Walt Disney Chief Corporate Affairs Officer unintentionally announces opening date for EPCOT's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind'

Feb 23, 2022 in "Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind"

Posted: Wednesday February 23, 2022 8:51pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

According to a now-deleted post on Twitter by a high-ranking Disney executive, EPCOT's Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will open on Memorial Day 2022.

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind will be EPCOT's first rollercoaster

The announcement was made by a new face at the Walt Disney Company, the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Geoff Morrell. Geoff has been in the newly created Chief Corporate Affairs Officer role for only a month and reports directly to Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

Posted this evening, the original Tweet said, "Just another day at the office—got to "test ride" the new @Guardians of the Galaxy rollercoaster at @EpcotCentre. @WaltDisneyCo Imagineers designed this one like no other ride you've ever been on. Have to ride it to believe it! Check it out starting Memorial Day weekend!"

The revised post was quickly edited to replace the Memorial Day weekend comment with "Coming soon!"

Just another day at the office--got to "test ride" the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster at @WaltDisneyWorld EPCOT. Walt Disney Imagineers deigned this one like no other ride you've ever been on. Have to ride it to believe it! Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/PjSityLjUb
— Geoff Morrell (@MorrellGeoff) February 23, 2022

A May 30 2022 opening date does not come as a surprise. Disney has often used Memorial Day weekend as a key date in its summer marketing drives. The company will be expecting the new rollercoaster to push attendance at EPCOT and Walt Disney World throughout the summer and beyond.

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind concept art

Assuming Geoff Morrell's original tweet was accurate, we should expect an official opening announcement very shortly. If the opening pattern of Remy's Ratatouille Adventure is repeated, we should also expect various levels of previews before May 30 for Cast Members, Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club, D23, and Club 33 members.

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gerararFeb 25, 2025

The VQ system has finally ended today for GOTG: CR! Standby line starts tomorrow Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The VQ system was reportedly supposed to end multiple times during some lull periods, but never came to fruition. It went through 2 hurricane closures, but nearly 3 years later after the ride opened May 27, 2022, the VQ has concluded and standby is finally here. Scatterplot of every single VQ data point collected for the past 1002 days. Here's my final update for it and wrap-up post:

Andrew25Feb 24, 2025

I for one hope that one day they can find a way to add railings within the pre-show spaces to reduce the pain point that is the funnel at the end. Ideally, it would be tiered "rows" within the preshow space where a CM then can release each section one by one instead of the mass release. I also think Disney should really enforce kicking people out of line who exit the preshow early to get a headstart.

Professortango1Feb 24, 2025

I am aware. I was speaking more to the concept of the room rather than the function.

Agent HFeb 24, 2025

The stretching room is not an elevator in Florida

Professortango1Feb 24, 2025

HM also has a trained CM in the elevator with us, so they can manage the emergency release if an incident were to occur.

lazyboy97oFeb 24, 2025

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts also has an elevator scene in the queue. Florida Fire Prevention Code, NFPA 101 12.4.9.2.1.3 allows designs that “confound the egress path” when combined with “approved directional exit marking that becomes apparent in an emergency”. Section 12.4.9.6.2 also requires an Emergency Action Plan approved by the local fire department. The big thing to do when designing these spaces is to ensure systems fail in a safe manner. In a situation where the door is obscured the easiest solution would be for the default, no-power position to be that the door is open with signage visible when open.

Agent HFeb 24, 2025

Hm I didn’t think about that. maybe the haunted mansion is just sort of grandfathered in because there’s not really a way to change it?

PurduevianFeb 24, 2025

Guessing that might be a fire code issue? I have no idea how the HM stretching room gets away with having no visible windows and doors from a legal/code standpoint

Agent HFeb 24, 2025

That’s really cool but maybe we also need doors that can’t be pushed open so easily?

PurduevianFeb 24, 2025

There was apparently supposed to be an impressive AA figure on the opposite side of the room from the doors (on the left). It would naturally spread the crowd out a lot better. Sure there would still be a group of people that will squeeze up against the doors to the ride. However, a lot of people would drift to the left to see the AA. When the preshow ends, the group is already more spread out and it wouldn't be as much of a crunch. Kind of like the HM stretching room. People that know, stand under the parasail girl for an easy exit, however, most people don't know where the exit is, and thus spread out.

JohnDFeb 24, 2025

I traveled with a family of three almost a year ago. I told them we were going to hold back and that they didn't want to be squeezed in. Much better being among the last in the group. Yes, the next group comes in behind us but we're almost into the main loading area by then.

vikescaperFeb 24, 2025

That’s exactly how I feel, too. Plus, we usually request rows 9 and 10 so it doesn’t really benefit us rushing out as we will have to wait regardless.

Agent HFeb 24, 2025

How would that have solved the problem? Don’t get me wrong of course they should have done that but how would it have solved this problem?

JohnDFeb 24, 2025

When I'm in the teleportation room and everyone goes right, I go left. You go rush those doors and squeeze yourselves in like sardines. I'm good back here. What am I going to lose. Another minute?