Disney Imagineer describes the Galaxarium - the first scene at 'Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind'

Apr 01, 2022 in "Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind"

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Galaxarium in Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Posted: Friday April 1, 2022 5:17pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Imagineer Zach Riddley has taken to Instagram to explain more about the Galaxarium - the first scene at EPCOT's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind.'

Galaxarium in Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

The plantarium-like exhibit is where the attraction begins, and it offers a 30 minute long show in the queue area - including some nods to EPCOT's history.

Zach said:

As you may have seen, earlier this week we were able to invite a small group of guests to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT for a sneak peek of the Galaxarium inside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion. This is our first scene, where the story of EPCOT and the story of Xandar come together, and set us up for our grand adventure. It has been incredible to see this space go truly from sketch to reality over the past several years. Walking this breathtaking “space” is a reminder of the hard work and passion our team of Imagineers have devoted to bring this first-of-its-kind experience to EPCOT.
Building off the legacy of EPCOT as a place where discovery and curiosity comes to life, The Galaxarium is a planetarium-like exhibition where Guests will first be introduced to Xandar and the many similarities we share with our Xandarian visitors. This over 30-minute show begins to touch on both planets and how the Xandarian galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy, is similar to our own, showcasing the real science behind the formation of galaxies and solar systems. As you make your way through the Galaxarium, you’ll be able to glimpse the Xandar Gallery ahead… where we will learn more about Xandar and its people, protectors, and heroes!
This space is really dynamic, organized around a radial grid where Guests rise an entire level with sinuous ramping, allowing you to take in the media on the dome above from many vantage points. The lighting and architectural elements echo the color and aesthetic of Xandar and give a great mood to our first act of this attraction. I cannot wait for Guests to experience this space for themselves, and all that awaits beyond - including some wonderful nods to EPCOT history that I know our favorite EPCOT fans will enjoy.

Galaxarium in Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

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MisterPenguinOct 07, 2024

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/big-list-of-forum-abbreviations.939248/

UNCgolfOct 07, 2024

I'm not a big fan of Cosmic Rewind -- it's fine, but I don't think it's remotely a special attraction -- so I wouldn't mind losing those things for something better. I also think the half a billion price tag is a problem, not a good thing (spending half a billion on a ride certainly could be a good thing, but CR doesn't have the content to justify that price). Regardless, I'm certainly not suggesting the Imagineers don't care or aren't trying to design the best possible attractions. Just because CR doesn't work very well for me doesn't make it bad; most people seem to love it. It doesn't really matter how I personally feel about something if it's an overall success.

zipadee999Oct 07, 2024

Would this be a retrack or a full-blown rebuild with a new layout like Tokyo? I feel like that would make it too much like Cosmic Rewind or even Tron right next to it. Right now Space relies on its 1975 charm as a form of differentiation, so I hope that any overhaul keeps the general structure of the attraction intact. I’d be happiest with a re-track and re-profiling by either Vekoma or S&S since Arrow Dynamics isn’t around anymore, a new cable-lift system that removes the un-immersive lift hill noise, on-board audio, and new effects/projections during the coaster layout. Those are all upgrades they could do to modernize and make the attraction vastly more enjoyable while still retaining the original Space Mountain

JayspencyOct 07, 2024

Tdo?

Marc Davis FanOct 07, 2024

Wouldn't that require a complete rebuild? This doesn't seem like something Disney would fund absent an IP, which makes me nervous...

FigmentFan82Oct 07, 2024

Wait so, theme updates to Space Mountain in MK? Would this be when they refresh the tracks as well?

MisterPenguinOct 07, 2024

Jack occasionally posts here: @IveBeenJack

UNCgolfOct 07, 2024

It's too bad they didn't just do that at EPCOT instead of Cosmic Rewind. Then maybe they could have built a good Guardians attraction elsewhere. Note that I'm not calling Cosmic Rewind a bad attraction (although I don't think it's a great one) -- just that it's a bad Guardians attraction in terms of capturing what makes the IP interesting/fun. Cosmic Rewind would be just as good, if not better, if it was a space themed coaster without the misused Guardians.