Theaters, comic book shops, and the interwebs are no longer the only places where Marvel fans can assemble. Avengers Campus - an immersive, MCU-themed land - opened at the Disney California Adventure park at Anaheim's Disneyland Resort in June, offering a whole new way for fans to enjoy the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the real world.
Here guests can sling webs with Spider-Man, eat giant and mini-sized food at the Ant-Man-inspired Pym Test Kitchen, help the Guardians of the Galaxy escape The Tivan Collection, and even interact with Doctor Strange at the ancient Sanctum Sanctorum.
This particular Marvel project is especially unique in that the land continues to evolve with the MCU. Throughout Loki's run on Disney+, different versions of Loki and props from the show appeared in the land, and Natasha Romanoff even appeared in her white suit from Black Widow upon the film's release.
In keeping with the MCU and its projects, Avengers Campus also has its fair share of Easter eggs, and finding them all is an Avengers-level mission on its own!
The Story of Avengers Campus
According to the land's lore, Avengers Campus was originally the home of Stark Industries Complex, including Howard Stark's flying car auto plant, and served as a base for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). Years later, Tony Stark repurposed the land and its facilities into Avengers Campus to train new heroes and engineers.
However, the land is also the site of an ancient Sanctum. And now, all the activity has prompted Taneleer Tivan from the Guardians of the Galaxy to move his collection from Knowhere to the edge of the campus.
1. How a Captain Got His Wings
Before there was SHIELD, the MCU had the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). This organization was formed during WWII and included Howard Stark and Peggy Carter.
The SSR was also responsible for Project Rebirth - the very experiment that led to Steve Rogers becoming Captain America. Faded logos for this organization can be seen in the older corners of the campus, and the eagle wings inspired the wings on Cap's helmet.
2. Geffen-Meyer Chemicals
A division of Stark Industries, Geffen-Meyer Chemicals was a petrochemical plant from Marvel's Civil War comics that also became a source of inspiration for 2016's Captain America: Civil War.
3. Accutech
Yet another subsidiary of Stark Industries, AccuTech helped develop weapons for its parent company and appeared on a billboard at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger.
4. Miles Morales Signs Off
Even though Miles Morales isn't part of the MCU (yet?), in this Marvel timeline, he hangs out with Peter Parker at the campus' Worldwide Engineering Brigade or (W.E.B.) where he's done some decorating. Fans can spot his signature in the mural.
5. Squirrel Girl & Iron Man 3 Character
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure opened with Avengers Campus and uses brand-new tech to let guests sling webs with Spidey to save the campus from Tom Holland's Peter Parker's latest W.E.B. invention.
As it turns out, Peter Parker and Miles Morales aren't the only students working at W.E.B.
Marvel fans waiting in the WEB SLINGERS queue may recognize a few of its other contributors, such as Doreen Green (Squirrel Girl), Lunella Lafayette (Moon Girl), Onome - a Wakandan prodigy, and even Harley Keener from Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Endgame.
6. The Young Avengers?
Inside of WEB SLINGERS is a wall of lockers belonging to the members of W.E.B., including Cassie Lang, Gwen Stacy, America Chavez, Shaun Lucas, Miles Morales, and more.
7. Secret SSR Tunnels
Since the WEB SLINGERS ride is housed in Howard Stark's old auto plant, a number of relics from Howard's day remain. For example, fans waiting in the queue may notice an old school map of the facility revealing underground tunnels or utilidors.
This is nothing new for the MCU, as Camp Lehigh from Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Avengers: Endgame was also home to underground tunnels.
8. The Claw!
The WEB SLINGERS pre-show room is packed with Easter eggs and fun references from Ned Leeds' LEGO Death Star from Spider-Man: Homecoming to a claw machine that includes a Thor Funko POP! and even an alien from Toy Story awaiting the claw.
9. Thanos Snap Duster?
The pre-show room includes a surprisingly dark Easter egg that may make fans not feel so good. Somewhat obscured on the cluttered desk is a can of compressed air for dusting keyboards, but the brand is called "In a Snap" and even has an Infinity Gauntlet as its logo?! Well, dust in your keyboard is inevitable, right?
10. Avengers: Endgame Anniversary
Numbers and letters in a Disney Park are never random but they always hold a special meaning or message, and that's certainly true in Avengers Campus.
The letters "STRK" inside of the WEB SLINGERS ride vehicles are a reference to Tony Stark, and the numbers "042619" stand for April 26, 2019 - the release date for Avengers: Endgame and Tony Stark's final act of heroism.
11. Vistacorp
The Ant-Man and the Wasp-themed Pym Test Kitchen uses Pym tech to grow and shrink food; and apparently, Scott Lang's giant smartphone is being used as the restaurant's menu. Marvel fans may notice his cell service provider is VistaCorp — the same company he hacked and burgled, leading to his arrest.
Vistacorp also owns the WHiH World News seen most recently in WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Widow.
Also, since Scott's smartphone is still in service, fans who hang around long enough may see his text messages from the Avengers and the Guardians pop up on the screen!
12. Pingo Doce - It’s the Real Thing
Even though The Incredible Hulk is often overlooked in the MCU, the film's Pingo Doce soda that contained Bruce Banner's blood is the drink of choice at Avengers Campus and one of the land's exclusive beverages.
Basically, it tastes like vanilla-flavored Mountain Dew. Guests can even purchase giant Pingo Doce souvenir cans courtesy of Pym tech if so inclined.
13. Chitauri Charged Beer?
At the center of Pym Taste Labs - Pym Test Kitchen's dedicated bar - is an enlarged beer can labeled Silver Age. The name itself and its year of origin is a nod to the silver age of comics and the year it began.
However, the label claims that it's Chitauran Charged, as in the Chitauri from 2012's The Avengers. The back of the can even has a warning label that reads: "The following drink was brewed in tanks made from repurposed Chitauran technology and has not been fully approved by damage control for suitable use."
The message here? Consume at your own risk.
14. Have You Ever Tried Shawarma?
For fans who have always wanted to live out The Avengers' post-credits scene for themselves, Avengers Campus offers TWO Shawarma carts literally plastered with MCU memorabilia.
Fans waiting for their shawarma will see newspaper clippings about the Battle of New York and Sokovia, as well as trading cards, vintage ads for Stark Expos, stickers that read "My Other Ride is a Mark 5," Cap's shield, and more.
Perhaps the best Easter egg of all is a nametag that reads "Hello, my name is Donald Blake." This comes as a direct reference to the name tag on a shirt Jane Foster gave Thor upon his arrival on Earth in 2011's Thor.
15. Harbulary Batteries
Guardians of the Galaxy fans may remember Drax the Destroyer calling the Sovereign planet's Anulax batteries "Harbulary batteries" in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Well, Drax's Harbulary batteries live in Avengers Campus and can be spotted in more than one location throughout the land.
16. Project Pegasus
Project PEGASUS was the name of the initiative for researching the Tesseract and attempting to harness its power. The project has been referenced many times throughout the MCU beginning with Captain America: The First Avenger, and it played an especially significant role in 2019's Captain Marvel.
17. A Hulk Tree?
In a rather non discreet area of Avengers Campus is a drain with a warning that reads "Caution: Gamma Radiation" - an obvious reference to Bruce Banner. Interestingly enough, a tree growing by the drain also has a green coloring and is substantially larger than the other trees and vegetation in the area. Coincidence?
18. Reserved Parking for Jarvis
Reserved parking spot signs from the campus' early days can be seen all throughout the land displaying names like H. Stark for Howard Stark, E. Jarvis for Stark family butler Edwin Jarvis, and P. Carter for Peggy Carter.
19. The Kirby Krackle
Guests may notice blue, purple, and yellow ooze in the pavement outside of Tanaleer Tivan's fortress (a.k.a. Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! attraction).
According to the land's storyline, this cosmic ooze surfaced when Tivan dropped his fortress on the edge of Avengers Campus. However, it's actually referred to as "Kirby Krackle" - a homage to the legendary Marvel comic book artist Jack Kirby who used a similar style in his artwork.
20. The Collector Is a Thor: The Dark World Stan?
The Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout! attraction is housed inside of the Collector's Fortress - a literal mecca of Marvel Easter eggs. Amongst the dozens of displays is a case of artifacts belonging to the Dark Elves from 2013's Thor: The Dark World.
21. Ultron Lives
It's still the Age of Ultron inside of the Collector's fortress where the remains of an Ultron Sentry is also on display. Guests waiting in the queue may see his eyes flicker back to life every now and again.
22. The Weapons of Thor’s Warriors Three
Volstagg, Frandral, and Hogun were Asgard's Warriors Three and loyal friends of Thor. In the original Thor, they accompanied him, along with Lady Sif and Loki, to Jotunheim. They later came to Earth to help Thor in the film's final act.
They also appeared in Thor: The Dark World and in Thor: Ragnarok, where they were killed by Hela.
23. Happy Birthday, Marvel Comics!
Again, letters and numbers always mean something! While the letter "S" and number "39" may seem random, "S" is the nineteenth letter in the alphabet. Pair it up with 39, and it's an ode to 1939 - the year Marvel Comics was founded.
Surprisingly, this list only scratches the surface of the number of Easter eggs hidden throughout Avengers Campus; and as the MCU moves deeper into Phase 4, that number is only likely to grow.
Avengers Campus is now open to the public at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, California.
