Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana – Photos and Video at Sunset and Night

Hi everyone!

Back in July, we were invited by our friends Andy and Leah to preview Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana at a Cast Member play test in EPCOT. Our reservation time was at sunset and the walk-through is simply magical at night. While there is no opening date announced while I type this, it shouldn’t be too long from now.

First, here is our 20 minute video walk-through. Everything is a spoiler here. If you are looking to be surprised when visiting, don’t read or watch our video. Jeff did a wonderful job with the walk-through video.

When we entered Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, it was still light out at sunset. These photos aren’t 100% in order but I tried to be close. These 65 photos are culled down from about 1000 we took.

Guests can get wet but you don’t have to. On this particular evening, I took the wet path but didn’t get wet much except accidentally.

The experience is for everyone! And I personally think this area will be busier during the day as many guests tend to be in World Showcase at night.

There is a sign telling guests no food or beverages in the interactive water feature wet deck (commercially bottled water is allowed), don’t swallow the fountain water and other information.

Jeff and I posed with our friends Andy and Leah in front of the rock with the Heart of Te Fiti. It was wonderful to catch up with them.

There was a perfect amount of mist. We have seen it during previews where the mist was being pumped out pretty heavily and covered the rock.

Spaceship Earth can be seen in the background.

This is what I mean by spoilers. There are wonderful formations in the rocks that are based on characters and objects. I have shown you Tamatoa previously, who is visible from the monorail (as are the Kakamora but they are smaller and a little harder to photograph).

There are also a few characters/objects that I know I missed. I will photograph them next time I am inside.

Te Fiti can be seen in the rocks.

You can see her here to the right in the rocks. It is easy to miss some of the characters, including Te Fiti.

Signs can be found throughout the water attraction. This one talks about Rain and how it “invites us to play and relax”.

Another sign tells guests not to drink the water as it is collected and recirculated.

And this sign talks about Watershed Protection.

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is a more sustainable experience.

Guests can touch ‘strings’ of water and hear beautiful sounds. This reminds me so much of the former version of ImageWorks at the Imagination pavilion.

You can see the effects in our video and how it sounds.

There are some benches to sit on in the attraction.

Guests can stand on the spot and wave to the stream.

There weren’t too many guests here at the moment but a couple of them were waving.

Wetland talks about “growing plants that offer food and a home to water-loving animals”.

There are signs for a restroom. I will show that later, but there is just one restroom. I would recommend using one before entering the attraction.

It was getting darker as we made our way through the attraction.

Stream talks about how a small stream heads downhill toward the ocean, with more water joining it along the way.

Guests can take the dry path, I took the wet path.

Please stay on the path and keep water clean.

Heihei is in the rocks here.

His footprints are nearby.

There are beautiful streams and waterfalls in the attraction.

Spring is the next location.

Guests can hold out their arm and the water will follow their hand up and down.

While we were walking, I noticed Pua. He is easy to miss!

Here is a different angle.

There is a waterfall (I call it a water curtain) that opens up for guests as they walk slowly through it.

Jeff walks through it and it opens. Leah is in the background.

I walked through it slowly several times but then quickly once and it didn’t open in time. I got really wet!

A sign points to the restroom.

Unless I missed something, this is it for the restroom.

Te Fiti can be seen with her hands outstretched as water playfully moves toward them. This angle gives a look at Spaceship Earth in frame too. The lighting is gorgeous.

Here are a couple of close-ups.

We posed in front of her. My hair was soaked from going through the water curtain too fast.

Another sign is for River.

Moving on, there is a water play area.

The Kakamora are in rocks.

I mentioned that we had photographed Tamotoa from the monorail. Here you can see him up close.

 

Moana is in the rock formation at the end. And I almost missed her! It really is easy to walk by the rocks and not notice who and what is in them if you aren’t looking.

 

  

This sign is for Land.

Spaceship Earth can be seen from a number of locations.

Water jumps above guests.

Ocean is our friend.

Guests stand on this marker.

And they work together to celebrate water.

We had a wonderful time at Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. I expect to add at least a few more photos to this article as I discover pictures in the 1000+ we took. And the sign has been placed in the last couple of days and we will photograph it when we have a chance.

Thank you to Andy and Leah for inviting us, it was a wonderful evening. We really enjoyed going through Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana and look forward to visiting it again when it officially opens.