Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
If you are a Walt Disney World Resort fan, and you keep up with all the exciting Disney news, then you know that EPCOT is undergoing a massive transformation. For one, Disney has unified EPCOT by creating four distinctive lands. The World Showcase is keeping its name and is being joined by World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery. EPCOT has also seen the opening of two brand-new rides — Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, located in the France Pavilion, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which can be found in the World Discovery area, taking the place of Ellen’s Energy Adventure.
Credit: Disney
Imagineers are also working hard on a new, innovative attraction themed after one of Disney’s newest princesses, Moana. The attraction will be called Journey Or Water, Inspired by Moana, and will be in the World Nature area of the Park. The new attraction will allow Guests to interact with water and learn about its journey from the sky to our lakes and oceans, and back to the sky. EPCOT has always been a theme park that encouraged Guests to learn about the world, and this attraction will teach them something in a new and exciting way.
Credit: Disney
We don’t have an opening date for the attraction at this time, but Disney is sharing a closer look at the work Imagineers are doing. Disney Parks Blog shared some photos of the beautiful pieces that are being carefully crafted.
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 you 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.
Credit: Disney
Credit: Disney
Here is more information on what Guests can expect when this gorgeous and interactive new attraction opens:
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 to 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.
Credit: Disney
Again, we do not have an exact opening date for Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, but Disney expects to open the attraction to Guests sometime in 2023. Until then, you can still enjoy all of the exciting things EPCOT has to offer, including festivals like the International Food & Wine Festival, fun rides like Mission: Space and Test Track, as well as a ton of great dining and shopping options.
