NEW RIDE: EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy Coaster Reviewed!

Hang on tight for a wild new ride! We have all the updated information for you on EPCOT’s brand new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster… Including attraction information, our review, on-ride video, and a link to The Treasures of Xandar attraction merchandise information and photos.

Get your mixtapes ready, it’s save the galaxy time! 

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind PREVIEWED to media and invited guests on May 5th. The one-of-a-kind coaster is housed in the first other-world showcase pavilion at EPCOT. The attraction will officially open on May 27th, as part of Walt Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration… but cast previews are already underway and passholders and DVC members who registered will start riding on May 8th. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Coaster Teaser 

WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD…

We have on-ride video of a terrified Dusty and fearless Chloe riding the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction:

Disney Parks also released a trailer for the attraction with Rocket, Groot, and [a sleeping] Peter Quill, hinting at the adventure that lies ahead. “It’s time to save the Galaxy… again.” 

Noticeably, Rocket is not voiced by Bradley Cooper in this clip, and that probably isn’t Chris Pratt underneath the Starlord mask. Have no fear, the actors have reprised their roles for the coaster, as Director James Gunn filmed the attraction’s scenes along with the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Queue & Pre-shows 

Let’s take a look at the setup for the big ride. If you pay attention in the attraction queue, you learn that Star-Lord visited EPCOT as a child and loved the experience so much, that he suggested the Disney park as the perfect place for Xandarians to connect with Terrans. The Wonders of Xandar pavilion features three main sections:

The Galaxarium is a sweeping planetarium-style space showcasing planets, stars, and other intergalactic wonders that connect Terra and Xandar – reinforcing the notion that we’re all born of the same space dust.

The next room is the Xandar Gallery, where you’ll learn more about the Xandarian people, culture, and history – including the heroes of Xandar, the Guardians of the Galaxy – through specially designed displays, including models of starships and a Xandarian city. 

You eventually end up in the first of two pre-show rooms, entering the Phase Chamber. The first preshow takes place on Terra (Earth), with Glenn Close reprising her role as Nova Prime Irani Rael.

Projections and hologram effects are seen here. Nova Prime informs us that we will be transported to a Nova Cruiser before continuing our tour. Terry Crews as Centurion Tal Marik appears, leading us into the next preshow room. This is where an incredible effect happens… First, you’ll walk into a circular room where your attention is drawn to look up. Eventually, the room goes dark and the transport begins. The walls that created a circular room have disappeared, and you are suddenly standing on the Nova Cruiser – a much larger room than the one you were in before. A real WOW moment!

The Guardians of the Galaxy Ride Experience

After being sent up to the transport ship somewhere above Terra, you enter the loading station to board a Starjumper vehicle.

This attraction hosts dual load stations, as you enter down the middle and load on either side, similar to Big Thunder Mountain at WDW.

The omni-coaster train arrives at the station empty, ready for you. The seats with individual lap bars are very spacious and comfortable.

After leaving the loading station, you continue moving through to a large U-turn. This is where the coaster starts to “omni-move”, seamlessly rotating and following the story playing out on the screen.

Slowly rolling back through the end of this scene, you ultimately launch backward up and into the main show building where the real fun begins. You’ll start to hear a song here, which sets the soundtrack for your ride. (The coaster’s playlist includes 6 songs: “Disco Inferno”, “September”, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, “Conga”, “I Ran”, and “One Way or Another”. You won’t know which song you’ll hear each time you ride until you jump into space with the Guardians!)

As you arrive at the main part of the coaster, you see large projection screens, studded with stars, that seem to follow you through the ride. You seamlessly move through the ride with the action on screen, without slowing down. This effect is done really well, as projections swoop and glide along with you – it really does feel like you’re traveling through space (theme park space at least).

The screens add to the sci-fi experience, but also feel realistic. You won’t notice the track at all, it really does feel like you’re flying. After smoothly spiraling around planets, you jump back to earth, specifically EPCOT, and are welcomed back by the Guardians of the Galaxy who are projected on a screen. This is the one area of the attraction we think should be improved upon. This last showroom is oversized for the seemingly-small screen with nothing else in the space at all. A bit of a let down after such a jam-packed and well designed ride. Animatronics or additional set pieces would help fix this last scene. 

What did we think? Tune in to hear Chloe and Dusty’s thoughts after their first ride:

What You Need to Know About Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is not an extreme coaster. The motions are gentle and sweeping, and very smooth. Besides spiraling around large setpieces, there is no actual spinning – the vehicles reposition your view rather than spin you around (not unlike Haunted Mansion’s doombuggies). There are a few small dips in the track, but no major drops, nor any inversions. And not to worry, the backward launch is very gentle.
• Wheelchairs must transfer.
• The height requirement is 42”.
• Cosmic Rewind is the longest enclosed coaster at any Disney park, as well as one of the world’s longest indoor coasters anywhere.
• EPCOT’s newest attraction will utilize a Virtual Queue system upon opening on May 27th. Guests will need to use their My Disney Experience app to secure a boarding group for the ride, no more than once per day. A standby queue will not be available. Individual Lightning Lane (extra cost) will be available for purchase, though no price has been announced yet. 
  • The virtual queue open at 7am, and again at 1pm each day. You’ll need an EPCOT park reservation to book at 7am, and can join from outside the park. You will need to be physically in EPCOT for the 1pm opening. 
  • Deluxe Resort Guests Perk: On nights when there are Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at EPCOT, Deluxe Resort guests will have the extra opportunity to enter the virtual queue at 6pm to achieve a boarding time during the Extended Hours period. Included guests do not need to be present at EPCOT to enter the queue.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind reminds us of Disneyland’s Space Mountain, with a bit more story, an amazing (and changing!) soundtrack, and a completely different coaster train that moves along with its surroundings. The pavilion itself lends itself to 80s EPCOT, with elevated queue platforms that sweep above showpieces, preshows featuring doors that open toward you, large screens with innovative tech, and the attraction’s story even references Universe of Energy at least once!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Merchandise is a Galactic Blast from the Past

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Let us know what you think!

Are you excited about EPCOT’s first coaster? How does the pavilion look to you so far? 

Lots More…

More Walt Disney World 50th-anniversary coverage:

I am Groot.