Singing and dancing along to the funky tune “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire is an activity you might expect on a road trip, but it’s also something I couldn’t help but do on a preview of the spectacular new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride at Walt Disney World Resort. Opening to the public on May 27, 2022, will be Epcot’s very first roller coaster as part of Disney World’s continued 50th anniversary celebration, and it’s simply chock full of fun.
The West Coast has been enjoying Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! at Disney California Adventure Park (part of Disneyland Resort) since 2017, but Cosmic Rewind marks the first time any Marvel Cinematic Universe property has been permanently represented on the East Coast. As a perfect blend of old-school and new-school Epcot — lots more is still on the way for the re-envisioned park, including Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana — it’s easily one of the best rides Disney has ever created.
The backstory of the attraction is that Star-Lord (a.k.a. Peter Quill) had visited the park as a child in the 1980s before he was abducted from Earth, and was instrumental in bringing Xandar (a fictional planet in the Marvel universe) to us as an adult fan of Walt Disney’s original “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” (EPCOT). So, keep an eye out for referential easter eggs hidden in the Wonders of Xandar pavilion queue.
After the Xandarians demonstrate their Cosmic Generator to teleport visitors onboard a starship (one of several very cool and convincing effects), a Celestial known as Eson steals the technology away to destroy Earth. So, the Guardians — Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora and Star-Lord — are called to the rescue, and they enlist our help to board Starjumper escape pods and chase after the cosmic being through time and space via jump points (the very ones that gave baby Groot an upset stomach in the franchise’s second film).
The Coaster’s Layout
Sign Up for Our Monthly Family Getaways Newsletter
I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.
As a family thrill coaster, there are no inversions and the motion is very smooth, but as with Space Mountain, the ride takes place in the dark, and because two-row cars of four riders rotate independently on the train chassis, its motion profile is rather unique. Following a leisurely dark-ride portion that sets up the narrative conflict, a high-speed launch begins in reverse, followed by kinetic forward and sideways moves that may be a bit disorienting (especially for those sensitive to motion sickness) but are also super fun and wholly worthwhile.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind features characters from the movies.
Credit: 2022 Walt Disney World ResortIt’s just a blast to dodge the colorful galaxy and a never-ending set of marvelous practical and visual effects and cinematic projections set to pop songs including “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 Miami Sound Machine and “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps.
What truly makes the experience so special is the hilarious cast of playfully irreverent characters from the films egging us on and razzing each other with clever dialogue punctuated throughout. For instance, Drax is humorously fixated on food during the impressive length of the attraction, which happens to be Disney’s longest fully enclosed coaster.
Speaking of which, if clients work up an appetite onboard, the adjacent new Connections Cafe and Eatery has already opened as an expansive replacement to the previous Electric Umbrella restaurant, and the equally large Creations Shop has also started selling its merchandise.
Next on the docket for Walt Disney World’s anniversary is the release of new tech in the form of MagicBand+ this summer and "Hey Disney!” later in 2022. The former will raise the bar on the wearable tech with additional light-up and haptic interactions, such as a scavenger hunt among the celebration’s signature golden character statues and a new bounty hunter experience at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. “Hey Disney!” meanwhile, will bring Alexa-style digital voice assistance to resort hotels.
