Have you ever wondered what it is like to travel through space while listening to the grooviest songs in the galaxy… and whilst fighting crime?! Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is one of EPCOT’s newest attractions that will have you screaming out lyrics and laughing hysterically as this family-style coaster takes you through the cosmos.
Background
The Guardians of the Galaxy are a ragtag team of superheroes from the Marvel Comics and Marvel Cinematic Universe of the same name. Its origin story started in 1969 with a completely different team and a different timeline, yet had a similar storyline. However, our heroes came together in 2008 in the Marvel comic “Annihilation: Conquest #6”. Eight years later, Marvel came out with the feature film “Guardians of the Galaxy” which later had a sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and a threequel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star Peter Quill, who also goes by “Star-Lord” (although many within the storyline make fun of him for giving himself such a serious title). He is the son of a Celestial named Ego and a human. Growing up, he was raised by his single human mother and his grandfather in Missouri. His mother influenced his passion for music from a very young age, as she would show him pop music from her youth. So much so, she even created a mixtape for Peter named “Awesome Mix Vol. 1”, a mixtape full of their favorite songs from the 70s which he would listen to all the time. Unfortunately, his mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and passed away with Peter just feet away from her in the hospital room. Distressed, Peter ran away from the hospital screaming and crying, where he was then abducted by Ravagers. It was then where Peter learned how to become a thief, under the influence of Yondu.
We then follow Peter several years later as he is now an adult who successfully steals a mysterious orb and is trying to sell it. Gamora, a witty assassin, attempts to steal the orb from Peter but unfortunately draws in two bounty hunters, Rocket the anthropomorphic raccoon, and Groot, who is a tree-human creature. Officers catch and detain all four and take them to a prison where they meet Drax, a strong but dense inmate who is the last member of the crew. They then escape, as they join together and become the one and only Guardians of the Galaxy!
These movies had a more raunchy feeling to them that audiences absolutely adored! The amount of adult humor and innuendos really set the movies apart from others within the franchise, allowing them to quickly gain popularity. The movies also have an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack with hits from the 70’s and 80’s, which truly brings in people of all ages as these timeless hits play. Music is such an imperative part of these movies, as it brings everyone together for a moment of pure happiness and helps convey the plot of the movies.
How To Get On The Virtual Queue
At the time you will be reading this, Cosmic Rewind is operating under a virtual queue that will open at 7 a.m. and once again at 1 p.m. While the whole process may seem scary, it truly is not as long as you keep a couple of things in mind. First of all, I personally recommend ALWAYS trying at 7 a.m. first. You do not have to be in the park if you try the virtual queue at 7 a.m., allowing you to be in the comfort of your own home, hotel, or otherwise! For the 1 p.m. time slot, you unfortunately do have to be physically inside of the parks Therefore, set your alarm for 6:55 a.m. as you snuggle in bed and wait for the time to tick down! If you don’t get it, at least you have until 1 p.m. to try again.
As the time gets closer, I recommend opening The World Time Clock website whether on your phone, a loved one’s phone, or a different appliance like your laptop. This allows you to get the most precise timing and accuracy for when you can click the “Join” button. On your own phone, have the My Disney Experience app open and go to the “Request Access with Virtual Queue” section of the app. This can be found on the homepage of the app and is typically one or two swipes away. When you get there, click “Join Virtual Queue” and click on “EPCOT”. Once you get there, stay there until the time is ready.
Now, this next part was something that a cast member taught me and has so far worked wonders. Once the World Time Clock turns to 6:59 a.m./1:59 p.m. and 58 seconds, hit the refresh button, confirm your party, and hit “Join”. Doing this has allowed me to typically be in the bottom half of the call times and allows me to ride sooner.
Another fun little tidbit is that if you miss your ride time slot, no need to fret! You will be fine if you ride a little bit later than originally stated, but there might be a little bit of trouble when you scan in. However, I strongly suggest that you try to ride during your allotted time in order for a stress-free entry.
The Queue
When you enter the building, you are immediately immersed in the storyline as a sign that reads “The Wonder of Xandar” appears in front of you. Immediately, you turn into a ginormous room with a screen appearing over you, almost like a planetarium, which shows images of stars and planets. If you happen to be waiting in that front room for a little longer, then you will see that it also plays fun clips on the ceiling. This can range from a variety of clips but typically talks a little bit about the backstory of the world and how the planet of Xandar came to be, with some familiar faces peeking through.
You then go around a few winding rooms that include a miniature model of Xandar and the ship that the Guardians ride in, called the Starblaster. These models come with small placards that give a little bit of history, which makes for an interesting read for those of all ages while you wait for the line to inch closer. You also get to see some holographic projections that project interviews from the Guardians themselves. Here you see Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Drax, and Starlord talk about their comedic experiences as new Avengers heroes. These have the same humor as the movies, and they had my whole family in stitches and not wanting to walk away.
Once all of this fun is done, you walk into one of the preshow rooms. Here you see Irani Rael, commander of the Nova Corps, explaining the importance of the cosmic generator. This generator allows for portals within time and space which allows people to jump through time and get anywhere they need to be. She explains how this would be useful as Xandar is so far from Earth, and how the jump points allow them to come to Earth.? They hope that this new technology will benefit those of us on Earth as they bridge a more advanced and helpful future for all. You also see Centurion Tal Marik, played by a hilarious Terry Crews, who moves you into the second room.
As you move into the second room, you’ll notice the ceiling with a bunch of lights which will move in a circular motion. With a little Disney magic, BOOM! You are now in an even bigger room without moving a finger. We then see the infamous cosmic generator, which sadly gets stolen as the two from the previous room converse. However, the Guardians come in and save the day! They explain the mission we will now join them in as they attempt to find the bad guy who is trying to erase the universe. Doors open, and madness ensues as you go into the next room.
Up to now, I have found that the queue is honestly really nice! Entertaining, spacious, and full of detail. However, this part right here is what really ruins the fun. As doors open, the large group of people that you were previously in the room with all run and organize themselves into a line within a hallway that quickly narrows. I have found that this creates a huge amount of chaos. Families tend to separate as little ones tend to run to the front or friends who are slower stay behind. I have unfortunately experienced guests get verbally angry as those who were previously behind them in line have now gone to the front, claiming it is unfair. While Disney has a couple of groups that have to condense into a smaller line within the preshow, I have found that no other line has to form as drastically as this one. Cosmic Rewind is also a newer, more exciting attraction, so guests tend to run to the front due to their eagerness to ride. If it were up to me, I would have fewer people within each preshow room or have the hallway narrow from the beginning instead of being a funnel. I feel like this would make people less angry and cause less commotion. The good news is, you are finally in the loading room: the calm after the storm!
The Ride’s Vehicle
The ride’s train includes five cars with two rows of two seats, making it four seats per car and ten rows. It seems to be the overall consensus that row nine has the best seating, as you can truly feel everything and see pretty well. The seats were fairly comfortable, and I felt like my knees were not very cramped. I have ridden with someone who is six foot tall and they have mentioned that their knees and thighs felt a little squished, but nothing to the extreme and it was manageable. You also have my personal favorite type of lap bar, which is the type that doesn’t need a “click” to work. I have always disliked it when you are too large for the one-click but smaller than the one that you are currently on. Fortunately, this one accommodates without the clicks and sits just nicely. It is now time to enjoy the ride!
The Ride
As you start to move forward, you enter a room with different screens as the Guardians communicate to get ready as the mission starts to begin, and that there is no need to worry. You enter through another portal into a darker room as you face the villain of this story and your car slowly rotates as you turn backward. All goes dark for a second until a flash of light turns on and you shoot backward rapidly and a familiar groove starts to play
Now, something to mention about this ride is that one of its key parts is the music. You can get one of six songs, and the song will heavily influence your ride. The six songs are “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears, “Conga” by Miami Sound Machine, “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls, “One Way Or Another” by Blondie, “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps, and finally “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. My personal favorites are I Ran, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, and of course September. My very first time riding Cosmic Rewind, I got Everybody Wants To Rule The World and boy was that an emotional rollercoaster. I vividly remember ending the ride and looking at my friend who rode with me and we both had tears in our eyes. It might sound dramatic, but the gorgeous views along with the stunning orchestrations of that song made it a genuinely phenomenal ride, leaving us overwhelmed with emotions. Other than that, the rest of the songs are a genuine blast to ride along to. Every single time I have ridden it, I have literally danced and belted the songs out loud in my seat, laughing and smiling the entire time.
As for the rest of the ride, I have found it best to describe it as a mix between Magic Kingdom’s “Space Mountain” coupled with Busch Gardens Tampa’s “Cobra’s Curse”. It has the darkness and speed of Space Mountain, as it is a completely indoor coaster with most of the ride being pretty dark, other than the bit of light from the screen in front of you and the planets you revolve around. The cars themselves also seem to free spin much like Cobra’s Curse with every turn, so that is something to keep in mind if you have motion sickness. I have ridden twice with two different people who get motion sick, and both had completely different experiences. One came off a little bit sick, but nothing to an extreme, and the other came off perfectly fine. Both had not taken Dramamine either, so that was their genuine experience. Yet take my advice with a grain of salt.
As you ride, you will notice a screen in front of you that showcases a really fun and interesting fight scene between the Guardians and the villain seen in the preshow. However, I found that I was too captivated by the ride itself and how in awe I was by seeing the stars surround me as it felt like I was actually in space. You will also get the chance to pass by the Milky Way, the Moon, and some other planets. Seeing all of these insane sights as you travel through the cosmos, paired with fun music overwhelms you with joy.
Should You Ride?
Overall, I simply cannot recommend this ride enough. As a fan of roller coasters, it was incredibly smooth and very thrilling, with the action being distributed throughout the entire ride and not just in one place. As a fan of theming, they really knocked it out of the park with this one. The storyline and views alone will keep both children and those who are young at heart absolutely enthralled and wanting more. I have always said that this attraction is “the feeling of pure happiness encapsulated into one ride”, and I stand by that to this very day.
About the Author:
Hello! My name is Daniela! I am a current junior at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality double majoring in Theme Parks & Attraction Management as well as Event Management. Growing up in Florida, I had a passion for the parks as it was the only time my busy family and I got to spend time together and be kids at heart. I hope these tips and tricks bring out the joy and child inside of you as well!
