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Epcot 2021 - Guardians of the Galaxy: Vekoma Coaster

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During this weekend???s biennial D23 Expo, Disney Parks and Resorts made the long-awaited and -expected announcement: the ultra-successful Guardians of the Galaxy franchise will be landing at Epcot.
The rumor that the recently-exploded property would be finding its way to Walt Disney World Resort is an old one, having first appeared shortly over a year ago and gaining more traction in the past two months, when Disney filed paperwork with the South Florida Water Management District for preparatory work to commence at the northeast corner of Epcot. (It???s also a rumor that has gone through a couple different permutations, including the possibility of the company taking Guardians of the Galaxy ??? Mission: Breakout, the re-theme of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror that opened just two months ago in California Adventure, and porting it over to the park.)

Perhaps not surprisingly, the specifics of today???s announcement are largely in line with the more prominent rumors from the past several months: the ragtag Guardians will be taking over the pavilion currently occupied by Ellen???s Energy Adventure. The premise revolves around a young Peter Quill ???
better known today as Star-Lord ??? actually having visited the original incarnation of Epcot back in the early ???80s.

It seems inevitable that both Guardians and Ellen would be included in this development. On the movie side, the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is among Marvel Studios???s most profitable; even though it???s only three-years-old and consists of only two installments thus far, it???s the highest-grossing property to not feature the shared cinematic universe???s poster boy, Iron Man (and given that the team is set to cross paths with Shellhead and the rest of the Avengers in next summer???s The Avengers: Infinity War, Guardians is due to become even more popular in the very near future).
(Curious as to how Guardians of the Galaxy is able to set up shop in Disney World, given Marvel???s contract with Universal regarding the usage of its characters east of the Mississippi River? Easy: since none of the Guardians characters make an appearance at Islands of Adventure???s Marvel Super Hero Island, they???re fair game for Disney to incorporate in its own resort ??? though some have questioned the long-term legality of the move, since the Guardians will soon make that appearance with the Avengers, who most certainly do fall under Universal???s exclusivity umbrella. We???ll have to wait and see ??? and let the lawyers battle it out behind closed doors.)

The attraction Guardians of the Galaxy is going to replace, Ellen???s Energy Adventure, is highly emblematic of the problems that Disney has had with Epcot???s Future World for the past 25 years now ??? namely, how the company can keep an entire theme park land devoted to technology, human progress, and the future up-to-date and relevant with the latest trends and developments. Universe of Energy, as the ride was originally known, opened alongside the park ??? known as EPCOT Center back then, to highlight its Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow premise ??? on October 1, 1982. Devoted to the history of energy sources on this planet, it included several lengthy presentations, along with a quick ride through a dinosaur-infused primordial region where fossil fuels would ultimately be formed. Bowing to the pressures of making the attraction more palatable to children (Epcot originally debuted with a strict no-Disney-character policy, which has been systematically undone over its 35-year history), Disney opted to give it a new, more upbeat, and humorous tone in 1996, which was accomplished by repainting the dinosaur audio-animatronics with much brighter colors and, most notably, by infusing Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye into the various ride films. It has remained the same ever since.
The arrival of Guardians into Future World, though controversial for many fans (particularly the long-time, die-hard ones), is just the latest example of intellectual properties, specifically, and more broad-appeal characters, generally, replacing the original World???s Fair theme of the land; once The Living Seas was given a Finding Nemo makeover in 2007, it???s simply been a matter of time before further tie-ins to various Disney franchises got their time in the sun ??? especially franchises that are as immensely successful as anything Marvel Cinematic Universe-related.
But it???s just the first step for Epcot???s eventual rebirth on the way to Disney World???s 50th anniversary in 2021 ??? with Animal Kingdom having recently gotten a nighttime makeover with Pandora: The World of Avatar, Hollywood Studios set to soon receive both Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land, and with Magic Kingdom importing a copy of Shanghai Disneyland???s Tron Lightcycle Power Run, Epcot is the last remaining link in the chain. Future World???s reconstitution, coupled with World Showcase???s Frozen facelift from just last year, will make Epcot???s future brighter than ever ??? well, as far Disney???s shareholders are concerned, at least.
Ellen???s Energy Adventure closes on August 13, 2017.


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Given that Guardians is sci-fi I think Epcot is the perfect park for this. Especially so it doesn't clash with the Star wars stuff at Hollywood studios
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As we have rumored on this site for some time, the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride coming to Epcot will indeed be a roller coaster attraction.
The Vice President of Epcot, Melissa Valiquette, confirmed that the attraction is a coaster to members of the media at the Epcot 35 celebration yesterday.

According to sources, the roller coaster will load guests in the former Universe of Energy attraction, launching guests through a tunnel into a 10-story tall show building. The coaster will reportedly be a first of its kind ride system, but it remains unclear how it will differ from a conventional ride.

The attraction will mark the very first roller coaster for Epcot in its 35 year history, the last remaining Disney Park on earth without one.


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So looks like Epcot will finally be getting a coaster.
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Maybe a Vekoma launched flyer, opening slightly before FLY or something? Or maybe a Mack due to recent involvement. We will see...
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Thought i might bump this thread with a bit of new info on the new coaster that was said over a month ago at D23 in Japan:

Minutes ago at D23 Expo Japan, we shared a first look at Epcot???s highly-anticipated ???Guardians of the Galaxy???-themed attraction ??? and yes, it???s a roller coaster!

With the ???Guardians of the Galaxy???-inspired coaster, we???re going big. This one-of-a-kind family attraction will be one of the world???s longest enclosed roller coasters when it???s added to Future World at Epcot. It???ll feature a unique story currently being created by Walt Disney Imagineering and include a new innovative ride system that???s guaranteed to ???wow??? guests.

This attraction is part of our ongoing work to transform Epcot into a place that???s more family, more relevant and more timeless. ???As we build upon its core mission of optimism and hope to inspire the world, the real will become fantastic and the fantastic will become real???in whole new ways at Epcot,??? Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, said.

The attraction will open in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.


...and here is the state of construction as of March 2018:

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Sources:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/ ... -at-epcot/

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct

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Worlds longest enclosed coaster... Is longest going to be duration or track length? :lol:
I think they need to top Temple of the nighthawk for that record which is like 1200m long?
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Dirk_Ermen wrote:
Worlds longest enclosed coaster... Is longest going to be duration or track length? :lol:
I think they need to top Temple of the nighthawk for that record which is like 1200m long?


Yeah, Temple in the Nighthawk is the current record holder at 3,857.7 ft long (1175.8 metres)

Anyways, more construction images:

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Source:

https://rcdb.com/r.htm?ca=114&order=-22&ot=2

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct

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IS this a big area? I am having trouble with scale in the images.
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Concrete pouring for the foundations has taken place:

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It's also worth noting that construction walls have gone up around the former Universe of Energy Pavilion:

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Sources:

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct?ref_ ... r%5Eauthor

http://blogmickey.com/2018/05/photos-gu ... -pavilion/


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^ Those cranes sound like, oh wow, living creatures, too! Pulling me up short! :lol:
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All of those cranes together also look like some giant spider like creature! :lol:

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The building has gone vertical:

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Hopefully, we will see track onsite pretty soon.

Source: http://blogmickey.com/2018/05/photos-gu ... -at-epcot/

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The ride building continues to rise:

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Also, it appears the ride building is going to be huge since it can be visible from almost everywhere inside in the park:

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Sources:

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct

http://blogmickey.com/2018/06/photos-la ... -in-epcot/

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Looks like it's going to be a Vekoma coaster:

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Also, here's what the showbuilding currently looks like now:

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Source: http://blogmickey.com/

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I'm immediately thinking about the flying coaster with rotating cars for boarding like the one at Phantasialand is probably going to be... You could make some neat darkride section with that I think and the type of coaster can really fit in with flying through the galaxy.


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Considering almost all of the Disney coasters are Vekoma or Arrow, its not that surprising. ^ I could definitely see that working out. Since Epcot is the most "Adult" park in the resort, I would love to see this be on the more intense side like rock n roller coaster.
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herman116 wrote:
I'm immediately thinking about the flying coaster with rotating cars for boarding like the one at Phantasialand is probably going to be... You could make some neat darkride section with that I think and the type of coaster can really fit in with flying through the galaxy.


I don't think it's going to be a flyer since it was stated that this coaster won't have any inversions. The most popular rumour for this coaster is that it will actually be the spinning coaster being trialled at Vlodrop right now. Specifically this:

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Source: https://wdwnt.com/2018/03/photos-roller ... -at-epcot/

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The trains reminds me of a spider since they're so far up above the track.
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Disney recently filed this patent for a rotating coaster vehicle:

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Kinda confirms that the spinning coaster prototype being tested in Vlodrop is for the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster at Epcot.

In other news, the exterior walls of the show building are starting to go up:

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Sources:

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/di ... e-vehicle/

http://blogmickey.com/epcot/


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Probs will be a solid ride, but it's going to be a little incoherent for the dumb and mindless guests that visit WDW. They're going to have Guardians of the Galaxy attractions at two different parks and guests are definitely going to be confused by that :lol:

"I want to ride the Guardians of the Galaxy ride!"
"Okay, let's go ride it!"
*family ends up at Animal Kingdom where there are zero GotG rides*


Okay never mind, I resolved the issue myself. They're all too stupid to know where they should go.
1-Millennium Force | 2-Intimidator 305 | 3-Fury 325
4-Skyrush | 5-Iron Rattler | 6-X2 | 7-Kingda Ka
8-Voyage | 9-Maverick | 10-Monster

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GerstlCrazy wrote:
Probs will be a solid ride, but it's going to be a little incoherent for the dumb and mindless guests that visit WDW. They're going to have Guardians of the Galaxy attractions at two different parks and guests are definitely going to be confused by that :lol:

"I want to ride the Guardians of the Galaxy ride!"
"Okay, let's go ride it!"
*family ends up at Animal Kingdom where there are zero GotG rides*


Okay never mind, I resolved the issue myself. They're all too stupid to know where they should go.


What other park besides EPCOT?
1. Voyage 2. Intimidator 305 3. Maverick 4. Skyrush 5. Mindbender (Galaxyland) 6. Fury 325 7. Kumba 8. Goliath (Six Flags Over Georgia) 9. The Beast 10. Phoenix

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Looks like the cars will tilt and rock, not just spin! :)


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Kw6sTheater wrote:
GerstlCrazy wrote:
Probs will be a solid ride, but it's going to be a little incoherent for the dumb and mindless guests that visit WDW. They're going to have Guardians of the Galaxy attractions at two different parks and guests are definitely going to be confused by that :lol:

"I want to ride the Guardians of the Galaxy ride!"
"Okay, let's go ride it!"
*family ends up at Animal Kingdom where there are zero GotG rides*


Okay never mind, I resolved the issue myself. They're all too stupid to know where they should go.


What other park besides EPCOT?


Oh damn that is totally my error :lol: I always think the Tower of Terror revamp was the one at WDW Hollywood Studios
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4-Skyrush | 5-Iron Rattler | 6-X2 | 7-Kingda Ka
8-Voyage | 9-Maverick | 10-Monster

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