Walt Disney World Resort guests have detailed their safety concerns at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
When EPCOT unveiled Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in 2022, it wasn’t just another Disney attraction—it was a game-changer. As the first Marvel-themed ride at Walt Disney World (curse Universal Orlando Resort’s pesky Marvel contract) and EPCOT’s first-ever roller coaster, it redefined what a theme park experience could be.
The ride blends high-energy thrills with the franchise’s signature humor, launching guests on a story-driven adventure alongside Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot. But what truly sets it apart is its groundbreaking ride system: an Omnicoaster that rotates 360 degrees, ensuring riders never miss a beat of the action. Paired with a soundtrack of classic hits—curated in true Peter Quill fashion—the result is an intergalactic chase that feels as much like a concert as a coaster.
Despite overwhelmingly positive reactions to the ride from guests, the ride has received its fair share of criticism. For one thing, Disney continues to use a Virtual Queue for the experience, despite having dropped the concept from rides that opened later than Cosmic Rewind.
Guests are also concerned about safety issues at Cosmic Rewind. While the attraction itself isn’t being called into question, the way other parkgoers behave in the run-up to boarding is, with many fearing that the current conditions may one day lead to serious injury.
“As an annual passholder I’ve noticed that it’s getting worse with the shoving during the preshow and once the doors open everyone rushes and runs and almost tramples you over,” explained one Reddit user. “I had someone digging into my shoulder and pushing me because they were trying to get in front of me. I also had someone shove me out of the way when they rushed to the door which caused me to lose balance. It’s never been this chaotic and I feel like it’s going to get worse.”
They went on to add: “I feel like there should be a better or safer way. I’m not sure what it would take for Disney to find a solution and I really hope it doesn’t take someone getting really hurt and then they will do something about it.”
Judging by the responses, they’re not the only Disney World guest who feels that way. “We’ve gotten to the point where we hang around the left side of the pre-show & let the stampede go,” wrote one user. “Realistically it doesn’t add much more wait time at all & I can’t stand fighting my way down the funnel.”
Another said: “The last time I went, people pushed so hard, the doors opened and skipped the whole pre show. It’s not fair to people that have never been on the ride.”
Others pointed out that this isn’t the only ride facing this issue. Any attraction that breaks up its orderly queue for a pre-show then expects guests to later reform into a line causes similar problems.
“Pre-shows with a room this large facilitate this situation,” explained one user. “There is no order or consideration in our post-covid society, and letting everyone loose in a big room and then telling them all to get back in line is poor design and asking for trouble. Tower of Terror pre-show is like what 10-20 people? I don’t have a number, but Guardians is much much more than that.”
For those hoping to avoid the rush, there is one simple way to do so. As one guest explained, you need to “hang out on the left side of the room (near the cosmic generator) and wait to be the last people out of the preshow room.”
Of course, in an ideal world, this wouldn’t be necessary. However, time has proven that managing the actions of guests in this setting is extremely difficult – if not impossible.
Have you ever found yourself crushed in the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?
