Disney has introduced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will quickly be added to the Early Entry lineup at EPCOT. This covers dates & particulars, plus our commentary about how this modifications morning park touring technique, arriving through Worldwide Gateway vs. entrance entrance, and extra.
The change comes because the vastly in style Marvel curler coaster ditches its digital queue and switches to standby very quickly, together with Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Magic Kingdom. In case you missed that massive information, see Walt Disney World is Ending Attraction Digital Queues.
That covers the official announcement dates & particulars in regards to the digital queues. Plus, our commentary about Walt Disney World’s potential motivations for making this alteration, and why that is good for the visitor expertise–regardless of it being unhealthy for us, personally. In contrast, this information that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will probably be eligible for Early Entry is excellent information for us.
Beginning February 25, 2025, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will probably be open for Early Entry at EPCOT from to
Though Early Entry occasions can differ by date on the different parks, that’s usually not the case at EPCOT. I can’t recall the final time official park opening was something aside from 9:00 AM. Park closing has been prolonged to 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM throughout peak seasons, however I can’t recall a time when EPCOT opened earlier than 9 AM since…most likely Summer time 2022?
Earlier than we go any additional, the one factor I do wish to point out right here is that Walt Disney World “introduced” this alteration with an replace to the official Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind web site, which now lists Early Entry hours for February 25, 2025 and each date thereafter.
Walt Disney World has not but up to date the official Early Entry web site to match this.
Even as soon as they do, I’m unsure I’ll imagine it till February 25, 2025 rolls round, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is definitely open. The rationale for that is easy: the Walt Disney World attraction and perks pages are incorrect. Lots.
Essentially the most related current instance of this occurred with Tiana’s Bayou Journey. It was listed as being open for Prolonged Night Hours final 12 months, and it wasn’t till the primary evening that began–and the experience wasn’t open–earlier than anybody realized that was a mistake. The attraction has likewise had its standing ping-pong round for MNSSHP, MVMCP, and most lately, the 2025 After Hours.
This isn’t a difficulty distinctive to Tiana’s Bayou Journey.
Just some days in the past, Walt Disney World printed the Villains Unfairly Ever After web site and listed a 40-minute showtime. I noticed different websites working with this story however refrained to take action myself, suspecting that 40 minutes was extremely unlikely. That’s DCA Hyperion stage show-level length, and at a time when Walt Disney World has been shortening stage exhibits. Shock shock, Disney quietly eliminated the time a pair hours later, making it appear like the fan websites misreported it. (They didn’t–Disney did.)
I’ve been burned by this on different events, together with over at Disneyland with Haunted Mansion Vacation supposedly not beginning till Christmas 2025. (Not correct.) If I sound bitter, it’s most likely as a result of I’m only a bit. It’s absurd that Disney’s personal official web sites aren’t dependable sources, and that whoever pushes out web site modifications is seemingly simply guessing (I suppose?) in the case of specifics.
Level being, it’s most likely appropriate that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will probably be open for Early Entry. It’s what we have been anticipating. However we received’t know with 100% certainty till February 25, 2025 rolls round and the experience is definitely open (or not).
For no matter it’s value, we have been additionally anticipating TRON Lightcycle Run to take part in Early Entry at Magic Kingdom beginning final September when its digital queue was retired. That didn’t occur instantly, so we assumed that absolutely it was a scheduling subject and the curler coaster would open early as soon as peak season rolled round. Additionally nope.
Talking of Magic Kingdom, we can also say with a excessive diploma of confidence that Tiana’s Bayou Journey is not going to function throughout Early Entry. This can be a secure assumption as a result of it’s not on the schedule and as a result of Frontierland doesn’t open till common rope drop.
For many who are unfamiliar with the on-site visitor perk, Early Entry is obtainable in any respect 4 theme parks each single day and affords 30-minute entry to visitors staying in on-site lodges at Walt Disney World.
It differs from the extinct morning Additional Magic Hours in that it’s not an hour-long and is obtainable every single day in any respect 4 parks, that means crowds are diluted and there’s decrease demand. See our Information to Early Entry at Walt Disney World for more information & technique.
Moreover, we have now a couple of dozen or so “Additional Hours” Picture Stories, with extra coming in March 2025 because of this alteration and (hopefully) extra modifications at Magic Kingdom.
I might hazard a guess that we’ve finished Early Entry 50 to 75 occasions because it debuted just a few years in the past. My normal perspective is that followers undervalue it. We see a whole lot of complaints that the perk is “solely” half-hour, which is objectively correct.
Nonetheless, this understates the worth of that point and simply how a lot you possibly can accomplish. As I’ve demonstrated in our EPCOT morning studies, I’ve completed a number of rides throughout Early Entry and in addition beating the common rope drop rush to my subsequent vacation spot at ~9:00 AM.
Followers additionally underestimate the subjective worth of Early Entry. By that, I imply that morning is the second-best time of the day in any respect 4 of the parks–behind solely late nights. There’s one thing particular about watching the solar rise over the parks, and I like savoring my strolls round World Showcase, watching the international locations “get up” for the day.
With that stated, Early Entry at EPCOT hasn’t been good/nice since Check Monitor went down for refurbishment. (See Is Early Entry at EPCOT Value Waking Up for With Check Monitor Closed Till 2025?)
Because of that closure, the majority of the crowds are principally all heading to 2 locations, each in World Showcase: Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After. Some visitors do head to Soarin’ Across the World, however that isn’t precisely an ideal use of time.
The Check Monitor closure consolidates the crowds, however is generally effective for these arriving through Worldwide Gateway–the again entrance by France that serves the Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts. However for almost all of visitors coming through the entrance entrance, it’s a protracted stroll to both of these headliners. We’re speaking over a mile!
Due to this, we’ve obtained loads of questions on utilizing the gondolas or attending to Worldwide Gateway from different resorts. Many WDW followers have had some very…let’s name them artistic…concepts involving convoluted routes between wherever you’re staying at Worldwide Gateway.
I’d wish to suppose that this weblog teaches you the way to suppose exterior the field about hacking Walt Disney World programs to beat the crowds, zigging once they zag, and that type of factor. (Extra possible, it fills your head with dated popular culture references, unhealthy dad jokes, County Bear lore, and hatred for Dino-Rama–so nonetheless a societal internet optimistic.) So kudos to placing your information to make use of and developing with artistic options, I suppose.
Nonetheless, our perspective has all the time been that that is a bit a lot. It has been true that you just’ll come out forward by arriving to EPCOT through Worldwide Gateway. Being so near Remy’s Ratatouille Journey is advantageous, and the strolling distance disparity is insurmountable for these arriving from the entrance entrance. It’s additionally plain that Soarin’ is an objectively worse Early Entry start line that the World Showcase headliners.
We’ve implored readers to consider issues in holistic phrases. Not all trip time has equal worth, however it all does have some worth. The added time of those convoluted routes is important (and dear), to the purpose that we don’t suggest them. You’ll have to get up a lot earlier and doubtlessly spend additional, both of which alone would transfer these approaches to “not really useful” territory.
Properly nicely nicely, how the flip tables.
Beginning February 25, 2025, you possibly can principally simply reverse all the above and apply it to coming into by the entrance entrance of EPCOT. With out query, the benefit will immediately flip to arriving through the entrance and prioritizing Cosmic Rewind. Extra visitors will probably be heading to Cosmic Rewind, and by a really vast margin. Except one thing modifications with protocol, it’ll be virtually not possible for Worldwide Gateway visitors to beat or match the arrival occasions of these doing Early Entry from the entrance entrance.
Despite the fact that we will’t but predict exact wait occasions for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, we all know this with close to certainty as a result of that’s the dynamic we’ve noticed with Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare and TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom. And that’s with out TRON even being open throughout Early Entry!
Friends staying at Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts will strive their finest John Sweet and Steve Martin impressions, and begin developing with their very own convoluted routes for getting from their lodges to the entrance entrance of EPCOT earlier than 8 AM. I do know this as a result of I’m one of many individuals already plotting my method. (In my protection, I’m doing this within the title of Very Essential Analysis…and since I already booked BoardWalk for the beginning of EPCOT’s Flower & Backyard Competition.)
Simply as earlier than, I can’t think about this will probably be “value it” from both an goal and even subjective perspective. The associated fee in time (and energy) will possible exceed the time-saving disparity between Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. That received’t cease devoted followers from making an attempt, although. The upshot is that the crowds for the Rat Trip and Frozen Ever After will virtually actually decline a bit. All of that is speculative, although. I’ll be doing in depth precise testing and can report again with my outcomes someday in mid-March 2025. So keep tuned!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be doing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind throughout Early Entry at EPCOT? Plan on going out of your technique to arrive on the entrance entrance for Cosmic Rewind, or will you do the Rat Trip if coming into through Worldwide Gateway? Ideas on Early Theme Park Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this 30 minute jumpstart to the day since Check Monitor went down? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT? Agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
