PHOTOS: Foundation Work Begins on Xandarian Nova Corps Spaceship at Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT

Jessica Figueroa

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PHOTOS: Foundation Work Begins on Xandarian Nova Corps Spaceship at Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT

The Guardians of the Galaxy are seeing some exciting new developments on the site of Cosmic Rewind this morning, as scaffolding has gone up seemingly in the center of the former Universe of Energy Pavilion’s entrance courtyard.

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The grey-colored scaffolding towers over the construction walls that surround the up-and-coming attraction.

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Up until now, work on the roof of the pavilion commanded our attention, with the hope of solar panels being installed in the coming weeks.

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Now, our attention is on this large rectangular scaffolding, which may signal the start of foundation work for the Xandarian Nova Corps Spaceship that will welcome guests as they approach the pavilion. Here’s a look at the spaceship as seen in previous concept art:

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Initial concept art showed guests interacting with the likes of Groot and Rocket in the courtyard, and practically able to walk up to the spaceship, located on a low-lying pedestal. However, last year’s D23 Expo showed us that the spaceship would be on top of a slightly more elevated platform, the base of which would host a garden of space-like ferns.

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Once completed, guests will enter where they once did, but the doorway will now take them into the Welcome Gallery. The building will take on multiple levels, with guests climbing upwards as the queue progresses to reach the elevated load platform for the roller coaster.

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Permits were filed by Walt Disney Imagineering during the theme park closure for entrance graphics and set structures, with work to be done by Design Communications, the themed entertainment architecture firm behind the recently-opened Guitar Hotel at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

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With solar panels and a spaceship still to come, there’s plenty to look forward to at the site of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT.