The internet has spent all week arguing about the live-action Moana‘s box office numbers, and sure, the comparisons to Snow White‘s rocky run write themselves. But while the movie fights that battle, Disney quietly dropped a Moana announcement that has nothing to do with ticket sales, and everything to do with actual sea turtles racing across the Atlantic Ocean.
Yes, really. Welcome to the best Disney tradition most fans have never heard of.
The Disney Announcement
On July 13, Animals at Disney and Disney Conservation posted an Instagram video revealing that Disney is once again participating in the Tour de Turtles, and this year’s edition will be Moana-themed. The announcement even featured Catherine Laga’aia, the star of the live-action film, which makes the message pretty clear: whatever happens in theaters, Disney is still all-in on Moana.
The date is still a mystery. Disney has only said the event arrives later this summer, and it hasn’t appeared on the official Tour de Turtles events page yet. Anyone hoping to attend should keep an eye out for the follow-up announcement.
Wait, Where Does This Happen?
Here’s the part that surprises people: not at Walt Disney World. The Tour de Turtles happens at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, a Disney Vacation Club property tucked along Florida’s east coast about two hours from the parks. No castle, no fireworks, no crowds. Just a laid-back oceanfront resort that has quietly become one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites Disney touches.
The resort’s beach is a legitimate conservation powerhouse. Disney’s team has documented more than 1.8 million sea turtle hatchlings from over 24,000 nests near the property since 2007. Calling it a hidden gem almost undersells it. This is Disney’s best-kept secret, and summer is when it shines.
How a Disney Turtle Race Actually Works
The Tour de Turtles is run by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, and the concept is delightfully simple. Participating turtles are fitted with satellite trackers and then swim off into the ocean. Over roughly three months, the tracker data shows which turtle covers the most distance, and that turtle wins. Anyone can follow along online, which turns the whole thing into a slow-motion spectator sport with real scientific value, since the migration data helps researchers figure out how to protect an endangered species.
Every racer also swims for a cause. This year’s lineup includes turtles named Jennifer Slowpez, Isla, Marina, JULina, Scarlett, Luna, ID&Sea, Missy Shelliott, Milagro, Krysta, Girl Power, and Fin Diesel, raising awareness for everything from plastic debris and light pollution to boat strikes and climate change. The Disney Conservation Fund’s yet-unnamed turtle will swim for light pollution, and Disney Cruise Line’s turtle takes on coastal erosion.
And the turtle names alone deserve applause. Jennifer Slowpez. Fin Diesel. Somebody at the Sea Turtle Conservancy is having the time of their life.
Disney’s Turtle Track Record
This partnership has real history. Last year marked the 18th annual event, where two female turtles nested on the Vero Beach shoreline and were tracked on their journey back to sea. Their names? Ariel and Moana, a green sea turtle and a loggerhead, sponsored by Disney Cruise Line and the Disney Conservation Fund.
Disney-sponsored turtles have collectively logged around 55,000 miles wearing satellite tags over the years, and a loggerhead named Ebb recently made history by swimming more than 1,100 miles to become the first Disney-sponsored turtle to win the whole race. The newer tags even track water temperature and dive patterns, so every mile teaches researchers something.
Why This Beats Another Box Office Take
Guests who make the trip get something no theme park can offer: real conservation work happening feet away, and a summer of checking turtle standings like sports scores. Helping is easy too. Keep beaches clean, turn off lights near the shore at night, steer clear of marked nests, and flatten those sandcastles on the way out.
The movie’s numbers will sort themselves out one way or another. Meanwhile, somewhere off Florida’s east coast this summer, a turtle carrying the Moana name will start swimming. Time to see how far she goes.
