While there's no shortage of things to see when you visit a Walt Disney (DIS) park, the "happiest place" on Earth is always working on something new behind the scenes to thrill and/or delight its guests.
Disney has begun work on quite a few upcoming projects for new rides and experiences over the last few years. One of those changes is converting Splash Mountain into a new "The Princess and The Frog"-themed ride called Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which is slated to open in 2024.
The Magic Kingdom will also get a new ride themed after the 1982 sci-fi film "Tron" -- and it's a rollercoaster! Called Lightcycle/Run, the ride is the second of its kind (the first is in Disneyland Shanghai). It's being created in honor of "Tron's" 40th anniversary and will be in Tomorrowland.
Finally, there are also big changes at Epcot coming, with a "Moana"-themed attraction on the way called Journey of Water. The concept art Disney has shown for the walk-through attraction so far puts heavy emphasis on greenery and lush gardens, and Disney promises that guests will also be able to interact with "living water," a phrase that seems quite serious indeed.
Now Disney has revealed some new details and photos about the experience, and the glimpse looks very promising.
Building Moana's Journey of Water
Disney's new images show Imagineers hard at work creating the atmosphere of Journey of Water, giving us a peek at some of the art in progress. The announcement also sheds some light on that mysterious phrase "living water."
"Designed for all ages, Journey of Water will allow guests to explore and engage with water as it travels from our skies to our oceans and back again," it says. "Walt Disney Imagineering partnered with artists and cultural consultants from Walt Disney Animation Studios to bring this experience to life, and our team tasked themselves with capturing the beauty of the natural water cycle within the attraction...We are excited for guests to learn about the importance of water and experience its playful personality just as she [Moana] did."
Disney describes Moana's fierce determination to protect her environment as inspiration for the attraction, calling her bond with water "unique."
Disney
How a Disney Attraction Comes Together
Disney describes the detailed process it goes through in creating a new ride or attraction, explaining how Imagineers create models, maquettes, and mock-ups to flesh out the ideas they wish to create. In the photo above, Principal Dimensional Designer Jim Towler is sculpting a foam maquette of Moana, which will appear in Journey of Water once it is completed.
"This gives you a glimpse into the earliest stages of our design process, before paint and additional details have been added. Once the pose of the character is defined, sculptors add detail and texture until the emotional expression of the carving is just right. We then do a paint study and often create full-scale samples to test final materials and carving techniques. This process ensures the production and creative vision for the experience align," Disney explained via its Disney Parks Blog.
Disney has yet to announce a formal opening date for Journey of Water.
