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

[Clamman73]

The day I saw it...a reset, one Shaman boat got pulled and no tower fire at the end...I was thinking all this anticipation I had for it and this happened....quick, get the IP show in and hurry. lol

 

[FullSailDan]

All this show needs is a better finale and my issues will be resolved. Until then, I've really no desire to see it anymore. Which is sad because I really wanted to love this show.

Agreed on wanting to love the show. I think what it wants to represent artistically is incredible but like I said above, it needs work, and not just in the ending.

 

[Kman101]

Needing work and a finale doesn't mean it's a "bad show". At least to me. Am I rushing to see it again? No. It does need work. It's beautiful for what it is though, there's a lot of potential. The time it took, it could have been better but I still don't find it "bad".

I wanted to love it too. I like it. But it needs tweaks. And adding Disney character IP is not the tweaks I want to see.

I think it was touched upon in here at some point but do we know how guest feedback is going? @MansionButler84 ? @Magic Feather ?

 

[FullSailDan]

Needing work and a finale doesn't mean it's a "bad show". At least to me. Am I rushing to see it again? No. It does need work. It's beautiful for what it is though, there's a lot of potential. The time it took, it could have been better but I still don't find it "bad".

I think part of the problem is actually that they are marketing it as a big production... If it instead was "just a thing they did at night" and you could see it but it wasnt THE culminating event of the evening, I'd think it was incredible. Sort of like once upon a time at MK.

 

[Kman101]

I think part of the problem is actually that they are marketing it as a big production... If it instead was "just a thing they did at night" and you could see it but it wasnt THE culminating event of the evening, I'd think it was incredible. Sort of like once upon a time at MK.

I can agree with that. I suppose they could have marketed it differently. It's a nice show on the water, with floats and projections. It's got very beautiful music. All the right pieces seem to be there ... I think the lanterns could have made a cool 'wow' effect I suppose, but that doesn't seem to be able to be pulled off with all the movement in the water. For me I never saw it is some major spectacular, the show likely won't ever be what some want it to be (likely fireworks as a "wow"), so we need to view it for what it is. I don't really know what they could do with the show as it is to make it more "wow" and engage guests.

I found the staging of floats a bit "off", the projections depend on no wind so you can actually see them, the fire at the end is 'meh'. (The animal floats that start off dark and then come to life is a bit of a wow moment I think for guests, but then you don't see the floats the rest of the show IIRC, so maybe something there could be done). I can also see how guests don't understand why the boats with the storytellers are there. I mean, all the floats and lotus come together, that's the finale. For those that want a better ending, what would you do? Not being snarky, genuinely curious what would make it "better" and "worthy"? I'm kind of drawing blanks at what I would do or what I think they should do. To me there is a finale, but I can also understand why guests feel it just ... ends.

It's a shame. Again, the elements are all there but something about it falls a bit flat. We finally get a non-IP show and the people who should be loving it are critical of it (and some of the criticism is completely accurate). Shame.

 

[raymusiccity]

Needing work and a finale doesn't mean it's a "bad show". At least to me. Am I rushing to see it again? No. It does need work. It's beautiful for what it is though, there's a lot of potential. The time it took, it could have been better but I still don't find it "bad".

I wanted to love it too. I like it. But it needs tweaks. And adding Disney character IP is not the tweaks I want to see.

I think it was touched upon in here at some point but do we know how guest feedback is going? @MansionButler84 ? @Magic Feather ?

It's bad when you don't hear any conversations within the exiting crowd of how great that was, or 'I'm glad we waited on line for that', or, if we concentrate, we might be able to recognize a tune from that show! Feedback is available after each and every performance.

 

[Kman101]

It's bad when you don't hear any conversations within the exiting crowd of how great that was, or 'I'm glad we waited on line for that', or, if we concentrate, we might be able to recognize a tune from that show! Feedback is available after each and every performance.

I can't disagree but it's subjective because you may not hear that (the show I saw seemed to have mixed reactions to it), it doesn't mean many didn't like it. Do you work in guest relations for the park then and know what the feedback results are? Not being smart, just honestly wondering. Hearing the crowd around you isn't exactly a true survey. People don't like a lot of things for a lot of reasons. We also project our own feelings onto things and think everyone should feel the same way.

 

[Flynnwriter]

The “flame tower” isn’t working? That’s like saying, “my bic lighter is broken” - the show is a huge dissapoitment and the ending tower was the lackluster dud at the end of an otherwise dissapoitng show.

 

[disnyfan89]

The first time I saw rivers of light I was really disappointed. I wanted to love it and be moved by it but it just fell flat and I think the pacing of the show is a huge reason for that. By far my favorite parts of the show was the projections of the spirit animals on the trees before the show and then the initial reveal of the spirit animal floats. You can see so much potential in those moments. After doing some research and seeing the show a second time it has really grown on me. I think the largest problem is the fact that as an audience, the story is poorly revealed and the artistic elements don't come together enough for us to feel a deep connection to the spectacle we are watching, and yes, the lack of that final OOMF at the end as a final.

I think a HUGE mistake Disney made was not having the storytellers ever talk or explain who they are and why they are there. While the female voiceover is helpful it doesnt do enough to explain the story. The second GIANT mistake they made when restructuring the show was introducing the Flowers before the show starts. It kills a lot of the wow factor of the show as I've already watched these flowers float around for 10 min before the show ever starts. It really kills the interest in the lotuses for the rest of the show.

Personally I think RoL is worth saving and a second version should be introduced. If I was able to show direct the updated version I would do the following:
Rename the show: Rivers of Light: Tales from the Animal Kingdom.
The show would start with a preshow where an Apprentice to the main story teller from each section greet the audience and welcome them to the "ceremony" honoring the great spirits of the Animal Kingdom. Both sections would continue to represent their respective elements (Fire on Asia side and Water on Dino side) and would have their own respective apprentice. Depending on which section you sat in you would get a different apprentice and the two preshows would be designed to be told only to their respective section. They would give some quick backstory on the importance of the rivers of light and why we have all gathered to watch it together and who the main storytellers are. Then, with the help of puppetry and a few other performers they would tell a story about one of the spirit animal guides. There would be four stories for the four animals (two per section) and they would tell a different story at each show. (This alone makes the show repeatable as you'd have to see it four times to hear all the stories). You'd eliminate the lotus' from the beginning of show as now with the preshow the audience has something else to focus on.

You would then begin the show with the Lantern procession. The main storytellers from each section enter the theater and are followed by performers carrying lanterns who escort them to their respective boats. Along the way the lanterns are placed through out the theater and the extra performers file out. The show would then progress pretty close to how it flows now, except the lotus floats are now all introduced later in the show as originally intended, this would add back in their wow factor and help keep the visual dynamic of the show building. Since the apprentice explained the show to us in the preshow, it should be easier for the guests to now follow along and have a stronger connection to the spirit animal guides and a better understanding of the symbolism used in the show. Instead of the female voice over the storytellers now have dialogue in select moments of the show (Can be prerecorded and just pantomimed by the performer) to help further the story during each section of the show and help reinforce the "ceremony" we are witnessing. Much in the same way the female voice over does now, just you know... better.

Then finally, for the finale the extra performers, who entered with the lanterns, enter the theater during the final moments of the show but have large kinetic puppets of different animals and stand in the front of the theater to really drive home the connection of humans and the animal kingdom. Think of something along the lines of the procession of animals at the start of the broadway musical of Lion King. It creates this great over the top moment which should leave the audience feeling inspired and full of wonder. Oh, and a bigger flame thrower. What RoL needs now more than anything is that moment of "TADA- you can clap now" at the end.

I think these changes would be effective and bring the show more in line with what guest expect from a spectacular at Disney. Sorry for the long post but I've had all that in my brain since I last saw the show and had to get it out.

 

[Eckert]

I've been saying it since the beginning, but I sincerely think fire was going play a much bigger part in the show and was cut out for whatever reason.

In the opening introduction the speaker says "bla bla bla a celebration of water...and light". It always sounded like an unnatural pause that tells me that there was something there. Water, fire and light...fire is just is an important part of nature too!

 

[FigmentJedi]

I've been saying it since the beginning, but I sincerely think fire was going play a much bigger part in the show and was cut out for whatever reason.

In the opening introduction the speaker says "bla bla bla a celebration of water...and light". It always sounded like an unnatural pause that tells me that there was something there. Water, fire and light...fire is just is an important part of nature too!

I think the pause is there to let the teams silently introduce which thing they represent. Plus you know, light and fire have that obvious connection.

The specific elemental contrast could have been played up a little more though.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

The show's pacing and velocity have a level of sameness that does seem a bit unremarkable by the end... but it's nothing that couldn't be fixed with a few changes down the road.

The music, however, is beautiful... I have it up there with Gavin Greenaway's original orchestration of Tapestry of Nations, and in some ways it's kind of a spiritual successor.

I actually just got confirmation yesterday that we were granted our arrangement rights for both Tapestry of Nations and Rivers of Light... I'm designing next year's competition program for the band I teach, and we're blending pieces of both shows to tell a story loosely based off the Sage of Time narrative from Tapestry's first iteration.

I'm stoked about it... to put it mildly.

 

[danheaton]

For those that haven't seen this show, picture one of the torches around World Showcase for Illuminations being used as the center piece of a show's finale. Man, this show is awful.

I have to respectfully disagree. It's not as good as Illuminations, but that's my favorite nighttime show of all time at the parks. Rivers of Light doesn't get enough respect, and a lot of what's driving it is groupthink among fans. We all heard the issues that delayed it for so long, and that's colored our perceptions from the start. It's an inventive show that doesn't rely on IP (i.e., World of Color) or fireworks to succeed. There's real creativity, and I like that the story isn't so straightforward. The atmosphere is what matters, and it fits perfectly inside the park. It's different from the other shows at Disney World, and that's a great thing.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I have to respectfully disagree. It's not as good as Illuminations, but that's my favorite nighttime show of all time at the parks. Rivers of Light doesn't get enough respect, and a lot of what's driving it is groupthink among fans. We all heard the issues that delayed it for so long, and that's colored our perceptions from the start. It's an inventive show that doesn't rely on IP (i.e., World of Color) or fireworks to succeed. There's real creativity, and I like that the story isn't so straightforward. The atmosphere is what matters, and it fits perfectly inside the park. It's different from the other shows at Disney World, and that's a great thing.

Every Disney nighttime show has peaks and valleys throughout the show, capped by the biggest peak as the finale. There is nothing in this show that resembles even the smallest peak in any other Disney nighttime show. It is underwhelming.

 

[Disney Analyst]

The issue is, as I stated when this show debuted, and it’s an issue most modern Disney shows have, they play all their cards from the get go. There is really nothing we haven’t already seen by the end of Rivers of Light. The reason Fantasmic became such a hit in 1992? They kept surprising the audience, adding new elements, until cumlinating in a grand finale conducted by Mickey himself.

They need more fountains built into the show, ones that don’t show up until the end. More fire. More animals. Make the finale overwhelm. Bring the animal floats to life when they reappear. Surprise the audience.

 

[trainplane3]

The issue is, as I stated when this show debuted, and it’s an issue most modern Disney shows have, they play all their cards from the get go. There is really nothing we haven’t already seen by the end of Rivers of Light. The reason Fantasmic became such a hit in 1992? They kept surprising the audience, adding new elements, until cumlinating in a grand finale conducted by Mickey himself.

They need more fountains built into the show, ones that don’t show up until the end. More fire. More animals. Make the finale overwhelm. Bring the animal floats to life when they reappear. Surprise the audience.

"They need more everything"
I agree with you on that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Needing work and a finale doesn't mean it's a "bad show". At least to me. Am I rushing to see it again? No. It does need work. It's beautiful for what it is though, there's a lot of potential. The time it took, it could have been better but I still don't find it "bad".

I wanted to love it too. I like it. But it needs tweaks. And adding Disney character IP is not the tweaks I want to see.

I think it was touched upon in here at some point but do we know how guest feedback is going? @MansionButler84 ? @Magic Feather ?

Good, not great. In school, it would've received a B. It'll do for now but they expected more out of it.

 

[danheaton]

Every Disney nighttime show has peaks and valleys throughout the show, capped by the biggest peak as the finale. There is nothing in this show that resembles even the smallest peak in any other Disney nighttime show. It is underwhelming.

Good points. I think that what I enjoy about Rivers of Light is how it doesn't stick to the same model. I don't mind if a show doesn't blast me with every effect under the sun. It fits with the tone of the whole park for me.

 

[marni1971]

The issue is, as I stated when this show debuted, and it’s an issue most modern Disney shows have, they play all their cards from the get go. There is really nothing we haven’t already seen by the end of Rivers of Light. The reason Fantasmic became such a hit in 1992? They kept surprising the audience, adding new elements, until cumlinating in a grand finale conducted by Mickey himself.

They need more fountains built into the show, ones that don’t show up until the end. More fire. More animals. Make the finale overwhelm. Bring the animal floats to life when they reappear. Surprise the audience.

This this this.

Old school always had somewhere to go. Keep raising the bar through the show. A parade of theatrical weenies to build up to the biggest one.

The wannabes of today need some more time in school.

 

[Kman101]

Good, not great. In school, it would've received a B. It'll do for now but they expected more out of it.

Thanks for the answer

I guess that's about where I figured it was. Passable but not what they wanted it to be.

So taking it a bit further, do we know what the most complaints about the show are? I'm curious to know. And also curious to know what those in charge think is the eventual answer to "fixing" it ...