Back when Marvel was bought by Disney, fans assumed that meant Disney parks would soon be receiving a heavy Marvel presence.
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Of course, that has yet to really happen, mostly due to the already in place agreement between Marvel and Universal Studios. Marvel has had an enormous presence in Universal’s parks for quite awhile now, and that doesn’t show any signs of changing.
That doesn’t mean that Disney won’t soon start implementing more Marvel attractions into their parks, though, and according to recent reports, Disney will soon be making room for a new Marvel ride at Epcot (via WDW News). Specifically, the Universe of Energy, which has been in place since 1982, and focuses on more edutainment aspects of the park experience.
That will be replaced with a Guardian’s of the Galaxy attraction, and it appears that it will stray from the previous tenant’s theme not only in style but also in purpose. Instead of a ride comprised of film clips and user experiences, the ride is rumored to be a full-on roller coaster, which would be a big departure for the park. If that indeed happens, the current Universe of Energy complex will be demolished to make room.
As of now, though, there is no official confirmation that the Guardians are coming to Epcot, and as WDW points out, the words “Marvel” and Guardians of the Galaxy” do not appear in the plans or renderings for the ride just yet, but that could be due to contractual issues. Bob Chapek, who is currently the Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, was reportedly very much behind this push for a new attraction, and implementing Marvel where they can just makes sense.
An announcement is expected sometime this year, with a possible debut at Walt Disney World’s Destination D.
