It's Official. This Is the BEST Time to Ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is one of the most loved attractions at Disney World, and the wait times prove it! So, when is the best time to ride this attraction without waiting in a huge line?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

While in the past, this ride used a Virtual Queue, it has now switched to standby. You also have the option to get a Lightning Lane Single Pass for it, but of course, that will cost you. If you want to ride this attraction, without a long wait AND potentially ride it several times, there’s one solution!

Disney After Hours events are back at Disney World! These ticketed events take place after regular park hours and allow you to take advantage of lower crowds, shorter wait times, special character meet-and-greets, and complimentary snacks.

EPCOT After Hours

The After Hours events are taking place at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios now through September 25th, 2026. We have attended the EPCOT After Hours event, and we are sharing a huge tip on how to enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind with a shorter wait time!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

At EPCOT, the After Hours event runs from 10 PM until 1 AM, although you can enter the park as early as 7 PM with your After Hours ticket. When the EPCOT After Hours event first began, Cosmic Rewind was posting a wait time of 65 minutes. We stopped by around 11:50 PM, and Cosmic Rewind was posting 35 minutes. We took a spin, you know, for science, and the wait time was spot on.

Cosmic Rewind at the beginning of After Hours

While 35 minutes isn’t bad for Cosmic Rewind, if you are looking for a very low wait time, wait until the end of After Hours to ride the attraction. We stopped by again at 1 AM, and we walked all the way up to the pre-show. There is nothing quite like walking right onto Cosmic Rewind!

Cosmic Rewind Pre-Show

We do want to note that while the ride had a very low wait time at the end of the night, if the attraction is a top priority, you may not want to wait until the very last minute in case the ride has technical difficulties. You could always ride it earlier and then stop by at the end of the night to finish off the evening with a thrill.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

You can also use the shorter wait times to ride the attraction multiple times throughout the night (or spend the whole night riding it; we don’t judge!).

Cosmic Rewind Queue

The After Hours events are a great way to enjoy the park with lower crowds and shorter wait times. Stay tuned to AllEars for all your Disney World tips, tricks, and news!