Disney's latest animated feature, Encanto, features a nod to Moana that's even better than merely a fun Easter egg. In fact, there's a surprisingly large number of Disney Easter eggs in Encanto, with references to everything from Hercules to Wall-E. But a subtle allusion to Moana, while less obvious than others, is actually pretty deep and significant.
Encanto is in many ways a continuation of Disney's long legacy of creating feel-good musical animated features for kids. Of course, it also has some notable distinctions, such as being one of few Disney movies set in Latin America and the first to represent real-life Colombia. The beauty of Encanto is how it marries fresh story concepts with Disney's existing strengths, such as heartwarming relationships, stellar music, and colorful animation. Because it is part of this longstanding legacy, it makes sense that Encanto is full of references to other Disney movies, which is itself a trick the studio is known for.
Encanto's Moana Easter egg is especially significant because it's not only a fun moment but also draws attention to the deeper meaningful parallels between the two films. It's a particularly subtle reference, with Camilo sharing one joking line with Maui: "Worth a shot." But by linking Encanto and Moana together, the allusion emphasizes something much bigger, which is Disney's recent trend of representing more diverse and authentic storylines and cultures.
Both Moana and Encanto, along with Raya and the Last Dragon, are examples of a new Disney storytelling practice: forming story trusts specific to the places and cultures featured in the films. Moana's Oceanic Story Trust was the first of its kind and Encanto followed suit with its Colombian Cultural Trust. Along with having a fun and uplifting story, Encanto's real-life Colombian influences are what make it such a strong film, which is similarly part of why Moana was so successful. Camilo and Maui's shared joke may not reference this behind-the-scenes Disney progress directly, but it's hard not to notice the similarity when comparing the two movies together.
Likewise, Moana and Encanto's storylines are rather similar, with their respective female heroes assuming responsibility for their families and going on journeys to discover more about their heritage. Moana and Mirabel both face family pressures they don't feel they can live up to, but both succeed in discovering ways to combine their unique strengths with their duties and bring positive change to their homes. What's more, they continue with the recent, better Disney princess tradition of letting heroines have their own stories without love interests. Mirabel may stay within her house while Moana voyages across the ocean, but their two movies share a powerful story arc that's a significant departure from some of the Disney classics.
Ultimately, Moana and Encanto are strikingly similar in how they handle cultural representation and character growth, both of which are part of positive new trends in the Disney tradition. Thus, while Encanto features plenty of Easter eggs looping in previous films, the subtle Moana reference is even better than it seems and could be one of the most significant. Hopefully, future Disney movies will join the ranks of Moana, Encanto, and Raya and the Last Dragon, which are gradually changing how childrens' animated movies are conceived.