The ever-evolving world of Epcot at Walt Disney World is about to get a new roller coaster that park officials say is already nearing completion.
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will be located in a new area in the World Discovery section of the park. The indoor roller coaster has been under construction for some time and will be ready for guests by summer 2022.
“This thrilling new family-friendly coaster matches the grandiosity and fun of the blockbuster ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films in what will be one of the longest fully enclosed coasters in the world,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said in announcing the ride.
The opening is part of Disney’s 50th-anniversary celebration, as special events and new attractions are taking place over an 18-month period to mark the Orlando resort’s golden anniversary.
The coaster is part of the other-world pavilion currently under construction at Epcot. The former World Discovery section is undergoing major changes, highlighted by the coaster in which Nova Prime attempts to save the planet.
The coaster will feature vehicles that rotate 360 degrees to allow riders to take in the action as battles take place around them. The coaster will also have a reverse launch.
What exactly takes place on the ride is still somewhat secret, but Disney did release a few details in making the announcement.
For fans of the movies, Groot, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, and Star-Lord will be there, as well as Starblasters traveling through the universe.
The lobby and entrance to the ride will allow guests to learn about Xandarians and their technologies.
Once on board, riders will take part in what Disney calls “an intergalactic chase through time and space.”
If 360-degree cars and reverse launches sound a little too thrilling, ride designers assure that the attraction is being created with families in mind.
“This is a family-friendly thrill ride. We found really innovative ways to ensure we deliver on the thrill and excitement the Guardians bring,” Imagineer Ashley Levine said in a YouTube video about the ride. “But we absolutely don’t want anyone to get sick.”
Her partner Wyatt Winter echoes those thoughts.
“It’s way more thrilling than the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but it’s not a rocking roller coaster. It’s kind of that middle level,” he said. “Everyone’s going to graduate up as they do those other coasters and move up before they do something else.”
