Skip to Content

The Best Days to visit EPCOT for Cosmic Rewind

The Best Days to visit EPCOT for Cosmic Rewind


For a stress-free Disney or Universal Studios vacation, let the FREE expert planners at Royal Carriage Vacations take care of every detail including dining reservations, applying discounts, and onboard cruise credit.


Do you want to experience EPCOT’s newest attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, during your next trip? Be sure to check out the best and worst days to visit EPCOT for this new attraction.

2 Ways to Enjoy Cosmic Rewind

Credit: Monica

There are two ways Disney will load Guests onto the ride: virtual queue and Individual Lightning Lane Selections. The free way to ride Cosmic Rewind is through the virtual queue. The virtual queue is a lottery-type system that gives you a boarding group. Be sure to check out this detailed guide to obtain a boarding group HERE.

The first virtual queue opens at 7:00 am for Disney Resort Guests. If you do not succeed right at 7:00 am, be sure to check out this tip to still gain a boarding group HERE. Later in the day, guests can also try to join a virtual queue at 1:00 pm. Additionally, if you are park hopping to Epcot at 2:00 pm, you can try to join if it is still open.

Guests can only enjoy Cosmic Rewind 2 times in one day if they gain a boarding group through the virtual queue and also pay for an Individual Lightning Lane for this attraction. There are definite advantages as to which day of the week to plan to visit EPCOT.

Most Expensive Days to Visit EPCOT

Credit: Disney

Let’s start with the most expensive days to visit EPCOT if you plan to purchase the Individual Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind. Individual Lightning Lane pricing will vary by date, attraction, and park. For the opening weekend of Cosmic Rewind (May 27-30), Individual Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind was $17/per person

Not counting holidays, it appears that the most expensive day to visit EPCOT will be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

As we mentioned in the post linked above, the price has dropped to $14/per person on certain days. Although Disney can change the price at any time, over June the price is $14/person Monday through Thursday. The price increases to $17/person Friday through Sunday. Not counting holidays, it appears that the most expensive day to visit EPCOT will be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Easiest Days to Join a Boarding Group

Credit: Donna

What if you have read all of the articles and are ready to join the Virtual Queue for Cosmic Rewind right at 7:00 am but you do not succeed? We have great news for you! Additional boarding groups are added moments after the initial 7:00 am drop.

We have even more great news for guests who are unable to secure a boarding group at 7:00 am. The 1:00 pm virtual queue is the best opportunity to gain a boarding group. At 1:00 pm, the virtual queue consistently remains open for at least 30 minutes every day with a few exceptions.

Credit: Susan

Saturdays and Sundays have the longest virtual queue window at around two hours. During the week, the virtual queue usually stays open thirty minutes or longer with the exception of Monday. If you hope to park hop, Saturday and Sunday offer the best opportunity to join the 1:00 pm boarding group.

Saturdays and Sundays have the longest virtual queue window at around two hours.

Once you scan into EPCOT at 2:00 pm for park hop, boarding groups will hopefully still be available on both Saturday and Sunday.

Worst Day to visit EPCOT

Credit: Susan

Before we get to the best days to visit EPCOT, let’s look at the worst day to visit EPCOT for many Disney guests. Extended Evening Hours are typically offered for EPCOT on Mondays and at Magic Kingdom on Wednesdays for Deluxe Disney Resorts.

The advantage for guests staying at these resorts is that they have a third virtual queue opportunity to enjoy Cosmic Rewind. At 6:00 pm, guests enjoying Extended Evening Hours may try to join the virtual queue. This is a great advantage for guests staying at Deluxe Resort. However, if you do not qualify for Extended Evening Hours, then Monday is the worst day to visit EPCOT for Cosmic Rewind.

The big disadvantage is that the 1:00 pm virtual queue has closed within one minute each Monday.

The first Extended Evening Hours to include Cosmic Rewind was on Monday, June 6th. The big disadvantage is that the 1:00 pm virtual queue has closed within one minute each Monday. This allows regular park guests to use their boarding group prior to leaving the park at 9:00 pm; while also allowing boarding groups for the third virtual queue at 6:00 pm.

Best Days to visit EPCOT

Credit: Disney Photopass photo of KtP writers, Donna and Susan

From statistics provided by Thrill Data, it appears that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the best days to visit EPCOT. These days offer Individual Lighting Lane for a cheaper price at $14 per person while also allowing at least thirty minutes to join a boarding group through the virtual queue at 1:00 pm.

Pirate tip: If you purchase an Individual Lightning Lane or gain a boarding group at the 7:00 am virtual queue, the earlier the boarding group time the better. This will ensure a shorter wait in line for this attraction.

The only disadvantage is for the guests hoping to park hop. You must scan into EPCOT to join the 1:00 pm virtual queue. Typically Individual Lightning Lane return times range from 8:35 am until around 11:00 am when purchased at 7:00 am. As time passes, the return time is pushed back from around 6:45 pm to 7:50 pm. An early return time will ensure a shorter wait in line for this attraction.

Have you enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Which day did you visit? Do you agree with our best days to visit suggestion? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook Page.

Using a Travel Agent can help you navigate the ins and outs of planning! I am here to help! Please fill out this form and put my name (DONNA) in the Special Request box.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.