Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Review

This might be the Guardians' best mission yet

Epcot has finally found its Holy Grail.

Welcome to what might be the best ride in Disney World. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of indoor roller coasters, there is a good chance you will love this one. Cosmic Rewind makes you part of the Guardians crew, together with Starlord, Gamora, Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Drax. All actors from the movies are here, from Chris Pratt to Zoe Saldana and even Vin Diesel saying "I am Groooot" over and over again. 

Cosmic Rewind is a recent addition to Disney World's Epcot. It debutted May 27th, 2022 and still uses the Virtual Queue system at the time of this review. Your mission is simple, Guardian: wake up early and make sure to save a spot for this awesome attraction. In fact, buy an Individual Lightning Lane for it. Arrive early. Take pictures. Have fun! This is a once in a lifetime experience that is collecting awards from all over the world, like the Golden Ticket award for' "Best New Attraction Installation of 2022 and 2023". What does a "new attraction installation" means, and how can it win two years in a row? I have no idea, but it's probably well deserved.

The Good

So, what exactly is Cosmic Rewind? This is an indoor roller coaster with new technology and awesome speed and turns. Imagine something like Universal Studios' Revenge of the Mummy, but faster, better, way longer and with Chris Pratt replacing Brendan Fraser. Instead of spending time building a storyline like Revenge of the Mummy, the Guardians roller coaster starts your adventure with a backwards launch that catapults you into an amazing journey involving excellent visuals and songs from the 70s.

You know what's also great? Deep down, this is a family coaster. People of all ages can come and have lots of fun. There are no loops, corkscrews, or any kind of inversions. If you like the idea of leaving a roller coaster with your head intact and feeling good enough to ride again, then you will love this ride. It has received Famvia's 100% headache-free™ stamp of approval.

There are multiple reasons why many consider Cosmic Rewind one of their favorite rides in Disney World. Shall we list most of them?

• It’s incredibly comfortable. Seriously, it doesn’t feel like you are on a roller coaster. I could very well sleep in one of those vehicles. It’s so comfy and you don’t even feel like there are the typical coaster restraints on your lap. I need one of those seats to replace my PC gaming chair.
• A very fun backwards launch. So, remember that many roller coasters start with an initial launch? There are several examples, like Islands of Adventure’s The Incredible Hulk Coaster and the Rock N’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith in Hollywood Studios. Cosmic Rewind is just like that. But backwards.
• The soundtrack! A random song that could very well be part of the movies always plays during the duration of the ride. Get ready to listen to absolutely bangers like Disco Inferno and Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
• Visual effects. Again, they are very well done, using projections on the walls to play a variety of movies and creating the atmosphere that you are flying through space. 
• Technology. Cosmic Rewind makes use of something they call the “OmniMover system”. This means that your vehicle can rotate in a 360 angle even when the track is moving in a straight line. This is used in some awesome setpieces, from the initial backwards launch and also when the ride wants guests to look at something that’s happening on a big screen.
• Terry Crews. 

What I mean by all that is that, yes, you should definitely go to Cosmic Rewind. The technology used in this ride seems like something that will only get better. A roller coaster seat that can move in a 360-degree rotation while still being incredibly comfy is something super valuable that needs to be used more and more. This technology will only get better with time.

Imagine a ride inspired by The Fast & the Furious (not The Fast & The Furious: Supercharged at Universal Studios, please) that mimics a fast car drifting through narrow corners, with your seats moving left and right just like a car as you make turns. Or even a Test Track 3.0 using something inspired by it. The possibilities are endless.

Will Kids enjoy it?

Most kids will love it. Cosmic Rewind has a relatively low height requirement of just 42″, making it accessible for children around five years old. In comparison to attractions like Rock 'N' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios and Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom, it offers a pretty chill ride experience. The only element that might startle younger riders is the initial backwards launch, which tricks our brains into thinking we are going faster than we actually are. I'd put Comisc Rewind in the same category as Revenge of the Mummy when it comes to thrills, maybe just a (small) step above it.

Before coming here, you should probably warm up your kids to roller coasters, starting with The Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom and then Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind might be an excellent choice after those two, just warn your kids about the backwards launch... and enjoy the ride of a lifetime.