Disney announces that EPCOT's Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will open in 2022

Sep 30, 2021 in "Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind"

Gallery / 2 Photos
Imagineers inside the Galaxarium

Posted: Thursday September 30, 2021 9:55am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has today confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will open in 2022 at EPCOT, but did not offer a specific timeframe.

Imagineer Zach Riddley said this morning, "Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, will debut in 2022. That’s right, our friends from Xandar will open the first 'other-world' showcase pavilion at EPCOT next year, inviting us on an intergalactic chase through space and time!"

Imagineers inside the Galaxarium

In the picture above, Tom Fitzgerald (left) and Scot Drake (right) gave us a new look inside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion currently under construction. Here you see them in the Galaxarium, which when completed will feature a planetarium-type presentation where the Xandarians show us their world, their people and their advanced technologies.

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind concept art

The attraction will feature a new innovation from Walt Disney Imagineering – a storytelling coaster that rotates 360 degrees to focus guests on the action, including the first reverse launch on a Disney coaster.

Inside Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind show building

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gerarar25 days ago

The VQ system has finally ended today for GOTG: CR! Standby line starts tomorrow Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The VQ system was reportedly supposed to end multiple times during some lull periods, but never came to fruition. It went through 2 hurricane closures, but nearly 3 years later after the ride opened May 27, 2022, the VQ has concluded and standby is finally here. Scatterplot of every single VQ data point collected for the past 1002 days. Here's my final update for it and wrap-up post:

Andrew2525 days ago

I for one hope that one day they can find a way to add railings within the pre-show spaces to reduce the pain point that is the funnel at the end. Ideally, it would be tiered "rows" within the preshow space where a CM then can release each section one by one instead of the mass release. I also think Disney should really enforce kicking people out of line who exit the preshow early to get a headstart.

Professortango125 days ago

I am aware. I was speaking more to the concept of the room rather than the function.

Agent H25 days ago

The stretching room is not an elevator in Florida

Professortango125 days ago

HM also has a trained CM in the elevator with us, so they can manage the emergency release if an incident were to occur.

lazyboy97o25 days ago

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts also has an elevator scene in the queue. Florida Fire Prevention Code, NFPA 101 12.4.9.2.1.3 allows designs that “confound the egress path” when combined with “approved directional exit marking that becomes apparent in an emergency”. Section 12.4.9.6.2 also requires an Emergency Action Plan approved by the local fire department. The big thing to do when designing these spaces is to ensure systems fail in a safe manner. In a situation where the door is obscured the easiest solution would be for the default, no-power position to be that the door is open with signage visible when open.

Agent H25 days ago

Hm I didn’t think about that. maybe the haunted mansion is just sort of grandfathered in because there’s not really a way to change it?

Purduevian26 days ago

Guessing that might be a fire code issue? I have no idea how the HM stretching room gets away with having no visible windows and doors from a legal/code standpoint

Agent H26 days ago

That’s really cool but maybe we also need doors that can’t be pushed open so easily?

Purduevian26 days ago

There was apparently supposed to be an impressive AA figure on the opposite side of the room from the doors (on the left). It would naturally spread the crowd out a lot better. Sure there would still be a group of people that will squeeze up against the doors to the ride. However, a lot of people would drift to the left to see the AA. When the preshow ends, the group is already more spread out and it wouldn't be as much of a crunch. Kind of like the HM stretching room. People that know, stand under the parasail girl for an easy exit, however, most people don't know where the exit is, and thus spread out.

JohnD26 days ago

I traveled with a family of three almost a year ago. I told them we were going to hold back and that they didn't want to be squeezed in. Much better being among the last in the group. Yes, the next group comes in behind us but we're almost into the main loading area by then.

vikescaper26 days ago

That’s exactly how I feel, too. Plus, we usually request rows 9 and 10 so it doesn’t really benefit us rushing out as we will have to wait regardless.

Agent H26 days ago

How would that have solved the problem? Don’t get me wrong of course they should have done that but how would it have solved this problem?

JohnD26 days ago

When I'm in the teleportation room and everyone goes right, I go left. You go rush those doors and squeeze yourselves in like sardines. I'm good back here. What am I going to lose. Another minute?