STOP EVERYTHING. Put down your homework/work/etc., sit back, relax, and get ready to go on a wild trip through this week’s Disney news!

From a FULL look at EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (we got to ride it and we’re taking you along with us!) to huge updates about the EPCOT Transformation and more — this week was a big one for Disney news. Ready to hear all about it? Let’s dive in!

1 — We Rode Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind!

This week we were able to attend a special media preview of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and we got the chance to experience the FULL attraction multiple times!

For a FULL look at the ride (with spoilers) click here!

If you’d prefer to go for a spoiler-free review, you can click here and read that.

Want to get a look at just the queue? We’ve got you covered with this post!

And what about those easter eggs in the ride? There are PLENTY, including references to old EPCOT attractions like Horizons! Click here to see the easter eggs you don’t want to miss.

What about intensity? Will the Guardians coaster make you BARF?! Well, it might… . Click here to get our full thoughts on motion sickness aboard the Guardians coaster.

And what’s a Disney ride without a GIFT SHOP?! Check out ALL the details you need to know about this gift shop and get a look at all of the awesome new merch.

And finally, you can’t forget about that on-ride photo! Cosmic Rewind will feature an on-ride photo, as well as some other PhotoPass opportunities. Click here to learn more about them!

Cosmic Rewind will officially open on May 27th and will feature a virtual queue (no standby line) and access through Individual Attraction Selection (pay-per-ride).

We’ll continue to bring you all of the latest updates on this ride, so stay tuned for more!

Click here to see our full look at the Guardians coaster

2 — Big EPCOT Transformation Updates

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind isn’t the only thing left for the EPCOT Transformation though! There’s still quite a bit in the works for this park, and this week we got some huge updates.

First, we got a look at some NEW concept art for Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana — a lush exploration trail coming to EPCOT.

The new concept art gives us some more clues about just what fans can expect to enjoy in this trail and how big it’ll be.

Click here to learn more about the Moana attraction update!

This week, Disney also shared some new details about some spaces coming toward the front of the park — some gardens in World Celebration, which will change with the seasons and feature a unique centerpiece inspired by EPCOT’s logo…

…and 2 new festival areas — CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza!

With CommuniCore Plaza, guests will be able to watch Festival-related performances and otherwise enjoy the outdoor space. CommuniCore Hall will be a purpose-built hall that will allow for things like a demonstration kitchen and more.

 Click here to learn more about these areas!

But that’s not all! Within CommuniCore Hall, there will also be a Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet area! We can’t wait to learn more about these things in the coming months.

While Disney shared a lot of news about the EPCOT Transformation recently, there’s one thing they totally left out. Click here to learn more.

Click here for a summary on the NEW things coming to EPCOT

3 — MagicBand+ Accidentally Released EARLY and FIRST LOOKS

This week was also a big one when it comes to MagicBand+ news. If you’re not aware, MagicBand+ is the NEW version of MagicBands that will be available in Disney World later this summer.

Early in the week, MagicBand+ was ACCIDENTALLY released in Disney World and we were able to grab one.

We shared a FULL look at the band itself, what it can do right now (somewhat limited since it was accidentally released early), and just why it’ll feel DIFFERENT compared to the MagicBands you’re used to.

We attended a media event later in the week where we were able to learn even MORE about MagicBand+. During the event, we got to actually see the MagicBand+ in ACTION and we got to test out a variety of functions.

From lighting up and interacting with 50th Anniversary statues…

…to FULL details about how MagicBand+ will take your Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge experience to the next level, we got all the information you need to know.

MagicBand+ will debut in Disney World this summer, and we expect that more details will be released soon, so check back with us for all of the latest updates.

Click here for the only MagicBand+ guide you need to read for Disney World!

4 — Hey, Disney! Updates

This week we also got an exclusive look at the Hey, Disney! Alexa voice assistant coming soon to Disney World hotels (and your at-home Alexa systems too!).

Hey, Disney!, made in partnership with Amazon’s Alexa, will be installed in every single Disney World hotel room, and will also be coming to Disneyland Resort. As mentioned above, it’ll also be available for fans to purchase for their Alexa devices at home.

We actually got to see Hey, Disney! in action and get a peek at the skills it’ll have, including the ability to tell jokes, provide character messages for guests when they arrive at their hotel room, tell stories, and more.

Hey, Disney! will also be able to help with basic questions, getting certain hotel items (like extra towels), telling you the weather, and other things. It’ll even connect with MagicBand+!

To see photos and videos of Hey, Disney! in action, and learn all about the different skills it’ll have, click here!

5 — Fantasmic! News and More

But wait…there’s MORE! This week we also got some NEW details about Fantasmic! and what it’ll feature when it returns to Disney World. Click here to find out more!

We were also able to check out Disney’s latest Star Wars collectibles — including an action figure spirit jersey! (Plus we ate a whole bunch of May the 4th treats in celebration of the Star Wars holiday.)

Ever wanted to bring home the smell of the Navi River Journey ride from Animal Kingdom? Well, soon you’ll be able to! A NEW candle that smells just like this ride, and a whole bunch of other new merchandise is coming to Disney World soon and we got an exclusive FIRST LOOK!

That’s it for this week’s big news! But, of course, other news was also shared this past week. Learn about those stories by clicking the links below:

• Get an UPDATE on the airport train to Disney World
• Scented Mickey BEIGNET ears have arrived in Disney World
• An Encanto attraction might be coming to the parks sooner than you think
• See how to WIN a FREE 5-day vacation to Disney World
• Get a look inside the world’s first hotel in ACTUAL SPACE

• What do gas prices look like in Florida right now? Click here so you know what to expect
• See what attraction will CLOSE before the Food & Wine Festival in EPCOT
• Check out a COMPLETE LIST of treats to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
• There’s a FREE Star Wars VR experience in Disney Springs

• What could REPLACE Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District? Some Florida Senators share what they’ve heard
• Disney’s chief corporate affairs officer has left after just months on the job
• A U.S. Congressman has called for the END of Disney’s no-fly zones
• A U.S. Senator has warned about introducing a bill to END Disney’s “special copyright protections”
• Taxpayers have SUED Florida’s governor for dissolving Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District

• A NEW Disney Skyliner Popcorn Bucket has arrived!
• See photos of Spaceship Earth being EVACUATED

And that’s it for this week. Check back with us next week for more Disney news!

May showtimes are MISSING for Disney World’s KiteTails — Click here for more details

What news from this week surprised you the most? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media previews of the EPCOT Transformation, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, MagicBand+, and more. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ