Do you love the idea of reliving the most death-defying scenes in Guardians of the Galaxy (but without actually being in danger)? Do you also happen to love roller coasters?
If you answered ‘yes’ to both questions, then I’ve got some very good news to give. Disney has just announced a new coaster at EPCOT called Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and it promises to make you feel like a bona fide space hero with killer taste in music. Here’s what we know so far!
Ever since Disney bought Marvel in 2009, they’ve been incorporating more Marvel elements into their theme parks. Disney’s California Adventures park in Anaheim boasts the Avengers Campus, which includes Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy-themed attractions. At Hong Kong Disneyland, you’ll find Quinjet and Ant-Man rides, and now, EPCOT in Orlando, Florida houses the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, where, according to the park’s website, you can “discover some of the incredible wonders of Xandar and learn about their technology.”
The new Guardians of the Galaxy ride will directly tie into the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion. Here’s the promo that was released to announce the ride’s opening:
In the video, we see members of Xandar’s Nova Corps sending an SOS with EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth (that big silver golf ball thing) in the background. The Nova Corps members seem to be glitching out of time and space and getting sucked into a vortex. Meanwhile, Rocket destroys Peter’s Awesome Mix cassette aboard the Milano, but once the Guardians receive the distress call, they head to the rescue.
The concept of the ride looks similar to Disney’s Star Tours and Space Mountain. It looks like the ride will be a rollercoaster that uses an enclosed, immersive environment to give the illusion that riders are flying through space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Here’s the official description on Disneyworld’s website:
Just as you are about to reach the culmination of the tour, everything goes sideways, and you are called into action to help the Guardians of the Galaxy. Join Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Star-Lord on an urgent mission where you’ll rewind, rotate and head towards the action through an exciting space pursuit.
via Disneyworld
Disneyparks.com has also put up a press release that offers some more information.
What do we already know about this awesome new family-thrill coaster attraction at Walt Disney World Resort? Well, we know people from the planet Xandar are coming to Earth and creating the first “other-world” showcase at EPCOT – the Wonders of Xandar pavilion. We know we’ll learn more about their technology and culture as we move through the pavilion, and discover how our two worlds are similar in so many ways.
via Disney Parks
Last year, Disney released some test footage of the omnicoaster cars that the ride will be using. These will allow riders to rotate their cars 360 degrees during the ride. This motion will be incorporated into the ride’s theme of rewinding and reversing the events of the story. The omnicoaster is based on Disney’s omnimover, a similar ride that allows people to rotate the cars they’re riding in.
All About Xandar and the Nova Corps
While we don’t know the exact story in the ride yet (although I can’t imagine a roller coaster storyline is going to be that involved), Xandar is already familiar to Marvel fans. The seat of the Xandarian Empire, Xandar is a technologically advanced civilization in the Andromeda Galaxy, and it’s protected by its military, the Nova Corps. In Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1, Xandar is attacked by the Kree warlord Ronan, but the planet is saved by Peter and the other Guardians working together with the Nova Corps. After the attack, the Guardians give the Nova Corps the orb that houses the Power Stone for safekeeping. In Avengers: Endgame, though, we learn that Thanos “decimated” Xandar.
What’s interesting about the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is that it’s one of the most science-fictiony of all Marvel’s properties. The space fight scenes in Guardians often echo the X-wing and TIE-fighter sequences in Star Wars, with ships chasing and maneuvering at high speeds. This makes it a natural choice for an immersive coaster.
So, When Does the Ride Open?
Currently, the new ride is scheduled to open on May 27, 2022! If you’re booking tickets to Orlando, make sure you’re there for the big event!
(featured image: Marvel)
