Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
Disney has always been extremely inclusive of young children. That has always been one of its advantages over the competition. It’s a place where the whole family can go, and no one gets left out– even the baby! Most assumed EPCOT’s new Journey of Water Inspired by Moana would be just as inclusive.
Credit: Disney
If there isn’t a height restriction, the smallest Mouseketeers are welcome to ride, and there happen to be more rides and attractions without a height requirement than there are with one. The new Journey of Water Inspired by Moana attraction, however, limits small children, and that’s just the beginning.
A warning sign at the beginning of the attraction says that babies in diapers are not permitted unless they wear a swim diaper. Swim diapers are expensive and not for everyday use, so parents typically avoid them unless there is a purpose. A swim diaper at a theme park like EPCOT wouldn’t cross most parents’ minds, which means the attraction will be off limits to the un-potty-trained crowd- the ones who would enjoy it most.
The reason for the restriction is that the water is recirculated, and therefore, what the water touches before it reaches you is going to get on you. This is why the sign also warns guests not to drink the water. It is unfit for human consumption.
The Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana warning signage. #DisneyWorld pic.twitter.com/SMWQmAOgtD
— ThrillGeek (@thrillgeek) September 3, 2023
Speaking of guests, fans noticed a shift in Disney’s wording. Disney World has always referred to its visitors as guests. The word customer is a no-no. However, the new warning sign breaks with this tradition, entirely calling visitors patrons. This didn’t sit right with many, and some claimed it was a sign that Disney’s customer service was dead.
The sign is confusing reading more like a list of pool rules than an attraction warning. The sign doesn’t make it clear what sort of attraction guests are experiencing. The first bullet point also reads like a jumbled word salad. It’s garbled, and many wondered if it was written by a human at all.
Credit: X/ Joshua Maddux
“No food or beverages in the interactive water feature or on interactive wet decks. Commercially bottled water in plastic bottles is allowed on the interactive water feature wet deck for interactive water feature patron hydration.” What? A warning sign needs to be clear and concise. This is neither.
Credit: Disney
Still, Journey of Water Inspired by Moana is one of the most highly anticipated attractions to come from the EPCOT revitalization (ok, it’s one of the only attractions that wasn’t canceled, but it’s still highly anticipated). Officially opening this fall, those who have gotten to experience previews have said that the attraction is fantastic.
Credit: Disney
The walk-through attraction will get back to EPCOT’s roots: Edutainment. The purpose of EPCOT has always been to educate, though that purpose has gotten lost over the years (lookin’ at you, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind). The return to fun and educational attractions is a welcome one and one that will hopefully continue.
