Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opens May 27

Located in the park's newly renamed World Discovery neighborhood, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the first "otherworldly" exhibit pavilion at EPCOT. The Xandarians traveled from their homeworld in the Andromeda Galaxy to Earth, or Terra as they call it, to create the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, inviting EPCOT visitors to learn more about its people and their advanced technologies. That is until something goes wrong and the Xandarians call in the Guardians of the Galaxy for help.

The first exhibition pavilion of 'Another World'

Star-Lord visited EPCOT as a child and loved the experience so much that he suggested this Disney park as the perfect place for Xandarians to connect with Terrans. The Wonders of Xandar Pavilion has three main sections:

• The Galaxarium is a vast planetarium-style space showcasing planets, stars and other intergalactic wonders that connect Terra and Xandar, reinforcing the notion that we are all born from the same space frost. Worldmind, the Xandarian computer, provides a narrative in the Galaxarium, giving context to the stunning images.

• At the Xandar Gallery, visitors learn more about the Xandar people, culture and history, including Xandar's heroes, through specially designed exhibits that include model starships and a Xandarian city. The gallery also features "Good Morning Xandar" programming, where a host interviews the Guardians of the Galaxy about their heroic deeds.

• The pavilion tour concludes in the Phase Chamber, where visitors are instantly teleported from EPCOT to the Nova Corps Starcharter cruise ship orbiting the Earth. Here they learn about the Cosmic Generator, Xandarian technology that creates jump points, artificial tunnels in space that allow rapid travel over great distances.

An intergalactic chase through time and space

Arriving at the Starcharter, the visitors quickly realize that things are not going according to plan, or even 12 percent of plan, when a massive being appears outside the ship...

• Eson, a Celestial, has been watching the Earth for eons and now intends to use the Cosmic Generator to jump back in time and change the course of all existence in the universe.

• Nova Prime Irani Rael orders his superior officer, Centurion Tal Marik, to contact the Guardians of the Galaxy immediately and ask for their help (again).

• The Terrans must evacuate the ship via Starjumper shuttles – small escape pods that launch from the Starcharter cruiser.

• When the Guardians arrive on the scene, they reprogram the Starjumpers for the visitors to help them locate Eson by following the Celestial through a jump point in an intergalactic chase to save the galaxy. As Drax so matter-of-factly points out, as the visitors prepare for the journey and if they can't help stop Eson, "then he's probably doomed."

A new kind of family thrill

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind offers several "firsts", including:

• The first roller coaster attraction at EPCOT.

• The first reverse launch for a Disney roller coaster.

• The first Disney Omnicoaster, where vehicles make controlled rotations to always keep guests focused on the action.

• The first Walt Disney World attraction to feature the Guardians of the Galaxy.

An 'awesome mix' for an awesome roller coaster

Like the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind weaves classic pop music, or "poet wizardry" as Gamora would say, into the very fabric of your experience. Audio cranks aboard the attraction play tunes from the '70s and '80s as guests race through the cosmos.

• Disney Imagineers tested over 100 potential songs for the attraction.

• The Imagineers used a combination of tests and physical rides to assess which tracks best matched the spirit and movement of the roller coaster, ultimately choosing six songs in their original classic versions:

"September"

"Inferno Disc"

"Congo"

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

"Iran"

"One Way or Another"

• Visitors won't know what song they'll hear each time they travel until they jump into space with the Guardians.

The Broker offers Xandar treasures

Visitors can browse Guardians of the Galaxy-themed designs, accessories, home décor, collectibles and toys at the Treasures of Xandar store, located in the Wonders of Xandar pavilion. The Xandarians hired The Broker to operate this new merchandise location on Terra which, upon debut, will offer several new product lines including:

• What if the Guardians were rock stars? Inspired by vintage concert merchandise from the 1980s, the Heroes of Xandar Collection imagines all the gear and memorabilia fans would collect during a fictional intergalactic Guardians tour.

• '80s nostalgia continues with a bold and colorful line celebrating Peter Quill's childhood visit to EPCOT. The Guardians of the Galaxy: Through the Eyes of Quill Collection features retro silhouettes and graphic designs that evoke decades past.

• After helping save the galaxy, guests of all ages are invited to show off their new hero style with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Honorary Guardians Collection. Honorary Wardens will be distinguished in rank through the official Honorary Warden colours, navy blue and gold combined with the Honorary Warden emblem, which is proudly worn on every item in the collection.

• The Groot Through the Years Collection celebrates the sentience of the tree-like creature and his journey to become a defender of the galaxy. The collection, which includes children's toys, home décor and clothing, illustrates Groot's evolution from baby to teen to adult.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Fun Facts

• A Starblaster ship rests on a dock outside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, the first full-size version of this Xandarian ship ever built.

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is the longest fully enclosed roller coaster at any Disney theme park and one of the longest enclosed roller coasters in the world.

• The attraction covers more than 22,000 square meters, with one of its show buildings covering almost 22,000 square meters and extending longer than a field

american football This massive structure contains more than 128 kilometers of rebar and more than 8,229 cubic meters of concrete. Volume-wise, the iconic Spaceship Earth would fit four times inside the main show building.

• Academy Award® nominee Glenn Close reprises her “Guardians of the Galaxy” role as Nova Prime Irani Rael, the leader of Xandar and commander of the Nova Corps.

• The Disney Imagineers were on the set of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" to film with the Guardians for this new attraction.

• Composer Tyler Bates of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films created more than two hours of new music for the attraction's score.

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind features over 75 minutes of original content.