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Remember EPCOT’s Universe of Energy? It may have closed to make way for EPCOT’s incoming roller coaster, but Disney reveals it won’t be forgotten!
For those unfamiliar, the Universe of Energy was an EPCOT Pavilion located in the former Future World (now World Discovery) portion of the Disney Park. It was one of EPCOT’s opening day attractions in 1982, making it a nostalgic experience.
The attraction explored the world of energy with four film presentations as Guests rode along in a slow-moving vehicle in the dark, surrounded by a jungle of animatronic dinosaurs! The attraction was updated in 1996 to Ellen’s Energy Adventure which featured Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye.
The experience was permanently closed on August 13, 2017, the same day Disney closed The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Universe of Energy Pavilion has been the center of reimagination to make way for the highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
As EPCOT prepares for the opening of the new indoor roller coaster, Disney is slowly revealing the final stages of the attraction including height requirement and a leaked grand opening of Memorial Day weekend.
Disney Imagineer, Zach Riddley has recently provided new photos showing the queue of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind with the following details below:
Recently we revealed our first-look at the bold and colorful design for our load station at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – coming to EPCOT this summer.
One of the ways that we help tell the story is by infusing details into all the various functional items that make up an attraction and this one is no different. And I’m excited to show some close up photos of these details.
Angular designs, striking use of colors, and materials all help tell the story of a Nova Corps facility. The railings, station gates and floor markings (yes, the floor is pretty cool too ?) are all used to convey the experience in ways that might not be as obvious or apparent, but every detail is a choice that supports our story. And much of Nova Corps designs are inspired by their star symbol and that symbol makes several appearances in the space in striking illuminated graphics.
Seen in these new close-up images of our station gates have a weight and scale to them to help convey the industrial nature of the area. Handrails made from stainless steel give a sturdy and durable feel and show the precision craftsmanship of the Nova Corps.
An attraction of this scale includes many thousands of design details that work together to create mood, place and action – and these are just a few of the many you’ll see here. Thank you to everyone working hard to put our finishing touches on this experience – inside and out.
In response to the message above, one Disney fan asked in the comments, “You gonna reveal where the tribute to Universe of Energy is?” Zach Riddley surprised everyone with the response, “Who says there is just one?”
Disney is well-known for including former attraction tributes. When Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opened on March 4, 2020, The Great Movie Ride “Easter Eggs” opened within the attraction.
Disney’s “Easter Eggs” simply means little notes of tributes to Disney history from former characters or attractions. One example of a tribute to The Great Movie ride includes the “There’s No Place Like Home” on a mailbox in Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, along with a tornado scene which all points back to The Wizard of Oz (1939) scene featured in The Great Movie Ride.
Is anyone else extra curious about spotting these new tributes for Universe of Energy within the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction? We’ll keep you posted as Disney has piqued our interest!
