UPDATE 12/7/21: Entertainment Weekly has removed the reference to animatronics from their article.

We’re slowly approaching the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT next summer, and we keep getting more and more little tastes of what’s to come. We got some special previews a few weeks ago at Destination D23, and now thanks to an exclusive with Entertainment Weekly, we have a few more details about the upcoming coaster.

The exclusive featured an interview with Imagineer Wyatt Winter, who claimed that the attraction is a combination of “animatronics, digital media, and the series’ signature soundtrack of pop-rock hits”, the first mention of any Audio-Animatronics coming to the new attraction.

As previously revealed, riders on the attraction will launch backwards into the coaster from the former Universe of Energy pavilion into a massive show building with both high-speed and low-speed show scenes. Winter declined to reveal the coaster’s launch speed or whether a second launch would return Guests back to the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, but noted that the thrill factor lies between Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

The attraction, Winter claims, has a stand-alone narrative separate from the films, and will contain Easter eggs for both Marvel and Disney Parks fans. He stated

The idea here is the planet of Xandar has come to earth, or ‘Terra,’ as they call it, they’re here to set up the first Other-World Showcase Pavilion. They wanted to come to Earth and reach out and talk about their people, technology, and culture. We’ve done that at Epcot for years where we’ve had other countries come and show their cultures. As you come in, we’re invited to start to learn about the similarities and how we’re all connected. They want to learn as much about us as teaching all of us on earth about Xandar.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is slated to open in summer 2022 at EPCOT. Are you excited to ride the first ever coaster at EPCOT? Let us know in the comments!

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Source: Entertainment Weekly