It's entirely possible that I started that rumor, or at least gave it some traction, back in January. My first big story on my new site was about all the rumors for
Epcot's "Big Update." And while everyone was talking about Guardians to replace UoE I said it was more likely Tron Coaster would go there and Guardians would go to Mission Space.
My reasoning was mainly that it wouldn't be difficult to swap out the ride films and signs in case of legal action from Universal. Much easier to reverse course this way than building something new.
There's still a part of me that wonders if they aren't gonna try this. But the logical side says they're not actually allowed to. Then again, I just met baby Groot and Star-Lord at Hollywood Studios, so Disney's cra cra and might just go for it. Guess we'll find out soon.
Excerpt from what I wrote in January:
...But that is not going to stop Disney from getting the most from their $100 million investment, so you better believe this ride ain’t going nowhere anytime soon.
But how do you get more people to ride your scary spinning vomit machine? Simple. Add in a wise-cracking talking raccoon and a man that’s a tree that only says one catch-phrase over and over. That’s right, this is where I’ve heard the Guardians of the Galaxy are going, and I think it’s a great fit. What better way to experience a spaceship driven franchise than in a spaceship simulator? (Certainly not an elevator drop ride, that makes like, absolutely no sense to me. But what do I know.)
The best part about retheming an attraction by simply changing out a movie, (and probably making some small cosmetic changes to the outdoor signage and queue decor,) is that if the theme park down the street threatens to sue you, you can just switch it back overnight. That’s right, don’t think I’ve forgotten about the fact that Universal holds the theme park rights to Marvel characters for all parks east of the Mississippi. (Although, it seems that everyone else has.) This is a sticky matter that is better left to the companies’ lawyers to dissect, but if Disney attempts to put any Marvel characters into the Orlando parks, this probably their best bet. If they’re ever legally forced to roll it back, it’ll actually be an easily feasible option.
I think having Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy in Future World East would be great additions. It certainly would spice things up a bit, and with Test Track included, would cement this quadrant of the park as the thrill ride zone, much like Sunset Boulevard at Hollywood Studios has become with Tower of Terror and Rockin’ Roller Coaster at the end of the street. Not only that, but these are properties that can remain timeless, each with their own aesthetic theming will bring something unique to the skyline of Epcot, really transforming it forever in a radical, but needed, way. This will no longer be Future World, but instead, a world of Discovery and Adventure.