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 by way of Worldwide Gateway vs. entrance entrance, and extra.
The change comes because the massively fashionable 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 huge 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 transformation, 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 can be eligible for Early Entry is excellent information for us.
Beginning February 25, 2025, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can be open for Early Entry at EPCOT from to
Though Early Entry occasions can differ by date on the different parks, that’s sometimes 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…in all probability 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 transformation 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 undecided I’ll imagine it till February 25, 2025 rolls round, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is definitely open. The explanation for that is easy: the Walt Disney World attraction and perks pages are mistaken. Rather a lot.
Probably the most related latest instance of this occurred with Tiana’s Bayou Journey. It was listed as being open for Prolonged Night Hours final yr, and it wasn’t till the primary evening that began–and the journey 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 just lately, the 2025 After Hours.
This isn’t a problem distinctive to Tiana’s Bayou Journey.
Just some days in the past, Walt Disney World revealed the Villains Unfairly Ever After web site and listed a 40-minute showtime. I noticed different websites operating 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 seem 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 in all probability 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 assume?) in the case of specifics.
Level being, it’s in all probability appropriate that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can 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 journey 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 concern 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 won’t function throughout Early Entry. It is a protected 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 individuals who are unfamiliar with the on-site visitor perk, Early Entry is obtainable in any respect 4 theme parks each single day and presents 30-minute entry to company staying in on-site resorts 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, which means crowds are diluted and there’s decrease demand. See our Information to Early Entry at Walt Disney World for more information & technique.
Moreover, now we have a couple of dozen or so “Additional Hours” Picture Experiences, with extra coming in March 2025 because of this transformation 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 a number of years in the past. My normal perspective is that followers undervalue it. We see quite a lot of complaints that the perk is “solely” half-hour, which is objectively correct.
Nevertheless, this understates the worth of that point and simply how a lot you’ll be able to accomplish. As I’ve demonstrated in our EPCOT morning stories, I’ve achieved 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 mentioned, Early Entry at EPCOT hasn’t been good/nice since Check Observe went down for refurbishment. (See Is Early Entry at EPCOT Value Waking Up for With Check Observe Closed Till 2025?)
Because of that closure, the majority of the crowds are mainly all heading to 2 locations, each in World Showcase: Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After. Some company do head to Soarin’ Across the World, however that isn’t precisely an amazing use of time.
The Check Observe closure consolidates the crowds, however is generally tremendous for these arriving by way of Worldwide Gateway–the again entrance by France that serves the Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts. However for almost all of company coming by way of the entrance entrance, it’s an extended stroll to both of these headliners. We’re speaking over a mile!
Due to this, we’ve acquired quite a bit 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 methods to beat the crowds, zigging after they zag, and that kind of factor. (Extra seemingly, 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 constructive.) So kudos to placing your information to make use of and developing with artistic options, I assume.
Nonetheless, our perspective has all the time been that that is a bit a lot. It has been true that you simply’ll come out forward by arriving to EPCOT by way of 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 critical (and dear), to the purpose that we don’t suggest them. You’ll must get up a lot earlier and probably spend further, both of which alone would transfer these approaches to “not really useful” territory.
Effectively nicely nicely, how the flip tables.
Beginning February 25, 2025, you’ll be able to mainly simply reverse the entire above and apply it to coming into by way of the entrance entrance of EPCOT. With out query, the benefit will immediately flip to arriving by way of the entrance and prioritizing Cosmic Rewind. Extra company can be heading to Cosmic Rewind, and by a really large margin. Until one thing modifications with protocol, it’ll be nearly not possible for Worldwide Gateway company to beat or match the arrival occasions of these doing Early Entry from the entrance entrance.
Despite the fact that we are able to’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!
Company staying at Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts will attempt their greatest John Sweet and Steve Martin impressions, and begin developing with their very own convoluted routes for getting from their resorts to the entrance entrance of EPCOT earlier than 8 AM. I do know this as a result of I’m one of many folks 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 Pageant.)
Simply as earlier than, I can’t think about this can be “value it” from both an goal and even subjective perspective. The associated fee in time (and energy) will seemingly exceed the time-saving disparity between Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. That received’t cease devoted followers from attempting, although. The upshot is that the crowds for the Rat Trip and Frozen Ever After will nearly definitely decline a bit. All of that is speculative, although. I’ll be doing intensive 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 solution to arrive on the entrance entrance for Cosmic Rewind, or will you do the Rat Trip if coming into by way of Worldwide Gateway? Ideas on Early Theme Park Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this 30 minute jumpstart to the day since Check Observe went down? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT? Agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
