Avengers Join New Disney California Adventure Park Nighttime Spectacular 'World of Color - ONE'

Debuting today at Disney California Adventure Park during the Disney100 anniversary celebration at the Disneyland Resort, World of Color - ONE has included some heroic characters. During the nighttime spectacular, World of Color - ONE tells the powerful story of how a single action – like a drop of water – creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change. Joining dozens of other iconic Disney characters, the likes of Captain America, Black Widow, Black Panther, Hawkeye, Spider-Man, and more come to life in Paradise Bay, as the area is transformed with a dazzling array of fountains, lighting, lasers, fog and flame effects, harmonized with some familiar Avengers themes bellowing across the night sky. 

It’s a spectacular you’ve got to see to believe, now running nightly (weather permitting!) right nearby Avengers Campus. In celebration of the new show, Jennifer Magill, Producer at Disney Live Entertainment spoke about bringing the Avengers to World of Color — ONE. 

This is the first time the Avengers have appeared in a nighttime spectacular. What’s it like to see them come to life like never before — especially in this World of Color setting?

I’m a HUGE Avengers fan and was thrilled to have them join our nighttime spectacular. The way we tell stories in World of Color – ONE is so perfectly suited to the Avengers and those moments come to life like only the Avengers can. 

When it comes to incorporating these Super Heroes into World of Color, where do you start? Is it with one particular character, a feeling, or even a specific moment you want to include? 

For World of Color – ONE, the Avengers were a natural fit for the story we are telling. The whole concept of “Avengers Assemble” is, in a way, the essence of our show’s theme. One drop can create a ripple, and the strength of many drops can create a wave of change.

The Avengers now span 30 different movies, how do you whittle down the most iconic moments to include in one segment? 

That was no small challenge! As the team was reviewing the catalog of Avenger films there was A LOT of passionate discussion about favorite moments and characters. Ultimately, I think the moments we selected help tell the story. 

The segment is inspired by the end credits of both Black Panther and Hawkeye. Can you talk about the influences there, and how it was adapted to World of Color? 

For heroes as dynamic as the Avengers we really wanted a fun unique way to bring them to life. Along our journey, the team started looking at several end credits since they are always a unique and fun twist to the films. When we looked at Black Panther and Hawkeye, we got excited to see how it would translate into “World of Color – ONE,” as soon as we tested it, we knew this was the way to go. 

Do you have a favorite moment?

Oh, this is a TOUGH question! As I watch the show there are so many moments that touch my heart. One that always gives me goosebumps is when Sam Wilson says “On Your Left” at the top of the Avengers sequence. It’s such a simple line, yet it conveys so much of the spirit of the show.

From the preview teased, it looks like the Avengers appear via portals, very much like the iconic scene in Avengers: Endgame. It’s such an emotional moment in the movie, and will undoubtedly be one in World of Color, too. What’s it like bringing this moment to guests visiting the parks, especially considering how immersive it can be while watching the show?

As we worked to figure out how to introduce the Avengers section, we quickly realized that the portals were such iconic entrances and something we could translate into our world perfectly. Our design team had so much fun using lighting, lasers, and fountains in new ways to introduce our Avenger heroes. After all these years of World of Color, I am still amazed at how much creativity and passion the team has bringing new stories to life in new ways.