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Disney Just Shared Big News for ‘Moana’ Fans! Here’s How It Could Impact the Parks

Moana
Credit: Disney

Moana (2016) has been the center of several new developments around the Walt Disney World Resort for several years now, and in the latest update, the company has announced a brand-new experience you might not have expected…

Moana

Credit: Disney

RELATED: New Behind the Scenes Footage Shows Details of Disney’s New ‘Moana’ Attraction

The film is the focus of the upcoming EPCOT attraction, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, which is set to open later this year. The walk-through attraction, located in the Park’s World Nature neighborhood, will share an educational look at the journey water takes as it moves through our world, enhanced with theming from Moana. Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, is also the last piece of EPCOT’s major reimagining project (and Guests will surely be excited to visit the Park again without all of its current construction walls.)

In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Moana will soon make her debut at a new character meet-and-greet location on Discovery Island. The upcoming character experience will be part of this year’s Earth Month programming (and part of the Park’s 25th-anniversary celebration.)

Disney’s latest Moana news, however, spans beyond the theme parks.

Moana Disney's Animal Kingdom

Credit: Disney

RELATED: Everything We Know So Far About Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 25th Anniversary

During today’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders meeting hosted by the Walt Disney Company, CEO Bob Iger shared a message from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson regarding the future of Moana.

Joining the call from Hawaii, the wrestler-turned-actor, and voice of Maui in Moana, shared that a live-action reimagining of the film is in the works. Few other details are known so far, except that The Rock will be reprising his role as Maui the demi-god, and the new film will once again star Auli’i Cravalho, who voices Moana in the 2016 film.

Disney also shared video of the official announcement to Twitter:

What could the new Moana movie mean for Disney Parks?

Well, it’s too soon to say, but we have some speculations… First, it would not be surprising to see more of Moana at Walt Disney World with a new movie in the works. With the EPCOT attraction opening this year, and Moana making her Animal Kingdom debut later this month, fans might be wondering if we will see more of the film and its characters.

During last year’s D23 Expo, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Josh D’Amaro shared some “blue sky” ideas for possible replacements for DinoLand U.S.A. While none of these concepts have been greenlit, the two ideas shown at the Expo used Zootopia (2016) and Moana as potential replacements for the land.

When it comes to the Parks, we’re also considering the current state of DinoLand. No replacements have been announced since Primeval Whirl permanently closed, leaving one section of the land feeling a little empty, and DinoLand has been left out of the 25th-anniversary specials coming this month. All of this, combined with a new Moana movie in the works, certainly makes us wonder if one of those ideas from D23 will move beyond the conceptual phase.

Of course, this is only speculation until Disney confirms any updates to the theme park. In the meantime, we look forward to sharing more about the live-action Moana as more information is available here on Disney Tips.

About Brittany DiCologero

Brittany is a New England-based writer focused on the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. She is the author of "Red, White, and Disney: The Myths and Reality of American History at the Walt Disney World Resort," and "Brittany Earns Her Ears."