“Moana,” the latest from Walt Disney Animation Studios, continues its string of contemporary theatrical animation hits featuring Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning songs by Broadway composers.

The list of Disney animated features of the past 30 years that are, in essence, animated musicals includes: “The Little Mermaid” (1989; Alan Menken, music; Howard Ashman, lyrics), “Beauty and the Beast” 1989; Alan Menken, music; Howard Ashman, lyrics), “Aladdin” (1992, Alan Menken, music; Tim Rice, Howard Ashman, lyrics), “The Lion King” (1994; Elton John, music; Tim Rice, lyrics), “Pocahontas” (1995; Alan Menken, music; Stephen Schwartz, lyrics), “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996; Alan Menken, music; Stephen Schwartz, lyrics), “Hercules” (1997; Alan Menken, music; David Zippel, lyrics), “Mulan” (1998; Matthew Wilder, music; David Zippel, lyrics), “Tangled” (2010; Alan Menken, music; Glenn Slater, lyrics), and “Frozen” (2013; Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, music and lyrics).

For its animated feature films, Disney often enlists composers and lyricists fresh off successful Broadway shows. For “Moana,” it’s original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway’s “In The Heights,” “Hamilton”). Miranda’s songs in “Moana” include the potential Oscar nominee, ”You’re Welcome,” as well as “How Far I’ll Go,” “We Know The Way,” “Know Who You Are,” “I Am Moana (Song Of The Ancestors)” and “Shiny.”

“Moana” (Polynesian for ocean) includes the songs, “An Innocent Warrior,” “Tulou Tagaloa” and “Logo Te Pate,” the latter two sung in the Tokelauan language from the South Pacific island of Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, and written by Opetaia Foa’i, who leads Te Vaka, a group of 11 musicians and dancers from Tokelau, Tuvalu, Samoa, Cook Islands and New Zealand.

The songs are the emotional high points of “Moana,” which has a rather routine plot in the screenplay by Jared Bush (“Zootopia,” 2016) that seems to have been assembled in a writers’ room, with seven story credits: Ron Clements, John Musker, Chris Williams, Don Hall, Pamela Ribon, Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell.

There’s a committee of directors, too: Ron Clements and John Musker (who ushered in the modern era of Disney animation features, going back to directing “The Little Mermaid” and “The Great Mouse Detective,” 1986) and co-directors Don Hall (“Big Hero 6,” 2014) and Chris Williams (“Big Hero 6,” “Bolt,” 2008).

The sketchy storyline is set in Ancient Polynesia where a curse promulgated by Maui (the character, not the island, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a Freedom High School, Bethlehem, graduate, who is of Polynesian, specifically, Samoan, descent) affects the island where Moana (Auli’i Cravalho, a Hawaiian actress in her big-screen vocal work debut), the chief’s daughter, lives. Crops are withering. Fish are disappearing.

Moana sets forth on a quest to seek out Maui, a “demigod” whose life story is tattooed on his Hulk-like body (get ready for long lines at the Main Street U.S.A. Disneyland tattoo parlors). It seems Moana stole the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The plot is said to be based on Polynesian mythology.

Johnson is in fine voice as Maui. The animators capture Johnson’s antic spirit. Johnson even sings a song, “You’re Welcome.” While not exactly as headline-making as “Garbo laughs” (“Ninotchka,” 1939), Johnson acquits himself quite well.

Supporting characters are clever and cute: Grandma Tala (Rachel House), Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison), Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement), Sina (Nicole Scherzinger) and Heihei (Alan Tudyk), Moana’s pet chicken that scratches up laughter in every scene it’s in.

Moana’s and Maui’s journey to the goddess, Te Fiti, is replete with fierce battles with the likes of a lava-like fire god, Te Ka, as well as with silly but menacing pirates, the Kakamora (who resemble deranged coconuts brought to life).

The computer-generated animation and special effects is spectacular throughout. It’s also very detailed, lush and gorgeous.

“Moana” was seen in 3D for this review. However, there are not enough 3D effects to justify the premium price.

“Moana” should please parents and children alike. It’s another contemporary Disney animation classic. Look for multiple Oscar nominations.

“Moana” is preceded by the animation short, “Inner Workings,” a less interesting version of the animated feature, “Inside Out” (2015), that includes a male urinal scene that parents may find offensive (for that matter, “Moana” has a double entendre reference to urination).

”Moana,”MPAA rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested. Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children.) for peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements; Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical; Run time: 1 hr., 43 mins.; Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:Stay to the very, very, very end of “Moana” for a funny animated scene of Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement), the giant crab character, who jokingly references Sebastian in “The Little Mermaid.” There are credits for the “Hair Tech Team” and the “Water Tech Team.” Members of The Oceanic Story Trust are also credited.

Box Office,Dec. 2: “Moana,” starring the voice talents of Freedom High School graduate Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, continued at No. 1 two weeks in a row with $28.3 million, $119.8 million, two weeks, as “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” continued at No. 2, with $18.5 million, $183.5 million, three weeks, and “Arrival” moved up two notches to No. 3, with $7.3 million, $73 million, four weeks;

4. “Allied,” $7.1 million, $28.9 million, two weeks; 5. “Doctor Strange,” $6.4 million, $215.3 million, five weeks; 6. “Trolls,” $4.6 million, $141.3 million, five weeks; 7. “Hacksaw Ridge,” moved up two spots, $3.4 million, $57.2 million, five weeks; 8. “Bad Santa 2,” $3.2 million, $14.2 million, two weeks; 9. “Incarnate,” opening; 10. “Almost Christmas,” $2.5 million, $38.1 million, four weeks.

Unreel,Dec. 9:

“La La Land,”PG-13: Damien Chazelle directs Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Amiée Conn and Terry Walters in the musical comedy about a jazz pianist in love with an actress in Hollywood.

“Office Christmas Party,”R: Josh Gordon and Will Speck direct Kate McKinnon, Olivia Munn, Jamie Chung and Jennifer Aniston in the comedy about an office Christmas party to end all office Christmas parties.

“Miss Sloane,”R: John Madden directs Jessica Chastain, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, John Lithgow and Michael Stuhlbarg in the thriller about a Washington, D.C., political power-broker who wants to win at all costs.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes