Will Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind give you motion sickness?

“Will the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster at EPCOT make me sick?” This is one of the biggest questions that Disney World guests have about the Marvel-themed thrill ride. Featuring a backwards launch, speeds over 50 mph, and a brand new spinning vehicle, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind promises to be one of the more intense experiences at WDW.

Now that the media event is over and Annual Passholder previews are open, thousands of riders have gotten to go on the Guardians coaster. And we have a pretty definitive answer:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can give you motion sickness.

As with all of our motion sickness guides, I preface it with this caveat: every rider is different. I might be fine on something that gives you motion sickness, and you might be fine with something that turns me green. In this guide, I’ll explain what you can expect from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, why it might give riders motion sickness, how intense the coaster is, as well as a few tips on how to minimize motion sickness.

Why Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can cause motion sickness.

One of the consistent themes of the early reviews of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind was how it could make riders feel queasy. For instance, DisneyFoodBlog on Twitter reported feeling sick after their first ride.

???? I will be using my nausea bands on this next ride. I don’t usually have motion sickness on rides, but the combo of darkness, very mild spinning, and your eyes trying to figure out which way to look was nausea-inducing for me.

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) May 5, 2022

YouTuber Mickey Views described feeling fine on his first and second rides and some motion sickness on their third ride through – You can see his thoughts on motion sickness at 12 minutes into the video below. (Although he mentions having ridden on an empty stomach and a drink of water only, which might be a mistake! More on that below).

Meanwhile, Carlye Wisel went on the ride 14 times during the media preview, and felt “wobbly” but didn’t experience the same motion sickness that others did.

after 14 rides on Cosmic Rewind, I’m finally calling it a day. got each song at least once; my favorite is Conga, but all of them are solid.

i am walking a wee bit wobbly but screw it, was so worth it ????✌???? pic.twitter.com/auXkjG6FRa

— ????✨carlye wisel (@carlyewisel) May 5, 2022

There are many many more reports on social media and YouTube describing vastly different motion sickness reactions. Some of these are not what most guests will experience, as sometimes motion sickness can be the result of multiple ride throughs. I know I can handle Expedition Everest once or twice without issue, but any more and I’ll start feeling sick. Even Seven Dwarfs Mine Train can start making me feel sick if I go on it multiple times in a day. With the virtual queue and Individual Lightning Lane in place, most guests will only be able to experience this ride once or twice per day.

However, it’s very understandable that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind would cause motion sickness. Here are the main reasons:

• The new OmniCoaster ride system, where the ride cars rotate independently of the ride track. While the ride doesn’t spin you around and around like the tea cups or the now extinct Primeval Whirl, your car will rotate so you’re riding forwards, sideways, and backwards throughout the ride. Motion sickness can be triggered when what your brain is experiencing doesn’t quite match what your body is experiencing. That’s why they tell you to focus on the horizon when you’re riding a boat and feeling sick. The unpredictable rotations can disorient you and induce motion sickness.
• The screens. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind features giant screens and projections that move along with you to tell the story. Your eye will be naturally drawn to the screen, while your body moves in a completely different direction. Screens that depict motion already cause guests some issues in Star Tours, Soarin’, and Flight of Passage. If you have issues with screens causing motion sickness, you may have issues on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, especially since you will be moving much faster than those other attractions.
• It’s an indoor coaster that’s in the dark, like Space Mountain or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. While Space Mountain isn’t a fast coaster, it can still cause motion sickness because you don’t know which way you will be going. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has the same issue, but it is a much faster coaster.

How intense is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?

In terms of intensity, Guardians of the Galaxy is one of Disney World’s more intense coasters. It’s definitely a step up from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, or Space Mountain, but not quite as fast or intense as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. It’s about as fast as Expedition Everest, but offers a smoother ride because it is newer. Guardians of the Galaxy also doesn’t have any sudden drops like Expedition Everest.

Disney has been positioning this ride as family friendly, and the height requirement of 42″ is less than Expedition Everest (44″), Space Mountain (44″), and Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster (48″). The height requirement is more than Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Slinky Dog dash, which both have 38″ height requirements.

Like motion sickness, how intense a roller coaster feels is very subjective. I think how “intense” you find it will mainly depend on your tolerance for the motion sickness-inducing elements. You might be fine on Slinky Dog Dash or even Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, but the rotating cars in Guardians might prove to be too much for you.

However, with all of these elements considered, Cosmic Rewind sits between Slinky Dog Dash and Expedition Everest in terms of intensity. The smoothness of the ride and the lack of big drops make it slightly more approachable than Everest.

Does Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind have any inversions?

No. Cosmic Rewind has a reverse launch, banks, turns, but it does not have any loops or flips. It does have a “corkscrew” that moves you around in downward circles (like you’re going down a drain), but this corkscrew does not flip you upside down like it does in Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster.

Basically, you never go upside down on this ride.

How fast is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind reaches speeds just over 50 mph, with the backwards launch shooting you uphill to that speed.

Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster reaches a top speed of 57 mph, while Expedition Everest has a top speed of 50 mph. Space Mountain tops out at 27 mph, and Slinky Dog Dash reaches 40 mph.

How long is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?

The ride is a little over 3 minutes long, which is very long for a roller coaster. In fact, it’s one of the world’s longest indoor roller coasters at 5,577 feet (Source: Wikipedia). For reference, Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is 3,268 feet long.

Tips on how to avoid motion sickness on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

• Do not ride on a completely empty stomach. You may think that riding on an empty stomach will help you avoid feeling nausea, but it can actually exacerbate that feeling. Your best bet is to eat something bland and filling like a banana or piece of toast about an hour before you get on the ride. Do not overeat or eat anything too greasy. Also, do not drink alcohol before riding if you want to minimize motion sickness.
• Take Dramamine. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, you can take a Dramamine at least an hour before riding Guardians of the Galaxy, or even the night before. (As always, consult with your medical professional before consuming any medicine). Just make sure to not drink any alcohol that day or operate any motor vehicles.

• Consider packing other motion sickness remedies. I’ve had some luck with pressure bands for motion sickness while riding on boats. Also, ginger chews can help as well.

• Talk to a cast member who assigns your rows and tell them you are worried about motion sickness. Cast members have been putting guests who are worried about motion sickness in the middle rows.
• Rows 5 and 6 are the best for motions sickness according to DFBGuide on Youtube.
• Cast members are also recommending guests sit on the left side. This can reduce the feelings of g-force while on the ride.
• If you find yourself feeling sick on the ride, try to not focus on the screens. Instead, focus on where the track is heading. This can be difficult with it being dark and with the ride vehicles rotating. But getting a bearing of which way your body is
• The front row will feel the least intense, and the back row will feel the most intense.

Disney World Motion Sickness Guides

If you’re curious how intense other Disney World rides are and if they can cause motion sickness, check out our in-depth guides:

• Magic Kingdom Motion Sickness Guide
• EPCOT Motion Sickness Guide
• Hollywood Studios Motion Sickness Guide
• Animal Kingdom Motion Sickness Guide
• Tron Lightcycle Run Motion Sickness and Accessibility Guide
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Motion Sickness Guide
• Avatar: Flight of Passage Motion Sickness Guide
• Soarin’ Motion Sickness Guide

We want to hear from you!

What was your experience on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Let me know in the comments below!