Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Is Even Better After Vol. 3

Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many times the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has made me emotional. From the unprecedented euphoria of the first film’s initial teaser trailer in 2014, to the mixed feelings around Gamora’s (Zoe Saldana) death in 2019’s Avengers: Infinity War, to the sheer sentimentality of 2022’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, there have been quite a few instances of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s band of space misfits actually moving me to tears. When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the final installment involving the original cast and writer-director James Gunn, arrived in theaters last May, I was convinced that would be the pinnacle of my emotions towards the team. Each time I saw Vol. 3 in theaters, I had a hard time keeping it together amid the emotional roller coaster of the team’s farewell and the fate of Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper and Sean Gunn) — all while recognizing that this would probably be the last time I’d see them onscreen in a long while. Little did I know that this month, as part of Disney’s Young Adult Magical Moments media event, I would get to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for the first time. The attraction, which has become a tentpole of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT park, not only surpassed the hype that has surrounded it for years, but it proved to be an even richer experience in the wake of Vol. 3.

For the uninitiated, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is an enclosed roller coaster inspired by the events of the MCU franchise. Framed as part of the Nova Corps showcasing Xandarian technology to Earth, Nova Prime Irani Rael (Glenn Close) and a new Nova Corps Centurion named Tal Marik (Terry Crews) take attendees through a demonstration of their Cosmic Generator. When the demonstration goes haywire, thanks to a giant Celestial named Eson wanting to destroy and reboot Earth, the Guardians are called in to help. Gamora, Peter Quill / Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket, and Groot then guide everyone onto Nova Corps shuttles, which travel through various jump points in space and time. Through an exhilarating whirlwind of twists, turns, and even a reverse-launch, guests watch the Guardians defeat Eson, before helping everyone get back to Earth. The entire experience is accompanied by the Guardians’ signature soundtrack of 70s and 80s hits, including one of six randomized songs that become the centerpiece of the ride.

A lot has already been written about Cosmic Rewind as an actual roller coaster, and the various feats of engineering that make riding it such a thrill. Thanks to a small fear of heights and falling, I am far from a roller coaster connoisseur, but I was more than willing to set any nerves aside for the unbelievable overall experience of Cosmic Rewind. There’s something surreal about simply existing in the attraction’s various hangars and hallways, which recreate the aesthetic of the Guardians movies in impressive detail, or seeing the giant Nova Corps ship outside of the ride’s main entrance. While Cosmic Rewind is going to elicit that feeling from diehard Marvel fans regardless, it becomes extra impactful in the wake of Vol. 3, when we’re not sure if and when we’ll ever see the physical world of the Guardians onscreen again in the MCU.

There’s also an added layer of emotion around seeing the core Guardians together again on Cosmic Rewind, almost a year removed from the release of Vol. 3. In the lead-up to Vol. 3, Marvel fans (myself included) definitely prepared for at least one member of the team to meet their demise in some sort of blaze of glory. That didn’t end up being the case, as each main character, surprisingly, survived the events of the film — only to dovetail into a poignant finale. By the end of Vol. 3, the larger group of Guardians disbanded, with almost every character leaving to forge their own individual path. Rocket, Groot, and Kraglin (Sean Gunn) continued to lead a new evolution of the team filled with various recently-introduced cosmic heroes, but their next appearance isn’t confirmed or even guaranteed. And either way, it was clear that the franchise had successfully closed a chapter, both creatively and narratively.

This reality makes the experience of Cosmic Rewind, and the longevity it is most likely going to have at EPCOT, all the more special. Yes, like Disneyland’s Avengers Campus, Cosmic Rewind is billed as canon-adjacent to the actual events of the MCU. Yes, the nature of Gamora’s death and time-displaced return and other events of the movies would make Cosmic Rewind difficult to slot into the timeline anyway. But once Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot first pop up on a video screen, none of that matters. Through Cosmic Rewind, this found family of heroes get to live forever, making wisecracks and valiantly saving the day while queueing up whichever song your ride is going to be built around. (I will never be able to listen to the opening notes of our song, Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, again without being profoundly moved.) The Disney parks thrive in capturing the timeless magic of their characters, no matter how long ago their individual stories came to a close, or if some sort of sequel, reboot, or live-action remake is on the horizon. It feels so significant to have the Guardians be among that roster, especially after their film saga delivered one of the most complete and emotional endings in all of comic book media. Even if the MCU doesn’t retread or expand upon the Guardians of the Galaxy in the future, it’s so comforting to know that we will always have Cosmic Rewind.