Disney Parks: Moana Is Heading to Epcot in October

Back in 2019, Disney Parks announced a new Moana attraction was headed to Epcot in Florida. This week, a lot of exciting Disney World and Disneyland news came out of Destination 23, including updates about Moana’s Epcot presence. Journey of Water is a new walk-through experience located in the World Nature section of the park. The Moana-inspired attraction is opening on October 16th, but it’s not the only thing Moana fans have to look forward to. Starting October 16th, Moana will be making her first appearance at the park… 

“🌀JUST ANNOUNCED 🌀 Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana will open on Oct. 16, 2023! Moana will also arrive in World Nature this day and make her first appearance in her own dedicated space at EPCOT at @WaltDisneyWorld. 🌊 #DestinationD23 #Disney #DisneyWorld,” Disney Parks shared on Instagram. You can check out Epcot’s Moana in a new video below:

Disney’s Live-Action Moana Coming Soon:

Earlier this year, Disney announced that Moana would be the next animated fan-favorite to get the live-action treatment. Dwayne Johnson is returning to play Maui, but Auliʻi Cravalho won’t be reprising her role as the titular character. It was announced in May that Hamilton director Thomas Kail had been tapped to helm the upcoming movie, but due to the current SAG strike, it might be a while before we find out who is playing Moana. 

“Aloha Mai Kakou,” Cravalho began in a recent video about the live-action Moana. “As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, live-action Moana is in the works and you all have been waiting very patiently for updates. So, I’ve written a few things down. When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career. In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital [that] the cast accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.” She continued, “So, as an executive producer of the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit, and emotional strength.”

Cravalho concluded, “I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific people’s cultures and communities that helped inspire her story and I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come. Mahalo.”

Stay tuned for more updates from Destination 23.