Journey of Water Inspired by Moana is a brand new attraction coming to EPCOT as Walt Disney World overhauls the entrance of the park between Spaceship Earth and World Showcase. This covers all the things you want to know concerning the addition: goal opening date, idea artwork, development progress, and solutions to steadily requested questions. (Updated December 9, 2022.)
Let’s start with a primary overview of Journey of Water – Inspired by Moana (or Moana’s Journey of Water, as we’ll name it for simplicity’s sake). This is the primary Walt Disney World attraction based mostly on the Walt Disney Animation Studios hit movie Moana, and shall be an exploration path relatively than a trip.
This water maze shall be an expertise the place company can work together with magical, dwelling water in a good looking and galvanizing setting. Moana’s Journey of Water will encompass a lush walk-through surroundings that engages and educates company concerning the water cycle and the way it sustains our world.
Next, let’s check out the situation of Moana’s Journey of Water. There has been a whole lot of confusion about this, with some Walt Disney World followers believing it’ll be changing Journey into Imagination for some purpose. (Because each have “Journey” within the title? Perhaps since there’s already a water play space up by the Imagination pavilion?)
In any case, that’s not the place Moana’s Journey of Water goes. Instead, the water maze will kind of substitute half of Innoventions West, which was demolished as a part of EPCOT’s central backbone redesign.
Moana’s Journey of Water shall be a part of the brand new World Nature neighborhood. (As a reminder, Walt Disney World has eradicated EPCOT’s Future World and changed it with 3 new neighborhoods.)
World Nature is devoted to understanding and preserving the wonder, awe and stability of the pure world. In addition to Journey of Water, it can embody The Land and The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilions.
Above is idea artwork that Disney has launched of the new-look entrance of EPCOT and these three new neighborhoods. Note that that is the up to date artwork as of mid-2022, reflecting the scaled-back scope of those plans.
Essentially, Moana’s Journey of Water shall be situated between Spaceship Earth and the Seas with Nemo & Friends. You can see it within the backside proper of the above idea artwork.
Walt Disney World additionally not too long ago launched new idea artwork exhibiting a more in-depth view and up to date take a look at Journey of Water – Inspired by Moana. This is the primary time the corporate has provided a take a look at the tough format of this interactive exploration path and water play space.
Based upon the idea artwork, it seems that the water exploration path shall be a method of accessing the Seas and Land pavilions from Spaceship Earth, with regular bypass pathways on both sides of it for company who don’t want to partake within the play space.
This replace got here as Disney provided updates on the Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit™️ that’s behind Spaceship Earth, which is able to turn out to be CommuniCore Hall & Plaza.
This replaces the multi-level pageant middle in a number of the above idea artwork, and displays Disney’s scaled again imaginative and prescient for the EPCOT overhaul plans. Essentially, they’re rebuilding what was beforehand there, including some timber, and taking 3+ years to do it.
December 9, 2022 Update
Walt Disney Imagineering shared the above photograph and this message on social media at present: “This morning, our project team at Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana welcomed Te Fiti at her position along the trail.”
“This is a momentous milestone for the project team as we continue to bring this experience to life for EPCOT guests in Late 2023. Congratulations to the team of Imagineers and all of our partners that made this happen!”
This comes just a few months after the shock announcement about about Moana’s Journey of Water {that a} towering Te Fiti mannequin that’s being added to the attraction!
Te Fiti had not been in prior idea artwork or formally launched particulars about Moana’s Journey of Water. According to Imagineers on the present flooring on the D23 Expo, it was added to the walk-through attraction when different adjustments (learn: finances cuts) had been made to different facets of the plans for the entrance of the park.
Here are images of the mannequin itself and placards round it providing particulars:
Our expectation is that Te Fiti shall be a powerful determine from contained in the walk-through path, however will principally be hid from outdoors Moana’s Journey of Water. Hopefully, the determine just isn’t competing with Spaceship Earth for visible consideration because the park’s most important ‘wienie.’
Next, right here’s the prior replace about Moana’s Journey of Water, overlaying the ‘edutainment’ part of the attraction…
Walt Disney Imagineering additionally shared a preview of the graphic fashion that shall be used all through the attraction, impressed by the design and visible language of the film. The WDI group created many authentic items that concentrate on the dynamic motion of water because it travels across the expertise.
Per Imagineering, graphics like these will “guide” company via the cycle of water in enjoyable and fascinating methods. The purpose is to share the very important hyperlink we’ve got with water throughout our planet, and encourage the essential position all of us share in preserving this life-giving and life-sustaining valuable useful resource.
As a part of the design course of, Imagineers create fashions, mock-ups, and maquettes to carry beloved characters into the parks.
Above is a behind-the-scenes take a look at Principal Dimensional Designer, Jim Towler, sculpting the froth maquette of Moana for this attraction.
This provides you a glimpse into the earliest levels of the design course of, earlier than paint and extra particulars have been added. Once the pose of the character is outlined, sculptors add element and texture till the emotional expression of the carving is excellent.
Designers then do a paint examine and sometimes create full-scale samples to check remaining supplies and carving strategies. This course of ensures the manufacturing and inventive imaginative and prescient for the expertise align.
Above is one other making-of instance, exhibiting a pattern from the mountain-like varieties that can quickly mark the doorway to the attraction. Fans will acknowledge Moana’s iconic spiral, which we portrayed in one of many first idea renderings for Journey of Water.
You can see how artisans use paint, scenic remedies, and foliage to carry much more life to environments. Disney signifies that it’s an thrilling time for the Imagineering challenge group as these parts are coming collectively on website now and within the coming months!
Last week, an Imagineer posted that “many years go into designing these experiences and nothing beats seeing the real thing.”
Noting that company are following alongside on this work from the monorail above the location, he thought it might be enjoyable to share a couple of views from on the bottom, proper in the course of the method.
“The craft of creating rockwork is a blend of art and science, and seeing this carving and sculpting progress live is one of the things I love most about my role as an Imagineer. I joined the project team for a walk of the site alongside Imagineers Scott and Robert, two of our leaders overseeing the project. The range of textures are inspired by real world formations – all the way down to the tiniest details and variation that, when finished, should be impossible to distinguish from the real thing.”
Now let’s check out development images of Moana’s Journey of Water as of early Fall 2022…
Fall 2022 Construction Photos
Here’s a floor degree view of labor on Moana’s Journey of Water taken from close to the Land and Seas pavilions.
Just beneath the tree department, you’ll be able to see one of many mountains peeking out above the highest of the wall. This is the best level of the walk-through path, and the primary time we’ve been capable of see any of the attraction whereas strolling round EPCOT.
With a little bit of elevation from again by Journey into Imagination, this rockwork is even simpler to see over the wall.
Pathways will weave via this rockwork, making it an attractive space to discover.
For the subsequent few images, we take to the Highway within the Sky, for some “aerial” photographs from the Epcot monorail.
Above is a large view exhibiting the whole lot of the Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit™️ that ought to underscore simply how big this development zone is. Moana’s Journey of Water is within the far higher left nook. It’s a giant challenge, however solely a fraction of the general space.
Most, if not all, of the rockwork that can encompass the path has been put in.
Rockwork that was straightforward to see final month is now obscured by scaffolding as staff transfer to the small print part of the challenge. Contrast the brand new picture above with the one beneath (from mid-July).
Loads is occurring in these Moana’s Journey of Water development images, so let’s break it down.
You can see metal assist buildings, concrete partitions, and wire mesh forming the form of rockwork.
Here’s a more in-depth take a look at the rockwork. On the fitting aspect, there’s a sequence of formations that primarily kind corridors. These look lots like the realm beneath the leaping fountains within the idea artwork.
On the opposite aspect of that may be a moderately-sized mountain. This is probably going the signature rockwork in Moana’s Journey of Water–the mountain-like function with cascading waterfalls.
This rockwork has gone up actually shortly. All of this has been constructed because the begin of summer season–earlier than that, there was no rockwork, just a few metal buildings and concrete partitions.
Now that all the things is put in, artisans are bringing the development supplies to life and making it appear like actual rocks. That’s the aim of all the scaffolding that has appeared not too long ago–it makes the mountains simpler to entry for the artists.
Disney hasn’t had something to say concerning the rockwork on Moana’s Journey of Water (or the rest about it, for that matter), however right here’s hoping that famend Imagineer Zsolt Hormay is main the group.
For these unfamiliar with Zsolt Hormay, he’s the Imagineer behind rockwork on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Pandora – World of Avatar, Tree of Life, Cadillac Mountain Range in Cars Land, and Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea. You don’t hear Zsolt Hormay’s title as a lot because the movie star Imagineers, however he’s arguably extra deserving of that standing than anybody.
Here’s a remaining look from the monorail on the fringe of the Moana’s Journey of Water development website and Spaceship Earth. The complete space behind the geodesic sphere has been the Giant Epcot Dirt Pit™️ for the higher a part of the final three years.
Again, it’s tough to establish what’s for Moana’s Journey of Water and what’s merely the “enchanted gardens” that’ll make up the plush space of World Celebration. From the idea artwork that Walt Disney World has launched, it’s extremely tough to establish the scope and scale of Moana’s Journey of Water. It might take up a whole lot of actual property, or little or no. We ought to have a greater thought as soon as extra of the wire mesh rockwork goes up and the precise path turns into extra clearly outlined.
My expectation is that a whole lot of it will make up the walk-through path, and I’m cautiously optimistic about Moana’s Journey of Water.
EPCOT is certainly altering, and a part of that entails changing into extra “Disneyfied” within the course of. Denying that actuality is a recipe for fixed disappointment. From my perspective, something that manages to mesh with the park’s optimism, inspiration, and edutainment goals is heading in the right direction.
While Moana’s Journey of Water is clearly not a blockbuster addition, that’s nice. Not all the things must be. That doesn’t imply this isn’t a welcome addition.
One of Future World’s largest points was that it was a concrete jungle with little shade, water, and lushness. This treatments all of these complaints, whereas additionally providing youngsters a spot to play and blow off some steam.
Morever, Moana’s Journey of Water is a logical transition to each the Seas and Land pavilions, making it a great “pathway” to these points of interest. Offering a pleasant surroundings to coach youngsters concerning the water cycle whereas offering a enjoyable gateway to this neighborhood of EPCOT feels like a win to me.
It’s definitely not my very best walk-through attraction, however my era’s model of EPCOT Center is lengthy gone. I’ve accepted that and am glad with the potential Moana’s Journey of Water might provide as an pleasurable diversion that coalesces properly with what already exists on this aspect of EPCOT.
Plus, Walt Disney World might use some Moana. Right now, there are segments in Harmonious and Disney Enchantment (the nighttime spectaculars at Epcot and Magic Kingdom) plus new rooms and different particulars on the Polynesian.
There’s additionally a meet & greet within the queue for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room throughout the Halloween and Christmas Parties. That’s about it.
Moana is certainly one of our favourite fashionable animated movies (that soundtrack!) and is deserving of extra illustration within the parks. Its reputation most likely doesn’t justify an E-Ticket addition, however an interactive play space appears well-suited to the movie.
For that, Adventureland or this space of EPCOT had been concerning the best-case places. It ought to go with out saying that EPCOT is in additional pressing want of latest choices.
Finally, the opening date of Moana’s Journey of Water. While lots was deliberate to debut “in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary,” this was by no means a type of tasks.
A debut date has by no means been introduced for any of the central backbone tasks, however the inner timeframe has been that they’d begin to open “…beginning in 2022.” That nebulous timeframe was earlier than the closure of Walt Disney World.
It’s value noting that in and after the closure, all development stopped at Walt Disney World. Demolition of the Innoventions constructing didn’t resume till a number of months after EPCOT reopened, and it was slow-going for some time.
Moreover, the plans for a lot of the EPCOT overhaul have modified and been scaled again, with some parts minimize completely. Fortunately, Moana’s Journey of Water remains to be taking place, however the completed product might look completely different than the unique idea artwork, as Imagineering has taken the EPCOT overhaul plans again to the drafting board with budgets being minimize. However, it’s at all times the case that what’s constructed differs from idea artwork, so nothing actually novel or stunning there.
Our expectation is that 2023 is now the goal opening for Moana’s Journey of Water. (A secure guess provided that Walt Disney World has introduced that the EPCOT Overhaul Ends in 2023!) Given the present state of development, earlier delays, and the evolving nature of the EPCOT transformation, we’re hesitant to make a prediction past that.
According to Walt Disney World, the official goal for Moana’s Journey of Water is “Late 2023.” Given that Disney has not too long ago been behind, relatively than forward, of assembly its targets, this probably means November or December 2023–and even early 2024–relatively than summer season or fall.
Nevertheless, Summer 2023 appears sensible in gentle of present progress, which is surprisingly far alongside as of December 2022 (I didn’t take new images, but it surely has progressed lots since our final photograph replace!). That’s additionally essentially the most smart time to debut a water-centric attraction, because the final couple months of the 12 months might be chilly. That is, until Imagineering’s plan is to complete the whole lot of the CommuniCore Hall and Plaza Projects previous to opening Moana’s Journey of Water. That would make a point of sense, and in addition clarify the “Late 2023” goal versus spring or summer season for Moana’s Journey of Water.
Ultimately, lots might occur and alter between now and 2023. It’s thus unattainable to make any type of credible predictions concerning the final destiny of Moana’s Journey of Water, together with the exact date it’ll open, and what it’ll appear like if/when it does. Either method, we’ll hold you posted with extra updates about Moana’s Journey of Water as we study extra!
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Your Thoughts
What do you consider Moana’s Journey of Water? Do you suppose it will find yourself being cancelled, or will go ahead as deliberate? Does this idea artwork look interesting to you? Do you suppose this shall be a stable addition to EPCOT, or do you want it had been a trip being added elsewhere? Do you agree or disagree with our response/evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!