over Cars Land. Laughing Place posted a new photo report Wednesday showing the project rising behind Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters.
The expansion will roughly double the size of the land, Laughing Place reported. Two big pieces are taking shape: the show building for Avengers Infinity Defense and a large canopy that will mark the entrance to the new area.
That canopy sits behind walls attached to the Avengers Headquarters facade. Under it, guests will eventually ride Stark Flight Lab. Both attractions are set to open in 2028.
What is Avengers Infinity Defense?
It's the big one. Guests play recruits on a mission across Asgard, Wakanda and New York City, surrounded by physical sets and huge media scenes, Laughing Place reported.
The story: technology that lets the Avengers jump between worlds has gone missing, and King Thanos is using it to cause chaos. Riders may come face to face with him.
Four MCU stars are set to return for the ride, per Laughing Place:
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Anthony Mackie as Captain America
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
What is Stark Flight Lab?
It's the ride under the new canopy. Guests sit in two-person "gyro-kinetic pods" that roll along a track and stop in front of a giant robot arm, Laughing Place reported. The idea is flight training, Avengers style.
Disney showed behind-the-scenes footage of Stark Flight Lab at SXSW in March 2025. Robot arm plus spinning pod sounds like a lot. Maybe skip the churro right before.
When will the Avengers Campus expansion open?
Disney says 2028, with no exact date yet. Here's how the project has moved so far, per Laughing Place's tracker and our coverage:
Aug. 10, 2024: Disney shares concept art and details for both attractions.
April 29, 2025: The walkway between Avengers Campus and Cars Land closes for construction.
Aug. 29, 2025: A new show building starts rising.
January 2026: The entrance canopy starts going up.
Feb. 10, 2026: Cast members sign a steel beam for the expansion.
Earlier in 2026: The Cars Land pathway reopens, giving guests a look at the scale.
August 2026: At D23, Disney sets the 2028 opening and confirms returning stars, we reported.
Nov. 11, 2026: New photos show the land towering over Cars Land.
What's happening at Avengers Campus before Avengers: Doomsday?
The current land is getting busy ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters Dec. 18.
The Fantastic Four and H.E.R.B.I.E. start appearing at Avengers Campus on Nov. 20, we reported. It's the first time Marvel's first family has shown up there, and they're around for a limited time.
Today's Avengers Campus already has Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! and character meet-and-greets. The expansion adds the two new rides on the Cars Land side.
Where is the Avengers Campus expansion?
It sits right beside the current Avengers Campus, next to Cars Land. The new area is now tall enough to see from inside Cars Land, near Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Laughing Place's photos show.
For park visitors, that means more construction walls on the Cars Land side for a while. The walkway between the two lands is open again, so you can see the progress on your way to Radiator Springs.
Doomsday comes first. The rides follow in 2028.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Laughing Place (Nov. 11, 2026), the photo report, the land doubling in size, the show building and canopy, ride details and returning stars
Laughing Place (Nov. 11, 2026), Avengers Infinity Defense project tracker timeline from August 2024 through February 2026
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