Disclosure: I attended a special film screening as a member of the press. All opinions are completely my own.
How could I resist the opportunity to show the kids how Disney goes all out for new movies? A fantastic Polynesian themed dinner, followed up with a tour of the new Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, then we finished with the special Moana screening on the beach and we were able to watch the Disney fireworks before we headed back home. What a magical night for everyone!
Disney’s Moana in theaters everywhere today!
This past weekend I took the family to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort so that we could watch Moana on the beach, under the stars. Starting with a delicious dinner at Spirit of Aloha that included chicken, sweet potatoes with bok choy and plantains, fried rice, and more. The kids were excited that there was mac n’ cheese and chicken nuggets. You know, it doesn’t take much to make them happy. 😉
It was all delicious and dessert was awesome. Vanilla ice cream with grilled pineapple, decadent chocolate cake, and even a passion fruit/coconut concoction.
Moana
After dinner, we had a couple of special guests stop by to chat. The first being Moana, herself. My daughter took one look and was ready to stand in line to meet her. She loves Disney princesses so the fact that Disney’s newest female character was there thrilled my six year old and she wanted to talk with her. Moana mentioned how much she loved my daughter’s hair, so needless to say Moana is now her favorite.
Jared Bush
My daughter and I also had the chance to speak with screen writer Jared Bush about Zootopia and Moana. He and Delaney had a conversation about favorite Zootopia characters. When talking about Moana he spoke about how much work went into the film and how much time went in to the making the film. He was really excited for us to watch it.
Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Next, were off to tour the new Polynesian Village Resort Bungalows. Get my inside look here.
My Review of Disney’s Moana
Are you ready for my review of Moana? Of course you are.
First, I have to tell you how epic it was to watch Moana on the beach at the Polynesian Village Resort, under the stars! It was chilly for us Floridians, but the staff shared warm towels with everyone at the screening. I sat with my family, in front of the big screen, with our coffee and popcorn. Okay, coffee for me – popcorn for everyone else.
We were transfixed from the moment the movie started. The music is absolutely stunning and perfect. Beautiful and catchy lyrics that will have us singing the tunes for quite a while. The music is what originally pulled me in, but the animation and story line kept me there.
We watch this young girl, Moana come into her own and grow. She’s not a princess and I don’t think the story would be quite the same if she was one. She’s headstrong and passionate. Maui is the demi-god and I absolutely adore this character. He gives as good as he gets and somewhere in there he has a heart. Together they must conquer the evil to save the islands. That’s as much of the story line as I’ll give you. I truly think that you’ll appreciate Disney’s newest story more if you watch it unfold for yourself because everything isn’t always as it seems. Especially with Disney!
After the film my children immediately wanted to know when we could buy the DVD. Seeing as it didn’t come out until today, I had to break it to them gently that it would be a few months before it will be in stores. But, good news is we can go to the theaters and watch it again and again.
The emotional aspect of this film, paired with the music, make it absolutely outstanding. My husband recommended Moana, saying “this is the best Disney film since Aladdin”. I agree that this film evoked some of the same feelings as Aladdin and I felt myself caring about these animated characters. Just as with any beautiful Disney animation, I think that Moana will become a timeless classic. Both heartwarming and funny, the characters and the music will stay with you long after the movie ends.
Now, where do I get a pet chicken like Hei Hei?
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