Later this month, Disney World’s EPCOT park will be furthering its 50th Anniversary celebration by opening the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster to the public. To prepare for launch, Disney invited ComicBook.com along with other media and influencers down to Florida to experience the new attraction. It’s the first portion of the EPCOT park which is themed around a world not of Earth, though it maintains an earthbound story as Marvel’s Xandarian race seen in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie are bringing their technology to our planet. After developing the attraction for the better half of a decade, the Imagineers at Disney have crafted a marvelous new adventure.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Entering what is referred to as the “Wonders of Xandar” pavilion of EPCOT, a massive Xandarian space craft is waiting to greet Marvel fans. It’s a Starblaster, a ship seen getting destroyed by the thousands when the Nova CORPS attempted to stop Ronan’s Dark Aster in Guardians of the Galaxy. The blue and yellow ship towers over the section as its centerpiece, sat before the large building which houses the immersive queue line and coaster.
The Nova CORPS have used a “cosmic generator” to open portals through space as a means to travel to our planet, ready to bestow their technology upon us. Fittingly, Disney seems to also be showing off its technology. Upon entering Cosmic Rewind‘s building, a queue line which will be part of he Virtual Queue system for park guests offers stunning visuals upon arrival.
A massive planetarium-like space offers an incredible ambience to set the tone of this cosmic adventure for the first portion of the ride’s line. It is referred to as the Galaxarium, a circular room where the queue line gradually fills it out and moves up to a new room on a second level. The Galaxarium is loaded with Marvel Easter eggs, ranging from familiar planets showing up to Star-Lord dancing across the projection or a reference to Xandar’s Worldmind (the computer which houses all of Xandar and the Nova CORPS’s history which eventually lives in the super hero known as Nova).
The next rooms include more visually satisfying Marvel lore, including a miniature model of Xandar which is illuminated with projectors as a narration explains how the other-worldly city functions. The lights and narration highlight schools, art buildings, how Xandarians travel by water, where they live, where they work, and more.
Another showcase features various Nova CORPS outfits, each equipped with a different ranking on an insignia attached to the shoulder. A guide printed onto the glass immerses guests into the Xandarian chain of command, explaining what each insignia means and where it ranks in the Nova CORPS. It starts at Corpsman and runs up through Nova Prime.
Every detail of the queue area emphasizes the effort to make this feel like technology from another planet, as round screens featuring Guardians of the Galaxy cast members for character breakdowns are illuminated by round, spinning LEDs rather than our typical flat and still screens.
Once inside the first room of the ride’s journey, Nova Prime herself (portrayed by Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Glenn Close) and Centurion Tal Marik (played by Terry Crews) welcome us Terrans to the experience. Their cosmic generator is set to teleport us up to a Nova CORPS ship. The pre-ride explanation from the MCU-authentic characters is fun each time through and only gets better as it goes. In a second room, guests are given a fantastic surprise when they are teleported from one space to another in an instant.
It is in this third destination when things getting most interesting, as the Guardians of the Galaxy are called in to help stop a Celestial with intentions of sending the Earth back in time to its creation. Eson, the Celestial, dubs Earth as a “failed” experiment and it is up to the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop it from being sent to a full reboot. Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax are all on-hand with Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista in their respective roles. Rocket and Groot are also on hand, with the tree of the bunch looking consistent with his design from the first Guardians movie. There are some jokes which fans of the movies will get a kick out of, though they are a little silly overall.
From here, it’s time for the ride. A bit more of a queue line through the Nova CORPS ship leads to boarding a four-seater car with two rows of two. The seats are quite comfortable, strapping riders in with individual lap bars. The train is loaded with as many as 20 guests and gets on its way, with all of the Guardians popping up early to explain the stakes of the mission. A small lift leads the riders to a portal from which they are visually thrust into a massive space where the walls are lined with projections of outer space; screens which see the Guardians of the Galaxy ready to take on Eson in their Milano ship.
One of the many highlights is that the ride will guide riders’ eyes. There is no need to turn your head when each individual car on this ride’s train turns to face the action on its own, ultimately having riders facing the opposite direction from when they first boarded the coaster. At any given moment, riders may be moving forward, backwards, diagonally, or completely sideways.
A reverse-launch brings just enough intensity to put Cosmic Rewind atop Space Mountain on such a chart, leading to a fun a pop-out-of-your-seat air time moment which is the most intense portion of the coaster. One of six songs fitting to the Guardians’ style of 80’s nostalgia starts playing in riders’ ears and the Guardians’ voices pop in for witty commentary. It’s a thrilling, funny, visually impressive, and all-around immersive experience. It never matches the intensity levels of another indoor Disney coaster like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, offering just enough thrills for the younger or more reluctant riders to enjoy it while those seeking something exciting are also left satisfied.
With Disney World and Disneyland starting to explore Marvel-themed rides following the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster proves to be their best effort yet. It tells a story from start to finish and offers plenty of Marvel Easter eggs along the way, features the cast to add an exciting level of authenticity, and would be a fun roller coaster with or without visual moments of Starblasters zipping by or circling a massive Moon with “Conga” thumping in your ears. It has just about everything anyone looking for a marvelous experience wants.
Are you excited to experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Share your thoughts in the comment section! The new attraction is set to open at EPCOT on May 27.
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