For nearly 15 years, Disneyland Resort’s Innoventions has functioned as an elaborate and fascinating display of technology of the future. Housed in a large revolving building in Tomorrowland, the exhibit has long served as a tangent for theme park-goers to become immersed in, with its unique technologically advanced games, displays and exhibitions.
Disneyland Park has recently opened up a new exhibit that will please both technology buffs and comic book fans alike. Titled Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries, the exhibit coincides with Iron Man 3, which opened on May 3. The exhibit involves both a presentational and interactive platform for visitors to explore the technological aspects of Tony Stark’s Iron Man suits. Guided by J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark’s personal artificial intelligence program, guests are greeted by various displays of armor used in the first two Iron Man films. J.A.R.V.I.S. is voiced by Paul Bettany, as he is in the films.
The main attraction is Stark’s Hall of Suits, which displays a wide range of Iron Man suits that are featured in Iron Man 3. The real catch is that all of the armor and gear displayed in the exhibit are not replicas: They are the real suits and attachments used to make the Iron Man films. The attraction provides insight into the technology behind Tony Stark’s complicated suits. As guests progress through the Hall of Suits, they come across an interface in which they can virtually try on different suits and armor. In a display that is set up similar to Xbox’s Kinect, the user stands in front of a screen, which projects the equipment onto them as if they were wearing it. The platform responds to users’ body movements, allowing them to test out different features of the wide array of suits and armor. Guests interact with the screen, providing a unique in-depth look at the technology behind the Iron Man films.
Disney Public Relations Representative John McClintock says, “It is easily the most popular display in Innoventions and has created queues outside the attraction the likes of which we haven’t seen in some time.”
As of now, Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries is slated to be open until September 2013, although it is possible that the closing date may be extended based on the success of the exhibit.
