Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will open summer 2022 at EPCOT

Nov 20, 2021 in "Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind"

Posted: Saturday November 20, 2021 10:11am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has today announced that the new Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind rollercoaster will open Summer 2022 at Walt Disney World's EPCOT.

Under construction for five years, the ride was originally planned to open before Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary but faced delays from the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.

New concept art was also shown of the queue and pre-show area.


Located in the park’s newly renamed World Discovery neighborhood, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT. Xandarians traveled from their homeworld in the Andromeda galaxy to Earth – or Terra, as they call it – to build this Wonders of Xandar pavilion, inviting EPCOT guests to learn more about their people and their advanced technologies. Until the Guardians arrive, anyway, and adventure ensues …

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will offer several other “firsts,” including:

  • The first coaster attraction at EPCOT.
  • The first reverse launch for a Disney coaster.
  • The first Walt Disney World attraction to feature the Guardians of the Galaxy.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be one of the longest fully enclosed coasters in the world, housed in one of the largest show buildings ever constructed for a Disney theme park. By volume, four Spaceship Earths would fit inside the attraction’s massive new show building.
  • Academy Award nominee Glenn Close reprises her role from “Guardians of the Galaxy” as Nova Prime, the leader of Xandar and commander of the Nova Corps.
  • Disney Imagineers were recently on-set for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” to film with the Guardians for this new attraction.
  • A Starblaster will stand outside the Wonders of Xandar building, the first full-size version of this Xandarian ship ever built.
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Coaster Lover26 days ago

I mean, ultimately, that's what ever scene on a trackless dark ride is. You want every scene to be long enough that the vehicles in front of you have enough time to clear the scene in front of you and for the scene to rest (if needed). The preference is to have lots of shorter scenes to allow more vehicles on the circuit at any one time. In roller coaster terms, each scene acts as sort of a block zone where only one set of ride vehicles can be in the block zone at any one time. Ideally, whatever is happening in each scene is long enough (and interesting enough) that it doesn't feel like you are just waiting in a scene (though sometimes that does happen if there is a delay at unload and a backup of vehicles in the scenes ahead of you).

Disstevefan126 days ago

Thanks for the correction. You're right Disney had no intention to eventually monetize FastPass. 🤣 I guess someone in Disney just woke up one day and said, "Hey, you know the FastPass system that cost us so much to develop and release and we give out for free, lets monetize it, Universal already does!!" I admit I am not an expert like you, but the moment I saw the tap points and and free magic bands, and the app, I KNEW we would be paying eventually (but that's just my thoughts).

MisterPenguin26 days ago

I learned that from Rollercoaster Tycoon!!

lewisc26 days ago

Isn't it an internet facts that Disney needs new E Ticket attractions every few years to motivate some return guests. LL revenue is the gravy

Fido Chuckwagon26 days ago

This is demonstrably false.

Mr. Sullivan26 days ago

This actually something I was wondering when I wrote it a few days ago. What is actually happening here? We’re not actually going anywhere we’re just sitting in that room for the brief elevator simulation, I know that. But does it serve a purpose beyond the storytelling element? If not, I don’t think that’s a problem, but I was curious if it was something that was included maybe as a clever way to hold vehicles in place for timing or to put enough distance between the set of vehicles you were riding with and the one ahead of you behind you, etc.

Professortango126 days ago

Its also how they use the space. The only "big warehouse" rooms that I notice are the start "tell them its a prisoner transfer" which is fine as we are essentially moving from the load station to the actual attraction. The other is the AT-AT room which works. The design does a fairly good job of making it feel like the ride is supposed to go to certain areas but then diverted and ditching out into other areas. I do wish the fake elevator sequence did have some simulation to make it feel like you are moving to another level.

lazyboy97o26 days ago

Which is why I said “trackless, but not true trackless”. Wire guided is considered as a type of trackless. It’s a technical difference but there’s really no experiential difference. Many people incorrectly assume Symbolica at Eftling is true trackless because it does all the true trackless gimmicks but it is in fact a much cheaper wire guided ride.

Disstevefan126 days ago

I think in addition to our "scope cut" drinking game we also need a "Sell LL" drinking game ;) But you have a point, we all know by now, Disneyparks is a business and their number one product, the "money for nothing" LL product is the absolute top priority to sell! Maybe my repeatedly posting about LLs and scope cuts is my copium ;)

Purduevian26 days ago

I guess there really isn't a big difference between Warehouse and Hanger... but yes it's in theme at ROTR.

Disstevefan126 days ago

I think it was safe to presume it was approved because Disney knew they were going to paid fastpass. Lets face it, when they developed and deployed the fastpass system, the company already knew they would eventually monetize it.

UNCgolf26 days ago

ROTR is blessed with a setting that's generally huge and open in the movies, so it gets around the problem.

Purduevian26 days ago

Very fair... I just know on Remy and MMRR... I feel like I'm super aware I'm just in a big warehouse. ROTR does a lot better at this. I feel like the kuka arm is the next evolution of the omnimover personally (basically a 3D omnimover) TOT isn't trackless AFAIK. I believe it's wire guided.

Fido Chuckwagon26 days ago

It was approved and construction started long before paid fastpass.

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