Damon Smith Marvels at the new attractions at Disneyland Paris

WITH great power comes great responsibility. High school student Peter Parker - aka Spider-Man - learnt the heartbreaking truth of those simple words Marvel Comics’ Amazing Fantasy series.

More than half a century later, the great responsibility for closing Disneyland Paris’ spectacular 25th anniversary celebrations rests with the teenage webslinger and his superpowered allies from the Avengers, as Europe’s most popular theme park unveils the eagerly-anticipated Marvel Summer of Super Heroes season at Walt Disney Studios Park.

The limited-time special event, which runs until September 30, unites leather- and spandex-clad titans - such as Black Widow, Captain America, Iron Man and Thor - exclusively in the French capital for a spectacular programme of shows and interactive experiences.

The centrepiece of the festivities is the special effects-laden 20-minute stage show, Marvel: Super Heroes United, which is performed three times a day in English and French in the Studio Theatre.

Boasting one of the biggest LED screens in Europe, indoor drones that allow a full-size car to fly across the stage, video projections, a wire-flying Iron Man and breathlessly choreographed fight sequences, it’s the most technically ambitious stage production that Disneyland Paris has ever attempted.

A linear story of good versus evil brings together Black Panther, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Thor for a superhero smackdown against intergalactic warlord Thanos and his adopted daughter, Nebula.

Outside the theatre in the shadow of the hulking Hollywood Tower Hotel, crowds assemble for Stark Expo Presents: Energy For Tomorrow! Performed three times a day in English, the open-air extravaganza begins with Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, unveiling an arc reactor that generates green energy, and ends with power-hungry Loki, the scythe-wielding god of mischief, trading carefully choreographed punches and blows with Black Widow, Spider-Man, and his strapping half-brother, Thor.

In a brief respite from the entertainment, I snack on a dizzying array of themed treats, including Groot-shaped bread and cooling soda supped out of a plastic stein moulded to resemble Iron Man’s shiny red and gold suit helmet.

Fully replenished, I’m primed to show off my fancy footwork at The Guardians Of The Galaxy Awesome Dance-Off, which premiered last year at Disneyland Resort in California and has been tweaked for its debut in Paris.

Star-Lord and Gamora cajole visitors to shake their groovy things to a toe-tapping soundtrack of 1970s floor fillers.

If public displays of wanton hip-swivelling cause you to break out in a cold sweat, avoid standing near the front of the stage, or you may be plucked from the crowd by a swaggering Star-Lord.

The Meet Spider-Man photo opportunity, a fan favourite since 2014, is closed for the duration of the Marvel Summer of Super Heroes, unless you pay a premium and book a Marvel Signature Package.

The deal includes accommodation at a Disney hotel and park tickets, plus character dining with an opportunity to meet Black Widow, Captain America and Thor, your exclusive web-slinging encounter with Spider-Man, a E60 gift card to spend in the park and a PhotoPass for the duration of your stay.

In place of an audience with Peter Parker, you can now trade a firm handshake with the leader of the Avengers at Heroic Encounter: Captain America. Capacity is limited, so you must book your private audience with Steve Rogers from 9.45am each morning, using the Disneyland Paris app.

Beyond this summer, super-charged characters from the Marvel Comics universe will continue to infiltrate Disneyland Paris. The four-star, art deco-inspired Hotel New York will close in January 2019 to undergo a major refurbishment, introducing sleek, futuristic designs alongside costumes, props and artworks from the Marvel films in the lobby, and stylised posters in all 565 rooms. Reservations open in 2020 when the property is rechristened Hotel New York - The Art Of Marvel.

Beginning in 2021 as part of a £1.8 billion multi-year expansion, Disneyland Paris will unveil a permanent area devoted to Marvel in the Walt Disney Studios Park.

The out-dated Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be reborn as a hyperkinetic ride with corkscrews and inversions featuring Iron Man and other members of the Avengers.

Suit up and prepare for war.

Getting there

Disneyland Paris (disneylandparis.co.uk; 0844 800 8111) offers a two-night/three-day stay at Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, including return travel on Eurostar from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford International to Disneyland Paris, in standard class, from £1,573.48 for two adults and two children, including park tickets and half-board meal plan. Price based on July 11, 2018 departure date, subject to availability.