Walt Disney World Resort has begun testing new pre-show protocols for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster at EPCOT. These updates follow years of guest complaints about issues such as crowding near doors and loud outbursts from other riders.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has multiple pre-show rooms. The first room, where both Lightning Lane and standby guests merge, is a spacious area with several doors at the front. Here, a pre-show video featuring Terry Crews plays, where he asks the crowd what the people of EPCOT call themselves. In response, some Disney Park guests have developed a controversial tradition of shouting “alcoholics!”—a reference to the widely popular “Drinking Around the World” experience at EPCOT.
Once the first set of doors opens, guests rush into the second pre-show room, where they’re instructed to stay away from the walls. They are supposed to spread out evenly in the circular room, where the lights go off, and guests “hyperjump” to Xandar. When the lights turn back on, the walls vanish to reveal an advanced spacecraft looking out at the galaxy. However, many guests have ignored these instructions, rushing to the right side of the room, where the doors to the final ride queue are located. This behavior has made it difficult for Disney cast members to manage the crowd and safely guide guests through the line.
According to WDWMagic, Walt Disney World Resort is now testing a new pre-show protocol to address this issue. Under the new system, Disney cast members stand in the middle of both pre-show rooms, keeping Lightning Lane guests on the right side and standby guests on the left. This arrangement gives Lightning Lane guests priority access to the final queue before the boarding area, while standby guests are required to wait instead of rushing to the doors.
While Walt Disney World Resort has not publicly confirmed whether these changes will become permanent, Disney Parks fans are already weighing in on the effectiveness of the protocol. Some guests blame Disney for designing a pre-show that encourages dangerous crowding in the first place.
In response to the news, theme park journalist Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin on X, formerly Twitter) shared original concept art for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind pre-show. This artwork revealed that Imagineers had initially planned to include animatronics of Groot and Rocket Raccoon in the pre-show room. These figures were not included in the final version of the attraction.
you want people to look to the left? I have an idea
you want people to look to the left? I have an idea pic.twitter.com/OoPZsB3fcQ
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 29, 2025
Do you think these changes will improve the pre-show experience for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Share your opinion with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
