Disney's Epcot needed a makeover. Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy are here to save the day

The company relies on a group of intergalactic miscreants for help. “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,” a modern indoor rollercoaster train featuring the popular superheroes who first appeared in the 2014 movie, opened at a Florida theme park Friday.

It’s not just an everyday attraction. This ship is the key to the future protection of the Disney parks business.

The company said Epcot is undergoing the biggest transformation in its history. Cosmic rewind – an attraction It is said to cost $500 million – He is the backbone of this change.

Disney is incorporating a synergy strategy with Marvel, one of the company’s most popular movie brands, to strengthen the foundational portion of its business as it modernizes one of its fantastic theme parks.

The strategy

Disney’s focus has shifted to live broadcasting, with its latest earnings report largely focused on Disney + and 137.7 million subscribers. But investing in its resorts remains critical to Disney because it provides the company with a deeper connection to consumers that its streaming competitors cannot match.

“Live broadcasting gives Disney an everyday presence in the lives of its customers, but Parks gives Disney as much space with these consumers as any recorded media ever,” Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com told CNN Business. “Visiting the theme parks or cruises becomes a lifelong memory for millions of consumers – something that leads to a lifelong affinity for the Disney brand.”

& quot; Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind " It is the newest Disney attraction.

The ride arrives as the Disney parks go way back from two horrific years. Company Resorts Especially hard hit by the epidemicYou lose billions of dollars.

But that segment generated $6.6 billion in revenue in the second quarter of this fiscal year — more than double its sales compared to last year.

The company has spent the past few years modernizing its resorts around the world, often capitalizing on its popular franchises. These include “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” At Disneyland and Disney World in 2019 and Marvel Avengers Campus On a California adventure in Anaheim, California in 2021.

Now it’s Epcot’s turn. Enter “Cosmic Rewind.”

ride

EPCOT is in the middle of a renovation. & quot; cosmic rewind " is the focus of it.

Epcot offers other exciting rides like “Test Track,” but it’s not considered one of the most exciting resorts at Disney World. That distinction belongs more to Hollywood Studios, its theme park containing games based on Star Wars and The Twilight Zone.

In fact, the original Epcot wasn’t supposed to be a theme park at all, but rather a planned futuristic neighborhood of Walt Disney known as the Experimental Experimental Community of Tomorrow. Hence the acronym.

Marvel is the biggest name in entertainment, and now Disney is using it to boost its resort business to attract families who might have found the previous iteration of the park a little boring.

Disney gave CNN Business a first look at the ride, and “Cosmic Rewind” isn’t boring at all. A roller coaster matches the fun of the series, whose films have grossed more than $1.6 billion at the global box office.

& quot; cosmic rewind " Guests weave in a roller coaster battle between guardians and a giant celestial alien.

In fact, it’s not a journey but a lot like living in your own Marvel movie.

Guests are immersed in a story that takes place from the moment they stand in line. Once they board the ship, the coaster weaves in during a battle between a sentinel and a giant celestial space projection that is set to hit songs like Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” which matches the movie’s disco vibe.

That full immersion is exactly the point, according to Josh Damaro, president of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “We’re looking forward to the next level of storytelling where our guests will be able to access their favorite stories in entirely new ways,” Damaro told CNN Business.

“As Walt has always said, Epcot must always be in a state of evolution and never be the same,” he added. “Our goals are to keep this private garden vibrant, vibrant and still nostalgic, but ready for the future.”