Keep An Eye Out For These Easter Eggs On Disney’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Coaster

So, you may have heard by now that there’s a new ride in town, or at least, at Epcot: The Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster opens at Walt Disney World on May 27. But while the ride itself is a solid 12/10, the coaster isn’t all there is to see. Whether you’re a fan of Marvel, Disney, or just roller coasters in general, the ride designers put in some cute little easter eggs that you should watch out for, and there’s truly something for everyone.

First and foremost: the coaster itself is dope. With a backwards launch, a good-vibes soundtrack that puts your grandparents’ disco-era date nights to shame, and some seriously intense loop-the-loops, I cannot recommend it highly enough. When the new attraction opens, there are bound to be long lines, but thankfully, Disney didn’t skimp on the lead-up. Waiting in the queue for the ride, you can get filled in on the backstory about Earth’s relationship with Xandar via a PSA, read signs written in an alien script, and even take a look at a Xandarian morning show (and you didn’t even have to get up early to watch!). But having tested out the ride multiple times, here are the things I think you’ve got to be on the lookout for.

You Can Decode The Alien Language

One thing that the ride’s art director, Evan Miga, clued me in on is that the alien language you’ll see on doors and signposts throughout the queue isn’t just random gibberish — it’s decipherable! “Try to decode the Xandarian language,” he urges. You don’t have to be a code-breaker, either. “Some of the characters are similar to what you would think they are,” he tells me. For example, in some places, you can find an English word next to a Xandarian word, and start your translation efforts there. And if you’re really stumped? Just look for the main attraction, literally. “There's one [sign] that says Epcot, and if you squint your eyes, maybe you could tell that it says Epcot — and then you could figure out those letters.” Hint hint.

Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit

OK, this one’s less for the Marvel stans, and more for the old-school Disneyheads. While Disney’s Imagineers are ready to change things up as needed, they still have a soft spot for the rides they’ve replaced. Apparently, they’re not the only ones. “There is a Good Morning Xandar show where they're interviewing Peter Quill, who came here as a child,” notes Bette Lombardi, a project coordinator for the ride. Quill, aka Star-Lord, talks about “his favorite [attractions] from back then — that may not exist anymore.” Keep an eye (or ear!) out for mentions of your favorite vintage rides.

Lombardi’s favorite is a quick verbal reference to the song “Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit” from Kitchen Kabaret, an Epcot attraction which closed in 1994. “There is a spot where that does get referenced here in the queue,” she says. “That's always fun to hear.”

Universe of Energy Logo

Kitchen Kabaret isn’t the only throwback — you should also keep on the lookout for references to the logo for Universe of Energy, another now-shuttered Epcot attraction. In fact, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is actually re-using the old Universe of Energy building. In tribute, the ride’s creators repurposed the old attraction’s logo and embedded it in the design in various spots in the ride queue. “You find that on the vehicles and some other things around,” says Miga, although he notes it’s not the full graphic. “It’s that old symbol mixed with some new symbols.”

Dialogue Changes

Did you miss all the easter eggs in the queue? Well, there’s plenty of fun on the ride itself, even beyond the coaster. The Guardians of the Galaxy movies are known for their witty banter, something that the ride’s designers incorporated into the coaster itself, too. If you manage to ride more than once, keep an ear out for changes to the dialogue as the Guardians bicker and joke along the track: the ride ends with, among other things, jokes about Epcot; jokes about the Guardians themselves; and even a couple of not-so-subtle digs at you personally (courtesy of the ever-blunt Drax).

My personal favorite? Star-Lord’s quip about how “Epcot” stands for “Every Person Comes Out Tired.” Sounds accurate to me, TBH.

Whether you manage to find all the easter eggs or only a few, you’re guaranteed a good time on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Happy hunting!