originally posted on 6/3/2022
Photo: Scott Arnold. View full-sized image.
Get ready to join the Guardians of the Galaxy to save humanity and have fun doing it! Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a new enclosed roller coaster at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park in Orlando, Florida. The attraction officially opened May 27, 2022, but had been in previews for passholders, media, cast members and other lucky visitors since early May.
Cosmic Rewind boasts several “firsts.” The Vekoma-built ride is the first roller coaster in EPCOT, so now there is at least one roller coaster in each of the four parks in Walt Disney World. With the longest indoor coaster track at 5,577 feet, it occupies a building so large in volume it could easily fit the neighboring “Spaceship Earth” globe inside — four times. Speaking of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Cosmic Rewind is the first Marvel-themed attraction at the Florida resort. It’s the first EPCOT pavilion themed to an “off world” participant, in this case, the planet Xandar featured in the first “Guardians” film. The coaster also features unique trains with rotating coaches.
Photo: Scott Arnold. View full-sized image.
Photo: David Fake. View full-sized image.
The entrance to Cosmic Rewind is the Future World pavilion, “The Wonders of Xandar.” Formerly the Universe of Energy and “Ellen’s Energy Adventure,” the new pavilion introduces guests to the culture and technology of the fictional world. The presentation begins in an impressive planetarium-like space showing Earth’s place in the universe relative to the distant Xandar and sets up the importance of the “cosmic generator” device that opens up black-hole type “jump points” to instantly traverse vast distances in space. The rest of the queue winds past exhibits about the role of the Xandar Nova Core military and how they and the Guardians defeated an attack by a breakaway faction of the Kree. Like the cosmic generator, the blanket formation energy shield of the Nova Core is an Easter egg that figures later in the ride’s story.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World. View full-sized image.
Photo: Scott Arnold. View full-sized image.
The pre-show uses some Disney Imagineering magic to teleport guests from EPCOT up to an orbiting Xandarian spacecraft to demonstrate the aforementioned cosmic generator. The demonstration is cut short by a Celestial antagonist, Eson the Searcher. Eson takes the generator and transports himself back in time to prevent humans from evolving. The Guardians are alerted to pursue Eson and get back the device. The enterprising Rocket hacks the ship’s “escape vehicles” for jump point space travel and enlists the guests to board them to keep track of Eson as he travels through jump points back to the “Big Bang.”
Actress Glenn Close reprises her movie role in the pre-show.
Photo: Jay Jacobs. View full-sized image.
Photo: Scott Arnold. View full-sized image.
Guests funnel into a large dual-loading station. Once aboard the trains, riders roll right into the action. Screens, large and small on both sides of the track, keep riders in contact with the Nova Core and the Guardians in their own ship as they chase Eson through time and space jump points and snatch back the cosmic generator, all while making wisecracks and playing tunes from their “Awesome Mix” soundtrack. Currently, there are six different songs played randomly in the trains.
Photo: Jay Jacobs. View full-sized image.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World. View full-sized image.
The action of the coaster in Cosmic Rewind is best described as “Space Mountain 2.0.” The ride just feels and looks as if Space Mountain were built today. There is a similar intensity to the California and Tokyo mountains with no large drops or inversions. The ride is suitable for families but still has some surprising speed for seasoned enthusiasts. The coaches do rotate but do not spin freely. The rotating action is more for focusing riders’ attention on planetary scenery and the giant screens splashed with massive images of Eson, the Guardians and Nova Core battling away. The rotating action adds to feeling disoriented. Sometimes riders feel as if they are in the rear of the train moving forward and then feel as if they are in front moving backward — or vice versa! Everything is exceptionally smooth.
The coaster features a backward launch.
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World. View full-sized image.
The theming of the coaster is done with very few practical sets or scenery. The characters only appear on screens and as holograms. It is a perfect “black box” that could someday be fitted with seasonal overlays like California’s Space Mountain. Many guests would love to ride a Florida version of “Ghost Galaxy” or “Hyperspace Mountain.”
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a worthy addition to the collection of coasters at Walt Disney World. It fits in with the “world’s fair” theming of EPCOT even though it lightly pokes fun at it while bringing some much-needed thrills and humor to EPCOT’s Future World. With Central Florida in a “Golden Era” of new coasters, Cosmic Rewind is worth making some extra time to rocket into space and save humanity!
— Marlon Scott
Photo: Scott Arnold. View full-sized image.
Photo: David Fake. View full-sized image.
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