New nighttime show 'Rivers of Light' confirmed to be coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom

[disneygeek90]

The music and floats are great. The projections are hit or miss that needs work. I doubt we get fireworks so people need to kind of accept that isn't a reality. It's a different show. Some won't love it, some do. I think they can find a better middle ground with it. It's not terrible, IMHO. But yeah it could use work. I feel like people are waiting for some big WOW moment and with this kind of show instead of appreciating the beauty of it all.

I agree. It doesn't feel like the show ever has a "climax" or "finale," per say. More so it continues at about the same rate of tempo throughout the entire show. I thought it was nice and the floats were pretty to look at, but I do think there's room for improvement, I'm just not sure as to how.

 

[Jeremy Geertsema]

The album was released today on ITunes as well and you can listen on Spotify!

 

[180º]

The album was released today on ITunes as well and you can listen on Spotify!

Bought it! I now have both released versions in my library, and I've been comparing. It kind of disappoints me that they cut down Parade of the Animal Spirits to tighten up the pacing, but the result I think drains a lot of energy from the original version of that segment.

 

[cjkeating]

I don't know what the solution is, but more pyro, drones, low level fireworks, or anything else are desperately needed.

What else can they add?

The general thought is that pyro/low level fireworks are out, JBAWM had a tiny burst of pyro at the end but it was pointless. Drones are never going to happen based on the current restrictions as Discovery River is too small.

They could add more floats, but they can't get the lanterns to work. They originally had smoke effects but they were cancelled as they weren't effective. More boats with performers? More projection screens?

I think whatever they do - if anything - will have to be cheap, simple and reliable, the show can't absorb even more dollars or have added levels of complexity.

 

[MisterPenguin]

What else can they add?

The general thought is that pyro/low level fireworks are out, JBAWM had a tiny burst of pyro at the end but it was pointless. Drones are never going to happen based on the current restrictions as Discovery River is too small.

They could add more floats, but they can't get the lanterns to work. They originally had smoke effects but they were cancelled as they weren't effective. More boats with performers? More projection screens?

I think whatever they do - if anything - will have to be cheap, simple and reliable, the show can't absorb even more dollars or have added levels of complexity.

Some ideas from upthread...

Let's bullet point what's been said and add to it:

• Get the lanterns working
• Change the narration to be the voices of the shamans, and rewrite that Earth-o-centric part, because, you know, there might be life elsewhere on, you know, Pandora, for example
• more animal animations
  
• Have the shaman ships criss-cross in front of the viewing stands several times so, you know, we can actually see them
• Have the light-up animals also cross in front of the crowds more
• plant walls of bamboo on both sides of background side of the lake so as to have better projections onto them
• build some ruins into the lake so as to have several tall pillars from which the top of said pillars you can shoot the water to create a better water-screen, add fire to them to beef up the fire lotus
  
• Use the small lotus projections more... they're fantastic!

 

[Disney Analyst]

My issue is that they give away all their aces far too early. The finale should showcase an effect or something we haven't seen yet... not just give it all away before the ending and then fizzle out. Add some of those 200 foot water shooters from WOC, to go off right at the finale. Fill all the trees surrounding the lagoon with star strobes and lights that can turn on during the finale, create a wondrous image we haven't seen yet and then end it with a bang. I always mainted that the barges should have looked like lanterns at the beginning and by the end have transformed into fully animated animals.

 

[180º]

My issue is that they give away all their aces far too early. The finale should showcase an effect or something we haven't seen yet... not just give it all away before the ending and then fizzle out. Add some of those 200 foot water shooters from WOC, to go off right at the finale. Fill all the trees surrounding the lagoon with star strobes and lights that can turn on during the finale, create a wondrous image we haven't seen yet and then end it with a bang. I always mainted that the barges should have looked like lanterns at the beginning and by the end have transformed into fully animated animals.

This is exactly what I think the show suffers from. WoC suffers from it too, to be honest.

 

[RSoxNo1]

One suggestion I heard was to launch spider monkeys out of t-shirt cannons. Has Disney considered this yet?

 

[Rteetz]

Simply put, this show isn't very good. The music can potentially hold up to anchor a nighttime show and the floats that move around are cool. But it needs A LOT more. The "finale" is comparable to the Earth Globe opening up with no pyro.

I don't know what the solution is, but more pyro, drones, low level fireworks, or anything else are desperately needed.

I just saw the show for the first time Wednesday. I disagree. It could have some more aspects but I think it fits AK and is good. Is it great and my favorite? No, illuminations continues to be my favorite. AK doesn't need a flashy pyro show.

 

[Cesar R M]

Tigress was back on the hunt tonight!

I see, but I was specifically talking about the drones floating above the tree of life.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I just saw the show for the first time Wednesday. I disagree. It could have some more aspects but I think it fits AK and is good. Is it great and my favorite? No, illuminations continues to be my favorite. AK doesn't need a flashy pyro show.

Don't confuse flashy pyro with quality. Even still, there needs to be more in Rivers of Light, imo. A proper show needs to have peaks and valleys. It has strong valleys, but no peaks.

 

[Rteetz]

Don't confuse flashy pyro with quality. Even still, there needs to be more in a Rivers of Light, imo. A proper show needs to have peaks and valleys. It has strong valleys, but no peaks.

Agree to disagree. I think it was quite good.

 

[marni1971]

Agree to disagree. I think it was quite good.

But it shouldn't be quite good.

It should be unbelievable.

 

[Kman101]

While true, what's there is still enjoyable. IMO, of course.

 

[Rteetz]

But it shouldn't be quite good.

It should be unbelievable.

I can agree with that. For what it is though I think it's good. We will have to wait until a new show for the hope that it's unbelievable.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Lyrics sheet from the album is up

 

[No Name]

Keep in mind that the people in charge see RoL's less-than-stellar reception as evidence that IP-free shows and attractions are a bad idea. If you guys had any hope of them building IP-free rides or spectaculars, you best lose that hope now.

I just saw the show for the first time Wednesday. I disagree. It could have some more aspects but I think it fits AK and is good. Is it great and my favorite? No, illuminations continues to be my favorite. AK doesn't need a flashy pyro show.

I agree with you. Though I actually liked RoL more than IllumiNations.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Keep in mind that the people in charge see RoL's less-than-stellar reception as evidence that IP-free shows and attractions are a bad idea. If you guys had any hope of them building IP-free rides or spectaculars, you best lose that hope now.

There technically is an IP tie-in in that all the animal footage is taken from the DisneyNature documentaries, but yeah, original content in parks is just getting more screwed over.

 

[Bocabear]

I finally saw the show last week...I agree with all of the critiques...it really is not a great show...It is nice.
It suffers from a lack of staging...there is no build.,...it just becomes the same things over and over and over... It is not transportive... There seem to be no "wow" moments,the storytelling is lacking, and there really is no big finale... just more of the same same same.
Maybe they need more fountain barges...different ones that roll out towards the end... Maybe they need the giant water spirits that Tokyo Disney Seas uses in their water pageant...not sure exactly, but it definitely needs something... It does not have the scale or drama of WOC....and truthfully this should be even better than....

 

[marni1971]

I finally saw the show last week...I agree with all of the critiques...it really is not a great show...It is nice.
It suffers from a lack of staging...there is no build.,...it just becomes the same things over and over and over... It is not transportive... There seem to be no "wow" moments,the storytelling is lacking, and there really is no big finale... just more of the same same same.
Maybe they need more fountain barges...different ones that roll out towards the end... Maybe they need the giant water spirits that Tokyo Disney Seas uses in their water pageant...not sure exactly, but it definitely needs something... It does not have the scale or drama of WOC....and truthfully this should be even better than....

You always need somewhere to go. Don't put all your toys out in one go.