Land Change
For this Armchair Imagineer, the ride and queue area has been enveloped into Adventureland, with Frontierland now snaking from CarsLand to Big Thunder. The bridge overlooking the ride is now lined with palm trees and sand. The stone fences have been replaced with bamboo fences.
Critter Co-Op -
COO has been rethemed to “The Navigator’s Nook”, an old beach merchant’s hut carved out of the volcanic rock on the island.
Mountain/Salt Dome
The mountain has been painted darker shades of black and brown to better resemble volcanic rock. The entire structure is covered in more lush tropical plants, as opposed to the mossy swampy plants of Bayou. Bright purple and pink flowers reminiscent of Moana’s crown have been added to the mountain. The Tiana’s Food water tower has been removed.
Queue
Much like the bridge, the queue is lined with bamboo fences. Tropical music plays overhead as we make our way into the barn, which has been repainted to look as if it's built of oceanic wood as opposed to the more rustic wood of Splash and Tiana’s.
Inside the barn, we find the village’s various supplies on the first floor, similar to Splash’s grain sacks and farm equipment. The second floor brings us to a rethemed Tiana’s kitchen, now a Motunui welcome center, which has been hastily put together by the residents of the island.
Reaching the cave, we find that it has also been converted into a shrine to Moana and Maui, and caveman style paintings line the walls, detailing various adventures the two have been on. As we get closer to the logs, we find that we’re travelling through a mist, which will bring us back to the time of Maui and Moana (the ride is set years after the two depart the island).
Ride
Departing the station, we find signs on either side of us, telling us to “turn back” and “Danger waits on the shores ahead”. A final sign at the top of the first lift hill points us to “Mauna Pilikia” which means “Mountain of Peril”.
As we round the pond, we see a smashed boat of some previous sailor, and a strange fog envelops the area. Coming to the mill, which has been redressed like the barn, we encounter Moana sitting on a log holding out her hand, where a jet of water dances and speaks to her. The water warns her of various dangers that await on her journey. Moana, however, laughs off the danger claiming since she's a wayfinder, she’ll handle anything.
The upper loop now features the song “How Far I’ll Go” as we sail past various sandy beaches and huts. Where Lari the Armadillo is now, HeiHei stands with his head stuck in a coconut as Pau laughs at him.
Approaching the first drop, a dense fog covers the river and we hear Moana, Pau, and Hei Hei reacting as they lose control of the boat and we drop down slipping falls.
Daylight hits us as we enter the show building. A tropical jungle waits as we make the first turn away from the ocean on the left. Where the fishing geese were, we find Moana’s boat flipped onto a shore. Moana stands a little ways down the river, where Tiana and the Zydeco band is now, comforting a terrified Hei Hei.
MOANA: OK, Ok, I know that was a little scary, but remember guys, wayfinder. I’ve got this
Where Brer Porcupine and Raccoon were, a stone statue of Maui stands among other statues. As our boat passes, the eyes on the statue shift before winking, revealing it’s none other than Maui himself. On a screen where the sweeping bunnies were, Moana can be seen crossing a patch of jungle as Maui peers out from a bush.
Rounding the corner, Moana and Maui stand where Tiana and Louis with the Rara band are now. Moana says she needs to find her way back home, only for Maui to laugh and say he’ll handle it, and that we’re welcome.
Across the river, Hei Hei now has his head stuck in a shell, with the crab still attached as Pau attempts to pull it off his head.
Travelling further through the jungle, we pass a shack where the snoring Rufus/Br’er Bear sound effect is reused, in a little nod to Splash. On the other side of the river, various critters play a version of “You’re Welcome” with shells acting as drums, trumpets, whatever else…
At the top of the dip-drop, Maui appears on a screen where Mama Odie is now, with an animatronic Moana standing on the edge of the bank, looking up at him.
MAUI: Alright, alright. Ready to go home? CHEEEE--HAAAAAA!
A dazzling light flashes on us as we plunge down the dip-drop, simulating Maui’s spell. When we reach the bottom, we find that the cavern is now full of…giant crabs, octopus, ect… Maui has shrunk us to the size of a frog by accident. Moana stands with her arms crossed, talking to a now giant Maui on a screen.
MOANA: I thought you were sending us home!!
MAUI: Hey, hey, hey, is it my fault the two spells are similar?
MOANA: You’re the demigod here!
MAUI: Now look, I know you’re upset, but I didn’t write the spells! I just recite ‘em! Now, this one should do the trick….
Maui performs another spell and we slide down into the former Laughin’ Place, and learn why this is called the “Mountain of Peril”.
MAUI: (VO) Ah, right. This…is not home. This….is the Mountain of Peril. Whoopsie.
Geysers of lava burst out from the floor, as tiki creatures and heads chant at us from every angle. One of them wipes their mouth with the boat of a sail, as its companion takes a big bite out of another boat like a sandwich. As we reach the bottom of the lift hill, Moana appears on a screen where Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit were.
MOANA: Wait, the water! That’s right! Maybe I can use my wayfinding skills to make it show us the way out!
The lift hill begins carrying us up and we see the water coming to life to guide us out of the lava realm. THe music changes to “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” At the top, Maui and Moana (Back to full size) stand where Mama Odie was.
MAUI: Alright, we’re almost out, but we’ve gotta Chee-Hoo it.
MOANA: Chee-Hoo?
MAUI: Yeup. Ancient language for “Dive off the cliff to escape the horrible lava creatures”
MOANA: WHAT?!!
Maui can be heard yelling CHEEEE HOOOOO as we plunge down the mountain, splashing down to safety in the sandy shores below.
Re-entering the show building, we find ourselves in the village center, where everybody is celebrating Moana being the first person to return from the Mountain of Peril. Where Brer Fox and the gator were, Hei Hei once again has his head stuck in something. This time it’s a tiny tiki mask like the ones that followed us earlier.
Moana and Maui stand where Brer Rabbit was and banter about the adventure, and we return to the station and disembark. The story is over, and on the walls leading to Splashdown photos is a new mural depicting the attraction.