Journey of Water featuring Moana coming to Epcot

[UNCgolf]

I’m all for more LK representation, but I disagree with the notion that FotLK is only superficially related. It heavily features the 3 most popular characters and the entire soundtrack.

The soundtrack, yes -- I agree that's more than superficial.

I think the characters themselves are superficial, though. They're just leftovers from a parade (I think?) that they incorporated into that show, but they aren't really integral to the experience. Even the LK songs could probably be changed without needing to overhaul the show, but I imagine they're at least part of the reason it's popular.

 

[mysto]

So, if Epcot is getting Moana's Journey of Water, is AK getting Moana's Journey In Water?

You got it. There may eventually be a Moana inspired area in all 4 parks if budget allows. You will ride the Slugwartz Express submarine ride submerging in one park, traveling through the karst beneath Florida, and surfacing in a different park! (Only after 2pm park hopper required.)

 

[No Name]

No, it has to do with nature. The land, the sea, water are all a part of nature which is why they are in World Nature. Mission Space, Test Track and Guardians have nothing to do with each other but are in the same land.

You’ve inadvertently pointed out why World Discovery is almost just as bad as World Nature.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

You’ve inadvertently pointed out why World Discovery is almost just as bad as World Nature.

World Nature is the only cohesive neighborhood, everything fits together. The other two are more vague concepts

 

[No Name]

World Nature is the only cohesive neighborhood, everything fits together. The other two are more vague concepts

It’s all nature-related but there’s very little that’s cohesive about it. The two large structural pavilions are surrounded by a lot of concrete and geometric landscaping, and are still largely focused on the improvement of nature from a human standpoint if not a technological one. On the contrary, journey of water is purely focused on being within the “nature”, it’s siphoned off from everything, and most importantly, it plays no part in the premise of Epcot as an actual place, something that Cosmic Rewind heavily plays into. It’s very incohesive.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It’s all nature-related but there’s very little that’s cohesive about it. The two large structural pavilions are surrounded by a lot of concrete and geometric landscaping, and are still largely focused on the improvement of nature from a human standpoint if not a technological one. On the contrary, journey of water is purely focused on being within the “nature”, it’s siphoned off from everything, and most importantly, it plays no part in the premise of Epcot as an actual place, something that Cosmic Rewind heavily plays into. It’s very incohesive.

And Moana herself is an explorer. As a character she would have made more sense in a World of Motion vignette of the past.

 

[aladdin2007]

I put this another thread but it seems fitting here to: all this world of nature world of whatever stuff, I don't think is exciting anyone nor are people going to bother following it, they are just pandering for justification of the mess they are making. Renaming the entire area Discovery World would have worked just fine. Just my opinion on it, if anyone here does like the neighborhoods route then your welcome to enjoy it.

 

[James Alucobond]

I put this another thread but it seems fitting here to: all this world of nature world of whatever stuff, I don't think is exciting anyone nor are people going to bother following it, they are just pandering for justification of the mess they are making. Renaming the entire area Discovery World would have worked just fine. Just my opinion on it, if anyone here does like the neighborhoods route then your welcome to enjoy it.

I can appreciate an attempt to better organize the space. I’ve kind of always had an issue with the organization of Future World in terms of pavilion placement. Imagination always seemed like such an odd duck, and honestly, until rides became widely re-watchable online, a lot of my memories of Horizons and World of Motion just blurred together with Spaceship Earth. I don’t think I’d have been able to pinpoint where anything was in Future World if pressed aside from The Land and The Seas being next to each other. By contrast, even though we only visited every few years, I had a much better mental map of Magic Kingdom and World Showcase.

That said, what they’re doing now is such a half-hearted effort that I’m inclined to agree. They shouldn’t commit to new nomenclature until they can actually follow through on it in a logical way.

 

[Horizonsfan]

The timeline shown at D23 showed Journey of Water opening in 2023, separately from the World Celebration opening.

Clearly, that presentation was full of inartful sentences. I have a hard time believing they will keep everything off-limits until late 23. Communicore Hall won't be done till then.

Based on how they've completed things so far, this is my best guess for the timeline:

- November/December 22: West Side of SSE & maybe Dreamer's Point (minus the walt statue) begins to open up
- January/February 22: Path from Land to World Discovery opens up / Path from SSE to Seas opens / Temporary Entry Path Closes
- Whenever-Tron-Opens-For-Previews Late Winter/Early Spring 23: Moana and northern half of core fully opens; Walt statue appears
- October/November 23: Communicore Hall Opens

 

[James Alucobond]

Based on how they've completed things so far, this is my best guess for the timeline:

- November/December 22: West Side of SSE & maybe Dreamer's Point (minus the walt statue) begins to open up
- January/February 22: Path from Land to World Discovery opens up / Path from SSE to Seas opens / Temporary Entry Path Closes
- Whenever-Tron-Opens-For-Previews Late Winter/Early Spring 23: Moana and northern half of core fully opens; Walt statue appears
- October/November 23: Communicore Hall Opens

I'm not really sure how this makes sense. They're still doing excavation on the gardens, and they haven't begun building up Dreamers Point at all. Switching from the western bypass to the actual path would hinge on either the gardens or Journey of Water being fully operational. Otherwise, you're just funneling folks down an even longer, even more unattractive walled hallway.

 

[Horizonsfan]

I'm not really sure how this makes sense. They're still doing excavation on the gardens, and they haven't begun building up Dreamers Point at all. Switching from the western bypass to the actual path would hinge on either the gardens or Journey of Water being fully operational. Otherwise, you're just funneling folks down an even longer, even more unattractive walled hallway.

The gardens can be screened off as needed. See what's currently going on with SSE's East Side when the East bypass was. To complete the Moana area, you're going to have to shut down the bypass.

Disney has shown they're not worried about funneling guests along thinly decorated construction walls, why would that change now? I would think Ops would want to alleviate how cramped the current eastern path can get, putting less strain on Creations and Connections.

Here's what I'm talking about on the spine plan. Again just my hunch based on what they've said and what's left to complete:
Nov/Dec 22 - Green
Jan/Feb 23 - Blue
Spring 23 - Red
Oct/Nov 23 - Yellow

The biggest question mark is the SW quad of the core. Would they open that up with the other gardens or keep it roped off as a staging area for Commuicore Hall? I think the latter.

 

[James Alucobond]

I just don't really see that alleviating much. The green path isn't really any less cramped than the current western path, and considering Dreamers Point is elevated, I'm not sure it's even accessible for guests with strollers and ECVs until the ramps into the gardens are added. Additionally, the blue paths don't really do much to stop people from eventually getting squeezed around Connections just as densely as they already are.

 

[Bocabear]

Aside from the Walt Statue, do we know what the heck Dreamers Point is? Just the statue? With all the heavy construction going on right now I don't think that area will be ready this year... It is September already, there has been no finish work happening yet...it is all still a dirt pit. Maybe Spring in conjunction with JOW if that will even be completed by Spring...

 

[DonniePeverley]

1) Sorry, but not wanting to scour through 176 pages - what will the final outcome look like of all this work - and would it be worth it considering we will have so many years of these walls ?

2) What happened to the UK Marry Poppins attraction ?

3) The large devices they use for the nighttime show, can they not hide them during the day? The lake looks awful when you see those horrid barges just lying there.

 

[Phicinfan]

1) Sorry, but not wanting to scour through 176 pages - what will the final outcome look like of all this work - and would it be worth it considering we will have so many years of these walls ?

Not completely sure, all we have is artwork, which is shared in here somewhere

2) What happened to the UK Marry Poppins attraction ?

Officially on hold, but some insiders have said cancelled

3) The large devices they use for the nighttime show, can they not hide them during the day? The lake looks awful when you see those horrid barges just lying there.

Some rumors have the tacos and ring going away with the long term replacement

 

[Epcot82Guy]

1) Sorry, but not wanting to scour through 176 pages - what will the final outcome look like of all this work - and would it be worth it considering we will have so many years of these walls ?

2) What happened to the UK Marry Poppins attraction ?

3) The large devices they use for the nighttime show, can they not hide them during the day? The lake looks awful when you see those horrid barges just lying there.

To add a little more on item 1 - what the artwork shows:

1. The old Innoventions southwest (i.e. that had Club Cool, Starbucks, etc.) is effectively getting transformed into a similar building with a more open air theater aspect where ClubCool and the inner parts were. Character meets will be here along with (assuming) festival central things for the various festivals.

2. Innoventions northwest (the original Innoventions where the fiber optic walkways were) is mostly being replaced with Journey of Water. That will actually face into World Nature, so it's more that its back is toward the center. But, it's physically where those buildings were. There are also a few random structures along the edge we don't know about. But, there isn't really anything facing the central part in the new Spine. So, the old circle around the fountain is really now 3/4 of a circle.

3. The area with Pin Central and the Fountain of Nations is being transformed into basically a large circle planters area with the Epcot logo in the center. This will (allegedly) have seasonal decor added. There may be a small fountain somewhere, but unknown. Nothing to the scale of Fountain of Nations at all.

4. Dreamers Point is a bit unclear. It looks like it's just a little garden area with some decorative stairs on the south end of SSE's buildings. But, TBD.


Whether all of that is worth the years and $$ is in the eye of the beholder. (This person says ... No... for bias purposes. But trying to be objective reporter here. )

 

[dreday3]

Flower and Garden would be an excellent time to debut Journey of Water.

I realize they said late 2023, but can't hurt to just put that out there in the universe....synergy....

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

The gardens can be screened off as needed. See what's currently going on with SSE's East Side when the East bypass was. To complete the Moana area, you're going to have to shut down the bypass.

Disney has shown they're not worried about funneling guests along thinly decorated construction walls, why would that change now? I would think Ops would want to alleviate how cramped the current eastern path can get, putting less strain on Creations and Connections.

Here's what I'm talking about on the spine plan. Again just my hunch based on what they've said and what's left to complete:
Nov/Dec 22 - Green
Jan/Feb 23 - Blue
Spring 23 - Red
Oct/Nov 23 - Yellow
View attachment 666784
The biggest question mark is the SW quad of the core. Would they open that up with the other gardens or keep it roped off as a staging area for Commuicore Hall? I think the latter.

What's the point of opening only the green area (Dreamers Point) and have Walt sitting there staring at all the construction? I think the image of that would be bad. Walt dreaming about an Epcot that wasn't a mess for all these years. All the bloggers and vloggers will come out to take pictures of the new statue looking at a wall.

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

Flower and Garden would be an excellent time to debut Journey of Water.

I realize they said late 2023, but can't hurt to just put that out there in the universe....synergy....

No, no, no ... Guardians opened in 2022, Tron will open in 2023. They'll hold Journey of Water till 2024. Can't have too many things opening in the same year. /s

 

[Horizonsfan]

What's the point of opening only the green area (Dreamers Point) and have Walt sitting there staring at all the construction? I think the image of that would be bad. Walt dreaming about an Epcot that wasn't a mess for all these years. All the bloggers and vloggers will come out to take pictures of the new statue looking at a wall.

I already said I don’t think they would open the portion where the Walt Statue will be in that phase. The green area would just be pavement and landscape beds.

Based on that underlying plan, the Walt Statue and steps appear to be just south, in the northern most part of the red area.