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Credit: DisneyAmid the Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary celebrations, an otherworldly group of disparate misfits will take over the Central Florida Disney Parks when Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind finally opens on May 27, 2022.
Here is your complete guide on the who, what, when, and where of EPCOT Park’s newest addition.
Marvel at EPCOT
What is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a brand-new thrill coaster based at the new Wonders of Xandar pavilion in the World Discovery neighborhood, replacing Ellen’s Energy Adventure starring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye. The Universe of Energy pavilion closed in 2017 with its show building repurposed for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction. It was announced at the 2017 D23 Expo.
Walt Disney World’s latest offering is the first roller coaster based on Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and finds actors like Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña reprising their roles of Peter Quill/Star-Lord and Gamora, respectively, in the ride’s storyline. The attraction is sponsored by dutch amusement ride manufacturer, Vekoma.
Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), and Vin Diesel (Groot) will also star in the attraction’s narrative which finds the Guardians (and you!) facing off against Eson, a menacingly powerful Celestial. The Guardians of the Galaxy ride looks set to change theme park coasters forever!
When will Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind open?
After months of teasing with construction builds and theming, in early April The Walt Disney Company announced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will open to Park Guests on May 27, 2022.
Annual Passholders to the Walt Disney World Resort were able to access and ride the attraction on May 8, while D23 gold members with valid admission can experience the new Marvel coaster on May 15, ahead of its public debut.
What is World Discovery?
World Discovery is a new neighborhood at EPCOT. Joining World Celebration — which houses the iconic Spaceship Earth icon of the Disney Park — and World Nature, World Discovery is part of the ongoing EPCOT renovation project. The three neighborhoods replaced the former Future World, creating a more cohesive Guest experience alongside the popular World Showcase area.
Riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
What is the queue system for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
Similar to other high-profile Disney Park attractions, such as Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the queue area for the original coaster is a highly themed area intended to bolster the world-building experience of EPCOT, Xandar, and beyond. Guests will walk past the huge Star Blaster, entering the Wonders of Xandar pavilion developed by the Andromeda Galaxy’s Xandarians and the people of Terra (Earth) where education of advanced technologies is at the forefront.
Guests will experience the Xandar pavilion through the Galaxarium with showcases, presentations, and the Xandar Gallery, detailing the connections between Xandar and Terra with Nova Prime (Glenn Close) and Centurion Tal Marik (Terry Crews). The queue will also air the local television program, Good Morning Xandar, featuring interviews with the Guardians of the Galaxy themselves in tons of new footage filmed specially for the attraction.
As for the logistics of the queue system, Disney Parks has announced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will not be offering a traditional standby queue and instead will return to utilizing a virtual queue. Virtual queues had seemingly become a thing of the past after Walt Disney World and later Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort eliminated the divisive service before the debut of Disney Genie and Disney Genie+. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind virtual queue times will be offered at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
In Disney’s own words:
From time to time, a virtual queue—accessible via the My Disney Experience app—may be used for select attractions or experiences. When a virtual queue is in place, you can request to enjoy that attraction or experience later in the day, so you can enjoy other experiences while you wait. When the virtual queue is in place, a standby queue will not be available, and Guests must use the My Disney Experience app to enter the attraction or experience.
That being said, for Guests not wanting the added stress of registering for the virtual queue a la Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Disney also announced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be available on the Disney Genie service as an Individual Lightning Lane Selection option. The price for the attraction is between $14-$17 depending on the day and season.
On Lightning Lane, Disney tells us:
For some of the most highly demanded attractions, Lightning Lane entry is available for purchase individually. Guests may purchase and select an arrival window one at a time for up to 2 attractions total per day. This option is available for all Guests—with or without Disney Genie+ service.
As for when Guests can purchase Lightning Lane:
Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel and Other Select Hotels:
Guests can make their first purchase starting at 7:00 AM on the day of their visit. Available to Disney Resort hotel Guests and Guests of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels and Shades of Green.All Other Guests:
These Guests can make their first purchase when the park opens.Pricing and availability varies by date and attraction and may be purchased on the day of your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort.
What are the height and safety requirements for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a dark-ride, thrill roller coaster-style attraction meaning that there are many health and safety requirements for the attraction.
- The minimum height requirement for the Marvel coaster is 42 inches (107cm).
- Children must be supervised at all times.
- Any children under the age of 7 must be supervised by someone age 14 and up.
- Disney warns that the seating and ride vehicle may prevent Guests of certain body shapes and sizes from riding.
Disney confirms those Guests who should NOT ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind:
For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.
What is the ride vehicle for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
In an early update from November 2020, Disney Parks revealed a detailed look at the Omnicoaster, which is said to be a game-changer in the theme park world. You can watch the initial content here:
They wrote about the Disney coaster:
Work continues on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT – the family-friendly “storytelling coaster” featuring a groundbreaking ride system with vehicles that rotate 360 degrees and can even do a reverse launch! The Omnicoaster is a first-of-its-kind programmable roller coaster ride system, where guests can be rotated along the ride track in any direction while traveling at high speeds.
Creative Portfolio Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Imagineer, Zach Riddley, has been keeping fans in the loop over the new attraction which will be one of the most exciting roller coasters to hit Disney Parks in years.
What songs are featured in the story of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
Fans of director James Gunn’s Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), will know that the films harness the power of music throughout the storyline. The songs that Guests will be entertained with while riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Walt Disney World will be:
- “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire
- “Disco Inferno” by the Trammps
- “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears
- “One Way or Another” by Blondie
- “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls
- “Conga” by Gloria Estefan
Disney Parks Blog also revealed the overarching story of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and how the music will be used in the narrative based on Marvel Studios’ characters:
You won’t know which track you’ll hear each time you ride until you actually blast off with the Guardians on an intergalactic chase through time and space. You’ll need all the encouragement you can get, too, because the Guardians are asking for our help to stop Eson, the Celestial seen in the image above, from completing what I’m going to assume is a nefarious plan. I mean … look at that guy! Eson is huge. And powerful. And ancient. And seems poised to grab our pretty blue planet in one hand and slam dunk us like a basketball!
Marvel at Disney Parks
What is Avengers Campus?
Avengers Campus is a Marvel-themed land, based in Disneyland Resort’s Disney California Adventure. The land features interactions with the heroes and villains of the MCU like Spider-Man, Loki, Black Panther‘s (2018) Dora Milaje, and most recently, America Chavez and the Scarlet Witch in honor of the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Disneyland’s Avengers Campus is also home to WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and the Ancient Sanctum. Restaurants include Pym’s Test Kitchen and Shawarma Palace. A version of Avengers Campus is being developed at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland with the former opening in early Summer 2022.
Last year, Disneyland Paris revamped its Hotel New York with theming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the history of the Marvel Universe from the comic books. With Disney’s Hotel New York — The Art of Marvel, Disneyland Paris allows Guests to visit Bleeker Street for a cocktail, grab a selfie with Spider-Man, and even witness an Asgardian chandelier fit for a god.
What is Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT!?
Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT is the overlay of Tower of Terror at Disneyland Resort’s Disney California Adventure. Like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, the attraction features filmed footage of the ragtag squad and utilizes the drop tower mechanism from its predecessor.
Are you excited to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Walt Disney World Resort’s theme parks — Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Disney water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!