Opening May 27, 2022, the brand new GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND will welcome guests to explore the Treasures of Xandar and embark on an incredible journey from EPCOT and through the cosmos. Today, courtesy of Disney, we have your first look inside the epic family-thrill coaster adventure and you can get there’s a solid mix-tape of tunes to come along for the journey.

Enjoy the video above and keep your eyes peeled for more coming soon! EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was edited after publishing to include photos. All images and video on this page are © Disney. All rights reserved.

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 – or Terra, as they call it – to create the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, inviting EPCOT guests to learn more about their people and their advanced technologies. That is … until something goes wrong and the Xandarians call the Guardians of the Galaxy for help. Along the way you’ll encounter Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora and of course, Star-Lord (a.k.a. Peter Quill).

The First ‘Other-World’ Showcase Pavilion

Star-Lord visited EPCOT as a child and loved the experience so much, he suggested the Disney park as the perfect place for Xandarians to connect with Terrans. 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.

An Intergalactic Chase Through Time and Space

Upon reaching the Starcharter, guests quickly realize things are not going according to plan – or even 12 percent of a plan – when a massive being appears outside the ship …

• Eson, a Celestial, has been watching Earth for eons and now intends to use the Cosmic Generator to jump back in time and change the course of humanity.
• Nova Prime Irani Rael commands her top officer, Centurion Tal Marik, to contact the Guardians of the Galaxy right away and ask for their assistance (again).
• The Terrans must evacuate the ship via Starjumper shuttles – small escape pods that launch from the Starcharter cruiser.
• When the Guardians arrive on the scene, they reprogram the Starjumpers so guests can help them track down Eson, following the Celestial through a jump point on an intergalactic chase to save the galaxy. As Drax so matter-of-factly points out as guests prepare for their journey … if they can’t help stop Eson, “then you are likely doomed.”

An ‘Awesome Mix’ for an Awesome Coaster

Just like the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND weaves classic pop music – or “poet sorcery,” as Gamora would say – 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.
• Imagineers 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”
  •  “Disco Inferno”
  •  “Conga”
  •  “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
  •  “I Ran”
  •  “One Way or Another”
• Guests won’t know which song they’ll hear each time they ride until they jump into space with the Guardians.

See it for Yourself

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND opens at EPCOT in Walt Disney World on May 27, 2022.

But wait, there’s more!

We have a whole bunch of coverage for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND. Below are some additional highlights you do NOT want to miss!

• WATCH: Full POV on-board GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND at EPCOT
• FUN FACTS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: COSMIC REWIND is a new kind of family thrill at EPCOT
• WATCH: Wonders of Xandar exhibit includes archival appearance by “Terran visionary” Walt Disney
• INSIDE: New TREASURES OF XANDAR gift shop brings a cosmic selection of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY merchandise