Journey of Water Inspired by ‘Moana’ Virtual Queue Added to My Disney Experience App

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

The Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” virtual queue can now be accessed in the My Disney Experience app. Today is the first day of Annual Passholder and Disney Vacation Club previews of the new EPCOT attraction. Long lines formed this morning as Disney waited to set up a virtual queue for the previews. The attraction officially opens on October 16 (the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company).

Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” now shows up in the virtual queue section of the My Disney Experience app. Click on EPCOT and scroll down to “Special Events” (past Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind) to join.

You can only join the virtual queue after you have entered EPCOT.

If you are a Passholder in the park, you can join the virtual queue and will be given a group number. You can track your wait time by returning to the virtual queue page in the app.

EPCOT Park Passes have reached capacity for multiple preview dates.

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is a “self-guided outdoor trail where you can play with water as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again.”

It has a wet path and a dry path for guests who don’t want to get wet.

Journey of Water Nighttime EPCOT 7

“Along with Moana as a steward of water conservation, Te Fiti is a symbol of how we should protect and nurture water wherever we find it,” Reid Ekman, Lead Concept Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, said of the giant Te Fiti figure at the attraction.

This is an important theme in Journey of Water, where guests will learn more about how water travels from our skies to the ocean, and back again. This story will unfold along a lush trail inspired by the environments and art style of the beloved Walt Disney Animation Studios film.

Upcoming Disney World Attraction Receives Exciting New Update

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

In Walt Disney World, the air is always buzzing with the exciting sounds of progress in the air. Over at EPCOT, that progress is especially exciting.

It may seem like EPCOT has been under construction for years, and that’s because it totally has. The Disney Park’s historic transformation has been simultaneously delayed and cut short. And yet, the theme park is still under construction.

Currently, the most anticipated attraction set to open soon is Journey of Water – Inspired By Moana.

This unique attraction is going to be a self-guided outdoor tour in which Guests learn all about the never-ending life cycle of water.

The water is said to be interactive and playful, just like in the Moana (2016) film. Not only that, but the attraction will also have fun easter eggs referencing other popular Disney films, such as Finding Nemo (2003).

And Guests aren’t just looking forward to the tropical Moana theme; the educational aspect of the attraction drives home the original, classic themes associated with Disney World’s EPCOT theme park.

And now, we’re even closer to opening than ever!

In this video, one Guest captures the ambient music of the attraction being played on the speakers, proving how close we are to seeing the Journey of Water, Inspired By Moana.

Journey of Water – Inspired By Moana is scheduled to open “Late 2023” in EPCOT’s World Nature area, according to Walt Disney World’s official website.

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

Although we don’t have an official opening date just yet, this progress proves we’re super close to experiencing this attraction!

New Walt Disney World Attraction Coming VERY Soon

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Some very exciting news was announced during this year’s Walt Disney Company’s annual shareholder meeting.

A brand new attraction coming to the Parks this year is ahead of schedule and is reportedly nearly completed. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced this news during the meeting.

This year marks the end of the massive revamp of EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort. This Park has seen some incredible renovations and exciting new attractions this year. One of the main new additions the Park is receiving is an exciting new Moana-themed attraction called “Journey of Water.” This incredible new area allows Guests too,

“Explore the wonders of water along an interactive trail that’s fun for all ages—based on the Disney animated film Moana.“

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

The new area will capitalize on the massive success of the movie Moana. Moana follows the story of a young Hawaiian girl who sets sail on a journey to save her people. Along the way, she meets Maui, a demigod who has fallen from his previous status. The unlikely duo goes on a wild adventure to save their people and fulfill an ancient quest.

A major theme in the movie is Moana’s relationship with water. In the film, Moana has a special relationship with water and values it heavily. In our world, water is also an incredibly valued source. The new Journey of Water attraction is meant to help Guests understand the important role that water plays in our lives and in our world.

The attraction is planning to open in late 2023; however, that might change. During the shareholder meeting, Mr. Iger revealed that the Journey of Water is nearly completed. A walk-through of the land showed that the progress was coming along very well and the land looked ready to open. With the announcement that a live-action Moana is happening, this land is more timely than ever.

This news is very exciting, and with any luck, this attraction will be open in EPCOT very soon!

New EPCOT Attraction to Open This Fall!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

A lot is happening at Walt Disney World Resort right now. Guests are celebrating the final months of the 50th Anniversary, enjoying a ton of beautiful art and delicious food at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, riding the new EPCOT attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and watching ride vehicles on TRON: Lightcycle/Run go through numerous tests. Plus, the temperatures in Florida are pretty great this time of year. It’s a truly great time to visit The Most Magical Place on Earth.

The Walt Disney World theme park currently experiencing the biggest change is definitely EPCOT. The Park is now made up of four distinct areas, each with their own personality — World Discovery, World Celebration, World Nature, and the World Showcase. While a lot of areas are being worked on, the largest construction area in the Park will soon be home to a brand-new attraction — Journey of Water: Inspired by Moana.

Journey of Water: Inspired By Moana was first announced back in 2019, and it’s now finally starting to make progress. Most recently, Disney brought in a towering statue of Te Fiti, which stands 16 feet tall! For months, Disney has been teasing that Guests will get to see Te Fiti up close in “late 2023”, but now, we have a more specific opening time frame.

According to Disney, the new attraction will open this fall!

Moana attraction EPCOT

Here’s some more information on the stunning new attraction coming to EPCOT.

Where Water Comes to Life

Stroll along a self-guided outdoor trail where you can play and interact with water as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again. Along the way, learn about the importance of water and discover its playful personality—just as Moana did on her heroic voyage.

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is scheduled to open within World Nature—the EPCOT neighborhood dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty and balance of the natural world.

Again, we do not have a specific opening date for Journey of Water, but we do know that it will be sometime this fall. It will be so exciting to be celebrating the new attraction while enjoying all that Halloween Time at Disney World has to offer!

New Design Details from Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction at EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Many exciting things are happening across our parks and resorts in celebration of World Princess Week, and today we are excited to share a first-look at some design details within Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. This upcoming attraction at EPCOT is taking shape before our eyes, as our Walt Disney Imagineering team and crew of artisans have already begun sculpting the rockwork in this immersive exploration trail.

Designed for all ages, Journey of Water will allow guests to explore and engage with water as it travels from our skies to our oceans and back again. Walt Disney Imagineering partnered with artists and cultural consultants from Walt Disney Animation Studios to bring this experience life, and our team tasked themselves with capturing the beauty of the natural water cycle within the attraction.  We were also inspired by Moana’s fierce determination to protect her environment – her bond with water is unique, and we are excited for guests to learn about the importance of water and experience its playful personality just as she did.

Fans of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana” will be delighted to see familiar shapes and characters carved into the rocks and waterways throughout Journey of Water. A great example of this is Moana herself, who will be positioned proudly – celebrating water’s arrival to our ocean.

As part of our design process, Imagineers create models, mock-ups, and maquettes to bring our beloved characters and stories into the parks in sometimes unexpected ways. Above is a behind-the-scenes look for World Princess Week of Principal Dimensional Designer, Jim Towler, sculpting the foam maquette of Moana for this attraction.

This gives a glimpse into the earliest stages of our design process, before paint and additional details have been added. Once the pose of the character is defined, sculptors add detail and texture until the emotional expression of the carving is just right. We then do a paint study and often create full scale samples to test final materials and carving techniques. This process ensures the production and creative vision for the experience align.

Below is another making-of example, showing a sample from the mountain-like forms that will soon mark the entrance to the attraction. Fans will recognize Moana’s iconic spiral, which we portrayed in one of the first concept renderings for Journey of Water.

Every detail helps tell our story.  Here, everyone can see how artisans use paint, scenic treatments, and foliage to bring even more life to our worlds and environments.

It’s certainly an exciting time for our project team as these elements are coming together on site now and in the coming months! Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana will be brought to life within World Nature – the EPCOT neighborhood dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty, awe, and balance of the natural world. Moana is the perfect role model to inspire us to protect and conserve water and guide us through the Journey of Water.

There’s a lot more to share in the coming weeks and months, so be sure to keep following along here for the latest on this exciting part of the EPCOT transformation!