Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster open at EPCOT on May 27, 2022. The attraction is part of EPCOT’s historic transformation during Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration.
From the conception to opening day, here are 7 Out-Of-This-World Facts you my not know about Epcot’s very first roller coaster.
Wonders of Xandar Pavilion
Located in the park’s newly renamed World Discovery neighborhood, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT. Xandarians traveled from their homeworld in the Andromeda Galaxy to Earth to create the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, inviting EPCOT guests to learn more about their people and their advanced technologies. The Wonders of Xandar pavilion features three main sections:
- The Galaxarium is a sweeping planetarium-style space showcasing planets, stars and other intergalactic wonders that connect Terra and Xandar – reinforcing the notion that we’re all born of the same space dust. The Xandarian supercomputer, Worldmind, provides narration in the Galaxarium and gives context to the stunning visuals.
- In the Xandar Gallery, guests learn more about the Xandarian people, culture and history – including the heroes of Xandar – through specially crafted displays including models of starships and a Xandarian city. The gallery also features excerpts from “Good Morning Xandar,” where a host interviews the Guardians of the Galaxy about their heroic deeds.
- The pavilion tour concludes in the Phase Chamber, where guests instantly teleport from EPCOT to a Nova Corps Starcharter cruiser orbiting Earth. Here they learn about the Cosmic Generator, a piece of Xandarian technology that creates jump points – artificial tunnels in space allowing for rapid travel across vast distances.
Galaxarium
As part of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, guests enter the Galaxarium, a sweeping planetarium-style space showcasing planets, stars and other intergalactic wonders that connect residents of Earth and the planet Xandar.
A New Kind of Family Thrill
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind was developed by Walt Disney Imagineers. The attraction is a “story coaster” that is also one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind offers several “firsts,” including:
- The first coaster attraction at EPCOT.
- The first reverse launch for a Disney coaster.
- The first Disney Omnicoaster, where vehicles make controlled rotations to always keep guests focused on the action.
- The first Walt Disney World attraction to feature the Guardians of the Galaxy.
An ‘Awesome Mix’ of Music
Just like the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind weaves classic pop music into the fabric of its experience. The attraction’s onboard audio cranks hit tunes from the ’70s and ‘80s as guests race through the cosmos. Disney Imagineers tested more than 100 potential songs for the attraction and used a combination of virtual and physical rides to assess which tracks best matched the spirit and movement of the coaster, finally choosing six songs in their original classic versions:
- “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
- “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps
- “Conga” by Gloria Estefan
- “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears
- “I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls
- “One Way or Another” by Blondie
Guests won’t know which song they’ll hear each time they ride until they jump into space with the Guardians.
Starblaster
The first full-size Starblaster ever built stands rests in a docking stand outside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion.
Two Hours of New Music
Composer Tyler Bates from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films created more than two hours of new music for the attraction’s score.
The Show Building is Massive
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind covers more than 200,000 square feet, with its main show building stretching longer than an American football field. This massive structure’s foundation contains more than 80 miles of rebar and 9,000-plus cubic yards of concrete. By volume, four Spaceship Earths would fit inside this show building.