Disney sheds light on Journey of Water Inspired by Moana participation in Extended Theme Park Hours and Early Entry

Sep 12, 2023 in "Journey of Water Inspired by Moana"

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Journey of Water Inspired by Moana overview

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Posted: Tuesday September 12, 2023 10:18am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has confirmed that the new Journey of Water Inspired by Moana at EPCOT will be included in both Extended Evening Hours and Early Entry when it officially opens on October 16, 2023.

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana overview

Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests will be able to experience Journey of Water Inspired by Moana every day from 8:30 am, 30 minutes before it opens to day guests at 9 am.

Deluxe hotel guests can see the attraction after dark from 9 pm to 11 pm on days when Extended Evening Hours is offered at EPCOT.

Find our more about the new attraction with our in-depth look at EPCOT's Journey of Water Inspired by Moana.

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana overview

Walt Disney World Extended Evening Hours Participating Hotels

Disney Deluxe Resorts

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
Disney's Beach Club Villas
Disney's BoardWalk Villas
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Other Select Hotels

Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
Shades of Green on Walt Disney World

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JayspencyNov 12, 2024

So they could turn it into an Apple store

DreamfinderGuyNov 11, 2024

Ultimately they did do an early cancellation with Glidden, that was a five year contract that they ended in four. The West building I believe they did the same since all the exhibits closed at once, including the relatively new IBM Think which was presented by their longest running sponsor. That closed so abruptly because they had plans for the West building that they were going to act on imminently, which would later be canceled.

BocabearNov 11, 2024

I disagree. It would have been a different animal.

James AlucobondNov 11, 2024

You were responding to a comment about Innoventions. Innoventions was a series of interactive exhibits with a variety of sponsors. Now, you have a series of interactive areas themed to Disney programming (the Moana IP) as you suggested. Whether or not water is involved in the exhibits is pretty much irrelevant, but you bring it up endlessly in an attempt to trivialize it for whatever reason. The loss of the building is a legitimate complaint, and we all know CommuniCore Hall is a bust, but your "it's so easy" idea for programming is essentially what happened minus the roof.

bpiperNov 11, 2024

I am surprised that those contracts with the companies were that iron clad that Disney couldn't end them early, instead of waiting years for the last one to expire while the building just got more vacant as time went by. The last few years were very bad show.... But that could be said of a lot of things there now a days. They just don't care anymore on how it looks.

BocabearNov 11, 2024

Not really... at all. The building was razed.... They built a Water play and exploration trail. They built another building with some meet and greets that look like a bust and truck tour of Disney on Ice.... and a "flex space"...

James AlucobondNov 11, 2024

That’s literally exactly what they did minus the indoor part.

DreamfinderGuyNov 11, 2024

Disney wanted the space back to use for themselves

BocabearNov 11, 2024

they didn't try hard enough? They could have easily programmed that space themselves as a Disney attraction... It could have been an amazing indoor character Meet and Greet where the characters all had beautifully detailed settings within an indoor forest setting... Something that could have been a fantastic thematic wow... Making visiting the M&G a lot of fun instead of a long line for just a picture....That space was large enough it could have had all of those settings and a central court area with vending and refreshments....which would have been the cooler place to go in the summer or during storms...they would sell merch and F&B (snack) and would have been a much needed indoor gathering spot...But they would have had to actually design and beautiful indoor environment and not a Marriott Hotel Meeting Room...which it seems is all they are really designing these days....

bpiperNov 11, 2024

Any idea why?

DreamfinderGuyNov 11, 2024

Innoventions never had trouble finding sponsors lol, it died a slow death because Disney stopped accepting new ones and ran out the contracts on the old ones

BocabearNov 11, 2024

We would rarely ever get any of the food in the World Showcase during the food and waine festival and did the Party For The Senses instead where you could actually sit with your food...But years of cuts and changes had really ruined the PFTS...it was not longer a fun special thing, but just a bunch of Disney restaurants providing Tapas for a $150 ticket....

Chef idea Mickey`=Nov 11, 2024

It's an improvement, but for years it was like. It was funny when for Food and Wine debuted they removed some seats inside Detention Hall. 😁

MisterPenguinNov 10, 2024

It still needs improvement, but EPCOT is getting better at non-restaurant seating/tables. Part of the empty expansion pad between Morocco and France now has picnic seating. Same with the waterfronts area in front of America down toward Germany. Morocco now has a nice hole-in-the-wall outdoor lounge into which to bring food. There's a new picnic area on the Rose walkway between Canada and Imagination. The new hub has several seating/table areas, as well as Communicore Hall having indoor seating.