Ever since the very first sneak peak of Moana, I have been so excited to see it. Actually, excited is an understatement. I mean, come on-a Polynesian princess? How amazing is that? I would have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED to have a Disney princess that looked like me when I was growing up. When I saw that they were making Moana, I was so excited for my daughters. 
See what I mean? A princess that looks like you! She was jumping with excitement and if we had 5 Moana costumes, I can promise you, they would have all worn them…
A little something about our family. We are Disney fanatics. We really do hold a special place in our heart for all things Disney and Disney movies are at the top of the list. Last week we had the opportunity to see a sneak peak of Moana and I walked away with a smile on my face and a full, happy heart. As we waited in the theater full of anticipation I was hoping with all my might that it would be good, especially because there has been so much controversy about the look of Maui and cultural appropriation, which is very important and I do understand the point of view of those who had concerns, but we were there to enjoy this Disney movie and once it started I was overwhelmed with anticipation and joy and was not disappointed. The theater was full of laughter and enthusiasm throughout the entire movie.
I was able to go with my family, my sisters, nephews, niece, my parents and a friends daughter who is like family to us and we have all been talking about it ever since. Being able see it with all of them was actually a special experience in itself. Watching a Disney movie that we were all looking forward to and seeing the culture of the pacific islands and the meaning of family made the night even more memorable.
Without giving any spoilers I just wanted to say that there were a few parts that brought tears to my eyes. And I wasn’t the only one. My sisters, our husbands, and even my dad had tears in theirs. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Something about seeing the Polynesian culture portrayed through a Disney cartoon and on the big screen was magical. I have always loved my Samoan culture, but my true love and appreciation for it came when I was 18 years old. I moved away from my family in Utah to begin a new chapter in my life to Hawaii and attended college at BYU-Hawaii. I worked as a dancer at the Polynesian Cultural Center and it is there where I really learned about who I was and where my ancestors came from. My love for all of the pacific islands grew as I met friends from all over the South Pacific. To see bits of each island represented it the movie was breathtaking. My oldest daughter summed it up perfectly while we were driving home as she exclaimed “It made me feel proud to be Polynesian”.
The story line was fun and interesting, the music was touching and heartfelt. The Moana soundtrack can be pre-ordered today
The Moana original motion picture soundtrack features 14 tracks and will be available wherever music is sold and streamed on Nov. 18, 2016. The Moana two-disc deluxe edition and the digital deluxe edition soundtrack, which are also available Nov. 18, feature additional tracks including demos, outtakes and instrumental karaoke tracks. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like them on Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow them at Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic/.
Here is one of my favorite songs and clips…
Seriously guys, when this actual scene came on (which is a little different) I honestly cried. I felt like I was watching my babies play in the ocean. There were actually many scenes where I felt like I saw them, saw my husband and brothers, my dad, my grandmother. It was awesome! With that being said, here is a little more about the story of Moana…
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, “Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.
Check out the trailer here:
Here is also a clip of a look at the stunning realization of the original song “We Know the Way.” Written and performed by Opetaia Foa‘i and Lin-Manuel Miranda, “We Know the Way” showcases the rich and vibrant voyaging life of Moana’s ancestors.
Now to some fun stuff for you to get your family and littles even more excited to see the movie. Some FREE PRINTABLE coloring sheets. Just RIGHT click and save to your computer and print off whenever you want to. How fun are these?
And take a look at all of these awesome characters that you will become big fans of.
Our family loved it and we will be going back to see it again Thanksgiving weekend and we cannot wait. Enjoy some time with your family and go and see it. I know we will be going back and I know that this will be part of our Disney collection and favorites for years to come. Disney MOANA arrives in theaters everywhere on November 23rd!
Like MOANA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disneymoana
Follow MOANA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneymoana
Follow Disney Animation on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneyanimation/
Visit Disney Animation on Tumblr: http://disneyanimation.tumblr.com/
Visit the official MOANA website here: http://movies.disney.com/moana
I’m even more excited to see it now.
I hope you enjoy it. We really did love it and can’t wait to go back this Thanksgiving weekend!
Thank you for your wonderful review! I attended BYU-HC (mainland haole girl) and grew to love my Samoan roommate and how many cousins she had on campus! I am now looking forward to this movie even more!
I hope you enjoy it. When were you at BYU-H? I was there ’97-’99.
So awesome so excited thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for visiting. Come back often.