Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has finally dropped its virtual queue and opened its standby line at EPCOT. At open, wait times for the coaster fluctuated dramatically. The wait shot up to 170 minutes roughly 30 minutes after EPCOT opened to all guests. However, wait times quickly settled back down as the morning progressed.
Here’s a look at Cosmic Rewind’s wait times during its first day of standby operation.
| Time of Day | Standby Wait Time |
| 8:45am | 45 minutes (EPCOT open to Early Entry Guests) |
| 9:30am | 170 minutes (First 30 minutes of park opening) |
| 10:00am | 85 minutes |
| 12:00pm | 60 minutes |
Guests fearing Cosmic Rewind would have consistent 3+ hour waits should be relieved. The coaster has enough capacity to cycle through riders quickly, keeping standby times relatively manageable. We’d expect wait times to balloon during peak crowds and when other attractions are down, but we think some of the initial fears were overblown.
It’ll take weeks – if not months – of data before we can determine the best strategy for guests wanting to ride Cosmic Rewind. For example, the reopening of Test Track this summer should help spread out crowds at EPCOT. It’s also too early to determine if guests arriving for Early Entry through the International Gateway should prioritize Cosmic Rewind or opt for an attraction closer to their entrance. Time will tell.
For now, we’re just happy that guests don’t have to wake up early and rely on virtual lottery to experience one of Walt Disney World’s best attractions.
