Isai RochaFans of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will want to pay a visit to Disneyland’s California Adventure, which just introduced a bunch of new Black Panther experiences to coincide with the film’s release. Nestled within the Avengers Campus portion of the park, guests will notice a series of Black Panther characters, food, merchandise and shows celebrating one of the most popular franchises in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“In support of Wakanda Forever, we have this really amazing multi-level approach of how we’re going to deliver Wakanda to our guests,” Michael Cerna, Executive Creative Director with Disney Live Entertainment said at the launch. “We knew this was going to be a huge moment for all of us, a cultural moment, a personal moment for a lot of people, so we really wanted to have an activation that really reached out and celebrated this new experience of the new Black Panther coming to Wakanda.”
The new Black Panther characters join the group of Avengers who walk through the park, greeting guests and providing photo ops. Queen Ramonda has a presence as does Lord M’Baku, who hosts a new interactive show called “The Ways of the Jabari” wherein he essentially roasts the viewing public, then asks them to join him in Wakandan celebrations and Jabari Tribe battle cries.
“He teaches us the way of the spirit of the Jabari, what they’re about, how they’re different from the rest of the Wakandans,” Cerna said. “I think they’re going to really love this experience of meeting M’Baku for the first time and then interact with him.”
Part of the new Wakanda Forever experience delves into exotic food offerings with a few new dishes found just outside the Avengers Campus, in the marketplace called “Flavors of Wakanda.”
A new South African-inspired dish consists of spicy peri-peri chicken sitting on top of a bed of yellow rice. A Wakandan roasted pork wrap, featuring spiced pork with black garlic sauce and chermoula can be found at the Shawarma Palace and Shawarma Palace Too, inside Avengers Campus. Additionally, there’s a West African-inspired Maafe dish, which is a ground peanut stew with sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black-eyed-peas and a side of naan bread.
To drink, the Wakandan marketplace offers a Butterfly Pea Tea Lemonade ($6.50) consisting of honey, ginger beer, and butterly pea tea, and an alcoholic version with vodka, called the Dawa ($18.25).
Keeping with the drink theme, they’ve switched up the Iron Man infinity gauntlet drink holder and are now selling a Black Panther-themed drink holder ($31.25). These can be found not only at the Flavors of Wakanda marketplace, but the Shawarma Palace carts inside Avengers Campus.
A new activation at Disneyland would not be complete without some merchandise. Of course, a set of Black Panther mouse ears will be available, along with shirts, hand bags, water bottles and action figures.
An art installation can be found on the edge of Avengers Campus and Hollywood Land, called The Black Panther Celebration Garden. A giant panther head, covered in Wakandan lettering is available for photo ops, and there’s a Wakanda Forever banner across from it, perfect for superhero-style selfies.
The Avengers Campus Super Store also features props and costumes from the film, plus Black Panther-themed gear, while Downtown Disney District has a mural created by artist Nikkolas Smith inspired by the new film.
The Wakanda Forever celebration will run through January 8, and happen parallel to Disneyland’s holiday festivities. More info at disneyland.disney.go.com/
Butterfly Pea Tea Lemonade (Isai Rocha/L.A. Weekly)
Peri-peri chicken (Isai Rocha/LA Weekly)
(Photo courtesy of Disneyland)
(Isai Rocha/L.A. Weekly)
(Isai Rocha/L.A. Weekly)
(Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
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