EPCOT Journey of Water featuring Moana coming to Epcot

[Disneyson]

Very surprised this is going here. Not necessarily the “Journey Of Water”, but the Mona overlay. The park that really needs another Princess is AK, and this is the only character to my mind that fits into the conservation and “I respect the planet” thing that AK has going. Or otherwise Adventureland makes much more sense. An easy way to sop up capacity without a huge bump in tourism (I imagine there are a lot of kids going to the parks that are interested in Moana but would not be making a special trip for her), and the theme is perfect.

I know theme has become a fluid thing in this redesign, but it’s tricky to draw the line between “...and here’s what’s coming next in the field of ____” and “we present you a celebration of human achievement in ______”. It also calls into question if the Land and the Seas are redundant due to AK and lots of other sticky problems, but that’s not my point.

I just feel like they can’t use the story of Moana to full potential in EPCOT... though this is a clever idea, it’s placement flowing into the Seas and the Land is genius, and she will be a good host for this attraction. But this park already has a ton of Princess power, and is not lacking meet-and-greets.

Then again, they never announced a character meeting coming to this attraction.

 

[RobWDW1971]

I just feel like they can’t use the story of Moana to full potential in EPCOT... though this is a clever idea, it’s placement flowing into the Seas and the Land is genius, and she will be a good host for this attraction.

 

[Disneyson]

View attachment 451503

Well, let me rephrase.

I think that the thematic gardens will be a major improvement over the Communicore buildings. That’s my very humble opinion, as someone who 1) never saw the original experience, and frankly 2) as a pragmatist who does not see the ability to update the content of those buildings in today's society in which the dream of communication has been essentially fulfilled, and 3) as a person who could not stand the smell of those buildings.

I also think that this is an idea that very much pulls from an older design playbook that looks for thematic and design cohesion. This is an extension of the ideas that the creators of the OG EPCOT had, with the right-brain, right-side of the park featuring more running water and a more lush feel, compared to the more tamed and sculpted feel of the landscape on the left-brain, left-side of the park. It seems like a place making Disney might have made during the creation of MGM, where the distinct difference between being “in the Studio” and “in Hollywood” was accentuated by a giant arch and the whole park looked like Mickey from above.

I feel like Incorporating edutainment into this design element is also distinctly EPCOT, and it fits the area’s theme beautifully and thematically, and the best bit is that you can tell someone who loves detail, easter eggs, and creative design put their stamp on this.

So yes, genius might be a bit of hyperbole, (Walt has done worse and better, for sure), but I stand by the core concept of “The Journey Of Water”.

 

[Orange is the new Red]

Just demanding less.

Demanding less or demanding different? The misperception is that its less and that does play well into the old school narrative, but for me and a lot of people old school Epcot was not satisfactory. Epcot wasn’t educational! It only created a vail of education. These are 2 different things. Not saying the new Epcot will be great but I’m willing to give it the wait and see approach. Too often people poo poo projects without giving it a chance. Remember Pandora. I think that thread had 500 pages of ”this is going to suck”. Turned out quite amazing. Perfect no, but the Disney quality is quite evident. At least that’s my 2 cents.

 

[marni1971]

Demanding less or demanding different?

Accepting less would have been a better description.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The park that really needs another Princess is AK, and this is the only character to my mind that fits into the conservation and “I respect the planet” thing that AK has going.

We can overlay Kali by having all the princesses show up commanding an army of their animal sidekicks that attack the loggers and deforesters and destroys their equipment!!

 

[techgeek]

I think one thing that bothers me most about this concept is the location. Being directly off the central core walkways and one of the first things guests encounter after SSE, is there any chance of this having enough capacity / space to not be mobbed most of the day?

 

[Disneyson]

We can overlay Kali by having all the princesses show up commanding an army of their animal sidekicks that attack the loggers and deforesters and destroys their equipment!!

Don’t give them ideas.

But I would genuinely accept a Jungle Book addition. Addition.

 

[Josh Hendy]

But I would genuinely accept a Jungle Book addition. Addition.

You gave me an awesome idea. On the Universal forum is a rumor that the footprints of Popeye Barges and Dudley Doright will be combined into a huge, next-gen Lord of the Rings (or Hobbit) raft ride. The secret sauce will be technology that allows rafts to change from "drifting mode" into "orientated mode" permitting story elements to be presented.

Disney should rebuild Kali on a bigger footprint and then they could tell a whale of a story.

Popeye already makes Kali look embarrassingly short (high quality of Kali theming notwithstanding) so let's get going on a really great Addition ...

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think one thing that bothers me most about this concept is the location. Being directly off the central core walkways and one of the first things guests encounter after SSE, is there any chance of this having enough capacity / space to not be mobbed most of the day?

It's a walk through with minimal interactivity (hands!). In front of them will be Walt's statue, that interactive tree thing, and a towering Festival Center. So, there are thing pulling people forward, especially if they know that their destination isn't The Seas.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney should rebuild Kali on a bigger footprint and then they could tell a whale of a story.

Pinocchio ride it is! Will have great synergy with the Live Action movie coming out!!

 

[techgeek]

It's a walk through with minimal interactivity (hands!). In front of them will be Walt's statue, that interactive tree thing, and a towering Festival Center. So, there are thing pulling people forward, especially if they know that their destination isn't The Seas.

Do we know if this will be a capacity controlled ‘gated’ walk-through, or will it be treated as just another path?

 

[MisterPenguin]

path

 

[Brer Panther]

Very surprised this is going here. Not necessarily the “Journey Of Water”, but the Mona overlay. The park that really needs another Princess is AK, and this is the only character to my mind that fits into the conservation and “I respect the planet” thing that AK has going. Or otherwise Adventureland makes much more sense. An easy way to sop up capacity without a huge bump in tourism (I imagine there are a lot of kids going to the parks that are interested in Moana but would not be making a special trip for her), and the theme is perfect.

I could see Moana in Adventureland, but I don't think it'd really fit in Animal Kingdom. Moana doesn't really have anything to do with, you know, animals. There's a pig, a chicken and a giant crab, but by that logic you could stick Frozen in Animal Kingdom because there's a reindeer and some wolves.

 

[RobWDW1971]

I could see Moana in Adventureland, but I don't think it'd really fit in Animal Kingdom. Moana doesn't really have anything to do with, you know, animals. There's a pig, a chicken and a giant crab, but by that logic you could stick Frozen in Animal Kingdom because there's a reindeer and some wolves.

Or a carnival with game booths and a spinner that looks like a dinosaur.

 

[Disneyson]

I could see Moana in Adventureland, but I don't think it'd really fit in Animal Kingdom. Moana doesn't really have anything to do with, you know, animals. There's a pig, a chicken and a giant crab, but by that logic you could stick Frozen in Animal Kingdom because there's a reindeer and some wolves.

Kali doesn't strictly deal with animals either (as it was supposed to), but about environmental crisis. Moana does know a thing or two about restoring balance to nature. Instead of recycling, working with local officials to stop deforestation, or supporting ecotourism efforts that cause minimal environmental impact, she stuck a rock into a monster.

It's... not perfect. But there is a through-line that is essentially about respecting the earth.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I still don't understand why we have to turn Disney into an Episode of Chopped for this IP silliness. It's like giving them a basket of roller coasters, pink carpeting and a VHS of Little Mermaid Karaoke.

It shouldn't require that much effort to make sense.

 

[Disneyson]

I still don't understand why we have to turn Disney into an Episode of Chopped for this IP silliness. It's like giving them a basket of roller coasters, pink **** carpeting and a VHS of Little Mermaid Karaoke.

It shouldn't require that much effort to make sense.

This made me LOL so hard. It‘s true though, those are the mandates of the higher ups, and if I understand it more or less ends up like Chopped.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I also love that s-h-a-g carpeting got censored!

 

[matt9112]

I also love that s-h-a-g carpeting got censored!

Lmao i just saw that and i laughed alot! Maybe its more common in british english ? I cant ever remember hearing it in real conversation except when referring to carpet.