Moana is the Next Frozen: See It With Your Family Today!

My family has been waiting to see Moana since we first heard about it. It released while we were in Disney World on vacation and our plan was to go see it at Disney Springs. Well, I was lucky enough to be invited to a special early showing of it at the Polynesean Resort. There was a delicious buffet – and we even got to meet Moana herself as well as Jared Bush, the screenwriter for Moana. It was a magical night, even though it was a rare chilly one in Florida. We were all huddled in towels on the beach, but the time flew by! Moana is an amazing film for the whole family, and I urge you to go see it in theaters.

While talking with Jared Bush I learned that Moana took about 5 years and 800 animators to make. That seems like such a long time – but it was well worth it because the final product is incredible. There are some Easter Eggs to keep an eye out for (look for Sven from Frozen!) like many Disney movies have. Jared told us that the voice of Moana (Auli‘i Cravalho)’s mom even has a line in the film. Listen for the woman in the village saying “She’s doing great.” to the Chief – that’s her!

Hei Hei was a family favorite – and provides a lot of comic relief in the film. He is Moana’s chicken and is hilarious. The girls still talk about all the funny things that he did (and so does my husband). Maui also provided a lot of comedy, and Duane Johnson was the perfect pick to voice him. I am still singing “You’re Welcome” which is one of the songs that he sings.

Like most families of little girls, Frozen has been a major influence in our household. We still sing Let It Go on a weekly basis and my girls ask to be called Elsa and Anna just as often. But in just the last few days since we have seen Moana, they have been asking to be called Moana. We were lucky enough to be at Disney World for a few more days following our viewing and so of course, there is Moana merchandise in several of the shops. I think we know a few things that will be under the tree this year because the girls have been begging for them. I am telling you, Moana is the next Frozen. The music, the characters, the story – they are all amazing! We all really enjoyed the movie, and like all Disney movies, there is an important lesson to be learned – be who you are. Moana is NOT the new Disney Princess, but she IS the latest Disney Hero.

Synopsis
Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows exactly why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”), produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”), and featuring music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa‘i.

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Moana is in theaters everywhere now!

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