Why This Popular Disney Ride is in the WRONG Park

When Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened to the public, it became an instant hit with some and an instant skip with others.

You can’t deny that the ride has some incredible technology and it’s a fantastic coaster, but the combination of spinning and screens makes it a little too much for some who are prone to motion sickness. However, long before guests debated whether or not they could stomach a spin on this ride, they debated the theme — does Cosmic Rewind REALLY belong in EPCOT?

We reached out to our followers on Twitter to ask a very important question that we’ve seen debated on the internet for years now — does Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind belong in EPCOT? And if not, which park should it go in? This topic has been a hot discussion since the ride was first announced, and our readers had some strong opinions.

Do you feel that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind belongs in EPCOT? 🌐

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) October 16, 2022

No, Cosmic Rewind Does NOT Belong in EPCOT

For starters, let’s look at the list of people who said “no.” Several people simply responded “no” without any reasoning, but one person spoke up and said “Nope, but a lot of the attractions in EPCOT don’t exactly go with the theme either.” It’s definitely true that the “theme” of EPCOT has shifted over the years, and we’re likely to see that even more with the completion of the park transformation.

Many people said no, arguing that it would fit better in Hollywood Studios, since that park is a hub for various film franchises, like Pixar and Star Wars. Multiple readers shared that they didn’t like the idea of IP in EPCOT and that they didn’t think Guardians fit with the original “edutainment” theme for the park.

Ride Vehicle for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Some others argued that Cosmic Rewind would’ve been a better fit in Tomorrowland and that the upcoming TRON coaster should’ve gone in EPCOT instead. They noted that the “space” theme of the ride would be good for a land about the future and that the architectural style of TRON matches with the look of the front of EPCOT. Interesting take indeed!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Queue

But what about those who said yes?

Yes, It Does Belong in EPCOT

In the end, the answers were pretty divided between the two viewpoints, but those who said “yes” that the ride DOES belong in EPCOT came prepared with more reasons to back up their claims.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind loading area

For starters, some of our readers argued that the Wonders of Xandar pavilion was a great fit for EPCOT, which is a park that focuses partially on exploration. There are already 11 World Showcase pavilions that transport guests to different countries, and the idea of this new pavilion is to be one that transports guests to a different galaxy.

Also, some people suggested that it fit well because there are already space-themed attractions in EPCOT. Mission: SPACE and Space 220 are right next door, and this just adds to the theme of World Discovery, which is what that entire side of the park has been rebranded to.

A few readers even commented specifically on the educational aspect of the theming. As we mentioned above, EPCOT is known for “edutainment” (education and entertainment together), and the Imagineers have definitely taken the time to try and make the pavilion educational, with an AI spouting facts about Earth and Xandar in the ride’s Galaxarium, as well as models and props from Xandarian culture throughout the queue. It might be entirely fictional history, but it’s history nonetheless.

Then there were others who didn’t take the “theme” route at all with their arguments, noting that EPCOT was in desperate need of a major thrill ride, as well as a roller coaster. They also noted that Hollywood Studios has had several major additions recently, and adding Cosmic Rewind into the mix would’ve overloaded the already popular park.

So no matter which side of the argument you stand on, there are certain points to be made for each. In the end, we’re definitely grateful to have a new ride in EPCOT — the park needed another one! And with the EPCOT transformation underway, we can likely expect some more theming changes, especially in the front of the park.

EPCOT isn’t exactly the same park that it was 40 years ago, but it’s not what Walt Disney originally envisioned either (he was hoping for more of a live-in community — just check out the model of Progress City when riding the PeopleMover to see what we mean). This is just the latest in a series of 50 years of changes in the Disney World parks. As Walt would say, we “keep moving forward.”