Cast Member previews have begun for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction coming to EPCOT. With the start of previews, we’re starting to get an idea of what the experience will be like. We already published a list of the songs that guests will hear during the ride, but we wanted to expand on that and publish a second-hand description of what the ride experience is like.
From the actual mechanics of the ride to known story elements, this article will walk you through the experience as described to us by Cast Members who have been on the attraction. It is worth noting that a lot of the backstory is presumably explained in pre-show areas and experiences, which Cast Members did not get a chance to experience today. Before we get into the actual ride, here’s what we know about the pre-show experiences via previously released information:
Galaxarium
Our adventure starts in the Galaxarium, a vast room that offers a look into space via projections on the ceiling. This is the introduction to the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, which is essentially like other World Showcase Pavilions in the sense that it is used to share the culture of the Xandarian people with guests of EPCOT.
Xandar Gallery
From this room, we’ll make our way into the Xandar Gallery. Here guests will learn about the Xandarian people and culture, including their heroes such as the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Pre-Show Room
In this early concept art, we can see a pre-show room where guests will be recruited by the Guardians of the Galaxy to help save, well, the galaxy!
Your favorite characters will lay out the mission, which will include a Celestial by the name of Eson as the antagonist of the attraction. We will face Eson during the attraction as we cross space and time to complete our mission.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Description
Again, we should note that this is a second-hand account and BlogMickey.com will have a first-hand review of the ride when Annual Passholder previews begin in May.
Ok, here’s a look at the load area, released by Disney. There will be 10 rows of two guests per row.
From the load area, the ride vehicles turn to a short lift hill. After the lift hill and before the backward launch, the ride enters a starfield with an effect that was described as Space Mountain-esque, but much better. It’s in this first section of the ride that guests get their first look at Eson the Celestial. The Guardians fly towards Eson as rock music plays and Eson wonders where the sound is coming from. Star-Lord, who is played by Chris Pratt in the attraction, lets Eson know that you can’t stop Rock ‘n Roll as your ride vehicles settle in for the backward launch.
It’s in this section of the ride that we get a little nod to the former Universe of Energy pavilion and Ellen’s Energy Adventure attraction when the characters make a remark about going back to the Big Bang. Characters seen in this section of the ride include Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), and Rocket (not Bradley Cooper). Groot is not seen until later in the ride, and we’re told that he is not voiced by Vin Diesel.
In the early construction photo below, you can see the reverse launch track being installed. Guests will launch backward and upward into the massive gravity building where the majority of the ride takes place.
The projections of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Eson appear to disappear into the void as guests are sent back in time and into the massive show building. Vibrant, multicolored lights flash as you’re sent back through a jump point using the Universal Neural Teleportation Network. We’re told that the majority of the ride experience involves narrowly escaping from Eson as the ride vehicles go through jump points that look straight out of the movie.
In terms of ride motion, we’re told that you don’t spin as much as you might think. Instead, you are carefully turning throughout the ride to face show scenes, which mostly consist of projections. There are some physical sets including The Milky Way, Earth, and the Moon.
The jump points brightly light up as you approach and swirly, star-like lights are projected on the ride vehicle as you make your jump through space and time only to see Eson again and narrowly avoid the Celestial. This is the majority of the ride experience, all set to fun oldies music.
The ride includes a second launch about midway through, followed by a quick incline and then the ride’s biggest drop, which is described as being taller than Space Mountain’s biggest drop out at Disneyland, but not as steep.
The Nova Corps are called into action during the ride and show up with a fleet of Starblasters to help defeat Eson. Similar to how the Starblasters link together to form an energy barrier to attempt to stop the Dark Aster in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, they also link together to cover Eson with their energy barrier.
Finally, riders go through another light tunnel as they return to the main show building. The ride ends with the Guardians of the Galaxy (now with Groot) showing up via hologram. They thank guests for helping out and welcoming us to the Guardians of the Galaxy team. Similar to the Guardians humor employed in Mission: BREAKOUT, Drax points out that we really didn’t do anything to help. This farewell message can differ in length based on how quickly unloading is happening up ahead.
Again, we want to stress that this is all second-hand information for now, and we will have our own review/recap of the attraction when we get a chance to ride during Annual Passholder previews.
For more on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, check out our project page below!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!