Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — Attraction in Bay Lake

This ride breaks the molds. By all accounts it should be middling, and it is on paper. Queuing up for Rockin' Rollercoaster - another indoor launch coaster with a soundtrack - is never on my list of things to do at Disney. Spinning coasters are generally terrible. Screen based motion simulators are often my least favorite type of attraction. Marvel characters are over saturated in general. New rides that replace classic Epcot history are deservingly lambasted.

So why is Guardians one of my favorite rides? It's all of those things on paper, but none of those things in reality.

The soundtrack songs aren't randomly pumped through speakers, they were all tested to offer integration with the ride beats and story. Different songs offer a different ride experience. "Conga" highlights the ride elements most prominently. My favorite song on this ride - "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" - somehow offers a serene, floating experience contrasting sharply with the same launches and coaster elements. It's hard to explain the differences, but multiple rides should be experienced whenever possible.

This isn't a screen based simulator. It's not another Star Tours or Soarin', nor any of the various rip offs of those rides both at Disney Parks and (more prominently) Universal. The motion is real, and the screens don't simulate any "extra" motion. Any part of the ride that is meant to impact the ride motion (planetary gravity and portals) are a physical prop. The screens are massive background elements and feature what is commonly the most convincing use case of screens (space is easy to simulate with a screen).

It is not a spinning coaster either, it's a positioning coaster: your train is pointed via a servo at the elements you're supposed to be looking at, often moving in a direction opposing the motion. Even the backwards launch is just a forward launch with the trains turned around.

While both fully enclosed (Space Mountain) and full themed (Thunder Mountain) roller coasters exist, and roller coasters with dark ride elements and stories exist (Gringots), Cosmic Rewind doesn't make any compromises. This is a fully themed, indoor, launched, continuously moving full length roller coaster with a fully story line. This neither sets a scene for a story you have to know beforehand to enjoy, nor does the ride stop to fill you in on the details. Massive screens in cleverly divided rooms play out the full story at full roller coaster speeds. I don't know of any ride that does this on this scale. Could they have done this with massive animatronics and practical sets? Maybe, but probably not without a disco Yeti future.

This isn't a rehash of existing ride technologies, though it might appear that way on paper. This is a new exhilarating ride type, only having been previously attempted with VR coaster overlays (yeah, no thanks). It's more than the sum of its parts... and that's evident immediately from the first launch.

Is it a new rehash on comic book characters? I guess... but I don't personally view the Guardians movies this way. These films seems much easier to suspend disbelief - they're wrong more often than they're right; they perform good and bad deeds; they banter realistically; they don't inexplicably prance around in their underwear; they fail more often than they succeed. As someone who doesn't read comic books, I don't think I personally put Guardians on the same level of disbelief and, say, Captain America. I think I like the Guardians of the Galaxy in general.

...But should Guardians have replaced a classic Epcot pavilion? Classic is a stretch. The Universe of Energy was kinda brainwashy. While an excellent spot to take a long air-conditioned nap, and the dinosaur dioramas were cool, Universe of Energy was a big-oil sponsored bore. The original intent of the dinosaur scene was to spread a rumor that oil is created from dinosaurs rather than biomass in general, which led to acceptance that "fossil fuel" costs rise higher than inflation.

Don't skip Cosmic Rewind. It's...

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the best coaster on Disney property in the US (I have never been to any of the non-US resorts so I can't say there are not better ones elsewhere). To be honest, this is one of the top 3 coasters I have ever ridden anywhere. The queue is very long, though. I rode it during Moonlight Magic and walked about 75% of the line without stopping and it still took like 10 minutes.

There is lots to see and do while you wait. Models, video walls, and dioramas of various locations. Once you get into the pre-show, there is a bit of "free-for-all" as the lines become groups, so keep your party together. You can save a few minutes by staying to the right side of the gathering rooms, but you will still get to the ride quickly and can avoid being crowded by hanging back and letting the crowd push ahead.

The ride itself is fantastic. It is similar to Space Mountain, as you are in the dark and flying around space, but the ride vehicles are able to spin to point you at whatever the action is and there is little difference between the front or the back of the train. All seats have a great view of the show. The ride is fast and smooth and the visuals are bright and easy to see, unlike Space Mountain (which feels very dark to me). Be sure to look around. There is stuff to see everywhere.

There are several different music tracks that can play (6 tracks I think), and different rides will have different songs. All great 70s and 80s hits. There is a Photo Pass camera on the ride, so make sure you check your Photo downloads in the MDX app to see if you want to get the picture.

Overall, I give the ride a solid 11 on a scale of 1 to 10. This is definitely on my must do list for EPCOT now, every visit. No upside downs, for those who don't like that sort of thing.

This ride is currently (Feb 2024) Virtual Queue or Individual Lightning Lane only, there is no standby queue normally. Exceptions to the stand-by rule are After Hours or other hard ticket events, such as...

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is hands-down one of the best attractions Disney has ever created. From start to finish, it’s an absolutely jaw-dropping experience. This isn’t just another roller coaster—it’s a full-blown, story-driven adventure that seamlessly blends incredible technology, music, humor, and thrills.

The queue is immersive and sets the stage beautifully, with detailed theming, interactive displays, and appearances from the Guardians themselves via fun pre-show videos. Disney went above and beyond with the storytelling, making you feel like you’re part of a mission to help save the galaxy alongside Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, and Groot.

Once you board the ride, prepare to be amazed. The launch is smooth but powerful, and the ride vehicles rotate 360 degrees to direct your focus on different show elements, which makes every moment exciting and unpredictable. The visuals are stunning, and the synchronization with the soundtrack—featuring classic hits like “September” or “Disco Inferno”—adds so much energy and fun. No two rides feel exactly the same, especially with the random music selection.

It’s intense enough for thrill-seekers but smooth and immersive enough for those who usually shy away from coasters. It’s also indoors and air-conditioned, which is a huge bonus on a hot Florida day.

Whether you’re a Marvel fan, a coaster lover, or just looking for something truly new and different at EPCOT, Cosmic Rewind is an absolute must-do. It’s the perfect mix of storytelling, cutting-edge design, and Disney magic. I would ride it...