Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is opening SOON!

On October 16th, 2023, guests will finally be able to experience EPCOT’s latest addition. We were lucky enough to attend a special preview of the new attraction, so we’re here to tell you what to expect when you finally get a chance to see it. It’s a different experience than a lot of Disney’s latest additions — here’s how!

Edutainment

Lately, many of Disney’s newest attractions have focused heavily on thrills. It makes sense — that was something that many thought was missing in the parks. However, with new rides like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle /Run, it has been a while since we have gotten something new that took us back to what old-school Disney World was like.

Enter Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. Not only is this attraction stunning, but it’s also a great way to relax and enjoy downtime in the parks. The last time we saw something beautifully immersive and mellow like this in Disney World was with the creation of Pandora — The World of Avatar, particularly with the Na’vi River Journey.

Journey of Water gives us a similar relaxing and beautiful experience but adds a bit of that edutainment that EPCOT was once known for. In this new attraction, guests can walk through a “lush exploration trail” and “play with magical, living water” while also learning about the “importance of the natural water cycle” and preserving water as a resource.

Furthermore, it is located in the World Nature section of the park, which is “dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty and balance of the natural world.” So, expect to learn something, and cool off a bit from the Florida heat — but don’t expect this addition to be as thrilling as some of the other new stuff.

Use of Intellectual Property

Another way that this attraction differs from Disney’s latest changes is in its use of Intellectual Property (IP). For most of Disney’s park updates, IP is a main source of inspiration, and rides and other attractions typically revolve heavily around it.

For example, in Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, visitors board a rat vehicle and are given 3-D glasses on a ride that simulates scenes from the movie itself. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a coaster that uses themes and characters from the franchise to tell the story where guests help save the galaxy.

But Journey of Water? Yes, the IP is there, but it’s not quite as in your face. Yes, there is a giant Te Fiti (who is gorgeous, by the way), but aside from that focal point, the rest of the nods to the movie are kind of like easter eggs, hiding in plain sight.

If you look closely, you’ll find characters hiding all throughout the trail — like Gramma Tala’s Manta Ray in the rockwork above this waterfall.

This makes the attraction a great place for those who are looking for some Moana magic, but it doesn’t alienate those who might not care as much about the storyline.

Get as Wet as You Want

Lastly, this new addition is technically a water attraction, but not in a way that should turn you away if you don’t want to get wet. If you want to get wet, you can, but if not — there are ways to avoid it! For the most part, Disney’s water rides and attractions don’t have that level of customization.

Sure, some rides that have a water component can be altered a little bit based on what row you sit in — think Frozen Ever After — but you can’t 100% guarantee what the experience will be. In Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids, there’s really no way at all to avoid getting soaked — it’s all luck!

But with Journey of Water, you really get to choose the level with which you interact with the water. And better yet, if you decide you don’t want to get wet, you can still experience a lot of the fun even on the dry side.

We do think that it’s a great idea to bring some water-friendly shoes so that you can get the full experience (and cool off from the Florida heat without getting your socks wet), but that’s entirely up to you!

Overall, we think Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is a welcome addition to EPCOT with a ton of things going for it that you can’t get elsewhere. If you get a chance to check it out, let us know what you think of the attraction in the comments below! As always, stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news.

The PROBLEM You May Encounter When Drinking Around the World in EPCOT

What is your favorite part about EPCOT’s transformation? Let us know in the comments below!