Brand-New Moana Meet and Greet Coming to EPCOT Next Month

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Te Fiti at EPCOT's Journey of Water Inspired by 'Moana'

Credit: Walt Disney Imagineering

The news keeps coming from the Destination D23 event in Walt Disney World, including several meet and greet announcements.

EPCOT is the host park for Disney World’s Disney100 celebrations, and it’s been given tons of character announcements already. The long-awaited Figment meet and greet is finally coming to the park tomorrow, after months of silence and doubt from fans. Asha from Disney’s upcoming animated Wish will be coming to the park sometime later this year as well.

dwayne johnson as maui in moana singing you're welcome by lin-manuel miranda
Credit: Disney

It’s also been officially announced that Journey of Water Inspired by Moana will be open to guests on October 16, after years of delays. The experience has been rolling out cast member and Annual Passholder previews over the last few weeks but guests can expect to be able to walk the attraction themselves next month.

In addition to the experience finally opening, it was announced that Moana herself will be available to meet and greet with guests near the Journey of Water area. This will mark the first time Moana will have a permanent meet and greet location, as she previously replaced Pocahontas’s meet and greet area at Animal Kingdom and had a brief stay at Hollywood Studios.

Rumors have been running wild for the past year that a Moana-inspired area would be replacing Dinoland U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom, to much outrage and confusion as fans argued that she didn’t necessarily belong in the park. Earlier today, it was announced that the area would instead be facing a “tropical Americas” retheme, incorporating Encanto (2021) and Indiana Jones. Considering Moana’s meeting location at Animal Kingdom was right outside the Dinoland area, it would make sense if the park removes her character spot in favor of the permanent location at EPCOT instead.

Concept art for the all-new area coming to Animal Kingdom inspired by Encanto and Indiana Jones
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Starting in October when the Journey of Water attraction opens, guests can find Moana near the towering Te Fiti statue and playful water exhibits.

Are you excited for Moana to get a more permanent meet and greet location at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!

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