New EPCOT Map Debuts Featuring Journey of Water Inspired by Moana for Attraction’s Grand Opening

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Today, October 16, 2023, is the grand opening of Journey of Water Inspired of Moana, and a new EPCOT map has debuted featuring the latest attraction.

It was added to the My Disney Experience app yesterday evening.

EPCOT Map Featuring Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

Te Fiti is featured on the cover.

The map describes Journey of Water Inspired by Moana with “Stroll along an interactive outdoor trail and explore the wonders of water.”

Art representing the attraction has also been added. A Mickey head, representing a character greeting, has also been added for the Moana meet and greet.

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

The walkthrough serves as an educational experience in addition to acting as an immersive and entertaining adventure, in some ways ringing true to EPCOT Center’s original goal of offering attractions that both inform and entertain.

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Guests learn more about the intricacies of the water cycle as it’s illustrated on the initial sign throughout the rest of the attraction. Each part of the water cycle — rain, stream, wetland, spring, land, lake, river, ocean, and sky — serves as a themed section of the attraction, each part containing descriptive signage that explains that aspect’s importance.

Journey of Water Inspired by ‘Moana’ Soft Opening Begins Today at EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” is set to begin its soft opening period today at EPCOT.

Journey of Water Soft Opening

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The walk-through attraction is set to begin soft opening to guests October 6, 2023. The attraction will be open to guests for select hours and days through October 15. Journey of Water will officially debut in World Nature on October 16, alongside a new Moana meet and greet.

The soft opening period for the attraction might also utilize a virtual queue, so be sure to check the My Disney Experience app should you want to participate.

Disney Shares Behind the Scenes Look at Te Fiti Now in World Nature at EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

While not opening until late 2023, progress is being made with Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, coming to World Nature at EPCOT. Te Fiti has been installed, and Disney has shared some behind-the-scenes details.

We recently welcomed Te Fiti to the World Nature neighborhood of EPCOT in Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana and we are thrilled to be celebrating this moment! Our team of Imagineers have been working to bring Te Fiti to life for years and we are excited to share this sneak peek of her as work continues to happen along the waterways and landscape areas within Journey of Water.

The development of Te Fiti and her pose was a close collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios and its Creative Legacy team. As guests walk along the trail, they will come across Te Fiti, who is seen protecting water as it travels through the water cycle.

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. 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.

The World Nature neighborhood is dedicated to the awe and wonder of our natural world, and we are excited to continue that theme within Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. This will be a place where guests can engage with water and learn more about the impact we have on our natural world. We will even learn how to become better stewards of nature just like Moana!



We look forward to welcoming guests in late 2023 to see Te Fiti, engage with magical water, and learn more about conservation and the cycle of water!

First Look at Massive Addition Coming to EPCOT With ‘Moana’-Themed Attraction

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Disney just revealed the first look at a stunning addition coming to EPCOT along with the new ‘Moana’-inspired attraction.

Fans eagerly await to enjoy all the improvements and new experiences coming to Disney Parks worldwide. One of the most anticipated attractions is The Journey of Water, an immersive attraction inspired by Moana (2016) that will let Guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting.

This all-new attraction was announced in 2019 and would be the first attraction themed after Disney’s film Moana. The attraction is currently developing at EPCOT and is already showing significant progress. However, a breathtaking detail was just revealed as part of the coming D23 Expo announcements.

During a special media preview of the upcoming D23 Expo, Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) shared a few images of a breathtaking detail that will accompany this new attraction, a massive, 16-feet-tall Te Fiti model.

The scale model shows the incredible attention to detail that will go into realizing this attraction and talks about the different teams involved in creating this fantastic new addition, including Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios teams. The process of bringing this massive Te Fiti to life involved the exploration of the character’s pose, the color design of her figure, clay model conceptualization, sketching, and photo reference to study ways to represent Te Fiti protecting the water during its journey.

Per Disney’s information on this scale model:

Te Fiti represent life and the balance of nature. She will be seen protecting water as it voyages around the water cycle. 

During this D23 Expo, Disney describes the Moana-inspired attraction as follows:

EPCOT-Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana

Journey of Water will immerse guests in a lush environment where the story of our global cycle of water is brought to life. As gusts explore the outdoor trail, they will be invited to play and interact with water as it travels from our skies, to our oceans and back again. 

Epcot to Be Divided Into 4 Neighborhoods

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot

Epcot will be unified with four neighborhoods that each speak to important aspects of the world and its people: World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature and World Discovery. These neighborhoods will be filled with new experiences rooted in authenticity and innovation that take you to new destinations, where the real is made fantastic in a celebration of curiosity, hands-on wonder and the magic of possibility.

World Showcase

  • World Showcase will continue to be a celebration of culture, cuisine, architecture and traditions – infused with new magic.
  • The United Kingdom pavilion will welcome the first attraction inspired by Mary Poppins. You will step in time down Cherry Tree Lane past Admiral Boom’s house, then enter Number 17, home of the Banks family, where your adventure will begin.
  • In 2020, following the limited-time run of “Epcot Forever,” the new “HarmonioUS” will debut as the largest nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park. It will celebrate how the music of Disney inspires people the world over, carrying you away harmoniously on a stream of familiar Disney tunes reinterpreted by a diverse group of artists from around the globe. “HarmonioUS” will feature massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, lasers and more.
  • In summer 2020, the France pavilion will offer even more for you to discover, including the much-anticipated attraction Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, where you’ll shrink to the size of Chef Remy and race through Gusteau’s restaurant on a wild adventure. Summer 2020 will also see the debut of a delicious new restaurant in the France pavilion, La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options featuring a menu from celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse.
  • Also in the France pavilion, the classic Impressions de France film will be joined by the new “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along,” debuting in January 2020 and directed by Don Hahn, producer of both the animated and live-action versions of this tale as old as time.
  • “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” will debut in January 2020 in the Canada pavilion with new scenes and a new story.
  • In the China pavilion, “Wondrous China” will take guests on a spectacular journey across the country, filmed and presented in a completely seamless 360-degree digital format.

World Celebration

  • World Celebration will offer new experiences that connect us to one another and the world around us.
  • The iconic Spaceship Earth will remain a voyage through time as the journey transforms to reflect the power of storytelling to unite the human experience. New narration and an entirely new musical score will focus on the moments and ideas that define our story. You will follow a magical “story light” that brings the entire experience to life in dynamic ways, giving each scene energy and beauty that ties the entire journey together.
  • As you exit Spaceship Earth, you’ll discover a breathtaking new view of World Showcase from Dreamers Point. World Celebration will also feature a new statue celebrating the legacy of the original dreamer, Walt Disney, plus beautiful natural environments and global design elements filled with Disney magic and surprises, including a wishing tree in an enchanted forest and a story fountain celebrating the power and music of iconic Disney storytelling.
  • A new pavilion will be the perfect place for live events, and the home base for Epcot’s signature festivals. It will provide a stunning elevated view of the entire park and an ideal spot to witness Epcot’s nighttime spectacular. This beautiful three-level structure will have one of the most remarkable architectural designs at any Disney park, featuring a plaza level, a middle expo level, and a park that sits in the sky on the top level.
  • Epcot’s entrance plaza will be transformed with new experiences that connect us with the world, welcoming you with a reimagined fountain, new pathways and sweeping green spaces that beautify the entryway. The design will pay homage to the origins of Epcot.

World Nature

  • World Nature is dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty, awe and balance of the natural world. It will include The Land and The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilions.
  • Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” will be the first experience inspired by the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film. This lush exploration trail will invite you to meet and play with magical, living water. The water will have a life of its own – just like Moana’s friend, the ocean – and you’ll learn about the importance of the natural water cycle.
  • The Land pavilion’s new film, “Awesome Planet,” which showcases the beauty, diversity and dynamic story of the planet, will debut in January 2020.

World Discovery

  • In World Discovery, stories about science, technology and intergalactic adventure come to life.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at Epcot. The adventure starts in the “Galaxarium,” a planetarium-like exhibition that explores the similarities and mysteries of the formation of Earth’s galaxy and Xandar. You will be invited to learn more about the treasures Xandar has to share – until the moment when the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive, and adventures across the cosmos ensue. The attraction will feature a new innovation from Walt Disney Imagineering – a storytelling coaster that rotates 360 degrees to focus your attention on the action, including the first reverse launch on a Disney coaster.
  • An expansion of the Mission: SPACE pavilion, the new restaurant Space 220 will be a culinary experience featuring the celestial panorama of a space station, including daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles up. You’ll board a special elevator for a journey to a space station that is home to an incredible dining experience. Along the way, viewports will give you a real-time perspective as you travel high above the planet. Once you arrive, you’ll enjoy fantastic meals and drinks while taking in views that are truly out of this world. Opening this winter, Space 220 will be operated by the Patina Group.
  • The PLAY! pavilion will open in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. In this digital metropolis, you’ll discover an interactive city bursting with games, activities and experiences that connect you with friends, family and beloved Disney characters – both real and virtual – like never before. As part of this new pavilion, you’ll have the chance to help legendary fashion icon Edna Mode on her quest to rid the world of uninspired style, or make a splash competing in a water-balloon fight hosted by Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby.

You’ll be able to visualize these exciting plans for Epcot when doors open Oct. 1, 2019, for Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience in the Odyssey Events Pavilion. You’ll discover engaging and interactive exhibits that showcase the relentless innovation, energy and excitement driving the park’s future throughout this unprecedented period of transformation.

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