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Guests visiting EPCOT were caught off guard on Saturday, November 16, when Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster faced an unexpected shutdown. The surprise closure left many wondering what went wrong, as Walt Disney World Resort remained tight-lipped about the cause.
The iconic roller coaster, which has quickly become a fan favorite, was abruptly closed after an incident during normal operations. Disney cast members reportedly described the closure as “technical difficulties” and worked swiftly to evacuate guests from the attraction.
Inside the Sudden Evacuation
Credit: Disney Dining Reader Submission
A Disney Dining reader provided exclusive details about the unexpected event, describing the moment the ride came to a standstill and guests were escorted out of the building.
“We were waiting to ride Guardians and made it all the way through the queue… after all the preshows,” the Disney Park guest shared. “We were in the end of the line and they stopped everything… They kept saying like, giving a message over the intercom, to please remain seated and a [cast] member would be with you shortly.”
Theme park guests already seated in the coaster vehicles heard an announcement from cast members over the intercom:
“Your missions have been delayed,” a Disney cast member stated over the intercom. “If you are aboard a Star Jumper, please remain seated with your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the vehicle at all times. A member of the Nova Corps will be there to assist you momentarily.”
The evacuation escalated as Disney cast members guided guests out of the ride area, turned on the attraction’s overhead lights, and carefully removed riders from their vehicles.
“They turned on all the lights, and they evacuated the people who were ready to be dispatched from their cars,” the guest recalled. “Then, they started evacuating us… They said they had technical difficulties, so I don’t know if… it was a guest error or a coaster error.”
Limited Details from Walt Disney World Resort
Credit: Disney Dining Reader Submission
While Walt Disney World Resort has not provided an explanation for the sudden shutdown, cast members told guests that the ride would be down “for a while.” Those affected were given Lightning Lane passes to compensate for their wait and missed experience.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Resumes Operations
Despite the disruption, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind reopened later that day, welcoming guests back through the Virtual Queue and Lightning Lane system. The exact cause of the surprise roller coaster shutdown remains a mystery.
Have you ever evacuated a ride at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments.
Slow news day? A whole lengthy article about a ride going down. That is nothing new.
We got evacuated from Rise of the Resistance. That was very cool! We got to see the back side, including the cast member break room!