Two Walt Disney World attractions are vying in the same category in the upcoming awards from the Visual Effects Society, and one of their competitors is a Disney Cruise Line offering.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, the Epcot roller coaster that debuted last year, and Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the two-night immersive experience that opened in 2022, are competing in the category of outstanding visual effects in a special venue project for the VES Awards. They’re up against Avengers: Quantum Encounter, an interactive restaurant aboard the new Disney Wish ship.
The group recognizes visual effects artistry and innovation in film, television, commercials and video games and their creators in 25 categories.
Other nominees in the special venue category include ABBA: Voyage; Jumanji: The Adventure; and Stranger Things: The Experience.
According to the contest rules, special venues are defined as attractions “specifically set up to project large-format films (e.g. IMAX or OMNIMAX theaters), theme park theaters that may include a motion-based ride or custom headsets, museums, world fairs and similar venues, outdoor mapped projections and live theatrical productions.”
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Walt Disney Co. has multiple entries in the overall special-effects competition, including “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which has 14 nominations, the most of any feature film. Other Disney-related nominees are tied to “Strange World,” “Turning Red,” “Disney’s Pinocchio,” “She-Hulk Attorney at Law,” ” Lightyear,” “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
The 21st annual VES Awards will be presents in Los Angeles on Feb. 15. For a complete list of nominees, go to vesglobal.org.