In addition to the new offering, visitors can meet Moana in a new area of World Nature. Journey of Water is part of a multi-year transformation of Epcot. It joins new experiences at the park such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure.
(Sept. 9, 2023) — Beginning Oct. 16, 2023, Walt Disney World Resort guests visiting EPCOT will be able to voyage into an all-new adventure with Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.
Moana is a regular character meet-and-greet at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and EPCOT. At Magic Kingdom Park, she might make special appearances during ticketed events like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party or Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
The Te Fiti you'll see in EPCOT was developed in a close collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and its Creative Legacy team. She's meant to be a symbol of how we should ourselves protect and nurture water.
Moana is also available at World Nature for a character meet-and-greet with guests in her dedicated space near Journey of Water. You can read more about other new attractions and rides at Disney World in our tracker.
Share in the delight of Disney's adventurous heroine with enchanting storytelling, exclusive merchandise, a special makeover and an exciting meet-and-greet experience!
According to Moana's ancestors, Maui can be found by following a constellation resembling his fish hook. After Tala's death, Moana takes the heart and journeys off into the sea. She follows the fish hook constellation but gets lost along the way.
PHOTOS: Tour the New Moana Rooms at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort! It's about time we revisited this popular Deluxe Resort — we're back again with another room tour, this time at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort!
As with other Tiki God statues, Maui can also be found at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. A separate Tiki depiction of Maui appears as the mascot for Disney's resort, having a large wooden statue in the resort's lobby which depicts him.
Dwayne Johnson was “humbled (and excited)” to share the release date for Disney's upcoming live-action remake of Moana on Tuesday. The film will hit theaters on June 27, 2025, nine years after the original.
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana officially opens on Oct. 16 which coincides with the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company – talk about an exciting day! Be sure to stay up-to-date with our latest adventures at our resort and around the state at DisneyFlorida.com.
In Disney's 2016 animated film Moana, audiences were introduced to the lovable demi-god Maui. Maui is a shapeshifting, trickster god who comes to the aid of the film's protagonist, Moana, on her quest to save her island and family.
For five years, Disney consulted scores of people on research trips throughout the South Pacific, specialists in fishing techniques and tattoos, ancient navigation and traditional dance. These experts formed the film's Oceanic Story Trust, and it was members of this group who pushed the filmmakers for a bigger Maui.
Although Disney never officially stated its reasons for closing the park, it is widely believed that high costs of maintenance, poor attendance and the opening of a bigger and newer Disney Animal Kingdom, are the most likely reasons. Since its closing, the island has sat largely abandoned, with no signs of development.
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
The only character from that movie that you will find at the resort is Stitch. This is because when Disney was seeking the local government's approval for building the Aulani resort, it was found that many native Hawaiians saw Lilo a somewhat of a stereotypical take on the Hawaiian culture.
It is a beautiful Hawaiian given name meaning "ocean, sea, or expanse of water." The name has been a firm favorite among Polynesian communities for years, gaining global popularity with the release of Disney's epic animated film in 2016.
EPCOT Acronym coined by Walt Disney in 1966 meaning Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The park was called EPCOT Center when it opened on October 1, 1982. It was a major undertaking for Disney, costing in the neighborhood of $1 billion.
EPCOT tickets cost between $114 and $179. Disney's Hollywood Studios tickets cost between $124 and $179. Disney's Animal Kingdom tickets cost between $109 and $159.
