Disney to transform Disneyland Paris hotel with the Art of Marvel
Since Disney bought Marvel, the company has been trying to find places it can incorporate iconic characters like Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man at its theme parks around the world.
Now, the Art of Marvel will give the comic-book juggernaut a home at Disneyland Paris.
“We are going to create a hotel at Disneyland Paris that would make Tony Stark proud,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at the D23 Expo last weekend in Anaheim, Calif.
The existing Disney’s Hotel New York will get a makeover that will at a minimum build out a large collection of iconic Marvel presentations in the hotel’s public space.
“Guests will be able to explore the Marvel universe through its comic art, films, superhero costumes and more all displayed in the style of a contemporary art gallery,” Chapek said.
The 565-room hotel currently has an art deco 1930s New York design. It’s located adjacent to Disney Village, which is a shopping and dining district similar to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World.
No timetable for the renovation was given or if the Marvel makeover would spill over into the rooms.
The announcement came amid dozens of other plans for Disney properties including the creation of a Star Wars-themed hotel at Walt Disney World.
Marvel’s presence at the Orlando theme park is limited because of an existing agreement with Universal Orlando to be the home for many Marvel characters east of the Mississippi River. One set of Marvel characters not part of that agreement, though, are those from “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Chapek said an attraction based on that comic book and film franchise would be coming to Epcot.
Earlier this year, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at Disney’s California Adventure park was transformed into a ride called Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! The Epcot attraction will be something different, Chapek said.
That new ride in California, though, was the first Marvel-based ride at a U.S. Disney park. The Iron Man Experience, Disney’s first Marvel-themed ride, also opened this year at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Walt Disney Co. purchased Marvel for a reported $4 billion in 2009 and has been rolling out Marvel-themed items to its properties where it can. Walt Disney World had an Iron Man-theme skin added to a monorail when “Iron Man 3” came out, and it had a very low-key meet-and-greet for Dr. Strange when that film came out last fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney Cruise Line also has two ships with Marvel play spaces and features the Marvel Day at Sea on select voyages.