Jeremy Geertsema
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I think he was a producer on both of those.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
News ‘Rivers of Light: We Are One’ coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom summer 2019
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Prototype82
Well-Known Member
I guess a ruined attraction is better than no attraction at all?
GlacierGlacier
Well-Known Member
Stitch begs to differ.
mdcpr
Well-Known Member
Not a ruined attraction since I never saw the original. So it is just an attraction with IP.
HoldenC
Well-Known Member
So, I didn't entirely hate it. That being said I wasn't blown away either; and the new show is neither better or worse than the original (which I liked tbh). I was expecting a shiz show and I was surprised to see it wasn't. Someone earlier mentioned how the technology seemed to have more of role in ROL:WAO and I agree. I heard a ton more "wows", "ooohhh", and the audience applauded three times during the show, something that never happened in the original ROL. The only piece of technology that has unbelievably taken a turn for the worse is the large water screen. It truly look like someone rubbed their greasy fingers all over the projector because I could barely make out the images. I'm not sure why The Walt Disney Company can't invent a gigantic versions of the mist screens used in Fantasmic? If they can get this piece to work (after 2.5 years) that would solve a lot of issues.
The new score was just okay. It was nice to hear original recordings of the Disney movie songs and not just the soundtracks spliced in randomly. The blending of the original ROL score and the new score is not well done; it is clear this was a show rushed together in a few months. I think if they had taken the time to re-record the entire show it would have worked better. The opening montage with the various characters was out of place, too long, and boring. That scene could have easily been placed into the former "We are One" segment in the original but I digress. I enjoyed the rainstorm-rainbow segment. I was shocked to see they removed the rousing moment when the grizzly bear is "running" through the water, who gave the okay to cut that? Thank God they kept the parade of animals scene as it was really the highlight of the original. Yet I am still confused as to why they STILL are not used more in the show? Why have such stunning floats come out in such a gorgeous moment and then throw them away? Lastly, the finale is much better than the original. We all know how abruptly the original show ends and they did a better job this time making that obvious. Of course the ending of Circle of Life is iconic at this point so kudos for them on making that choice. Overall this was a change that is obviously forced. They had the potential to create a decent show at DAK that celebrates nature with some peppering of IP, but they took on step forward and two back. I really hope that this show continues to evolve and can find a seamless balance between these two concepts because it CAN work beautifully if done correctly. I'll likely be seeing this show again in the future.
The new score was just okay. It was nice to hear original recordings of the Disney movie songs and not just the soundtracks spliced in randomly. The blending of the original ROL score and the new score is not well done; it is clear this was a show rushed together in a few months. I think if they had taken the time to re-record the entire show it would have worked better. The opening montage with the various characters was out of place, too long, and boring. That scene could have easily been placed into the former "We are One" segment in the original but I digress. I enjoyed the rainstorm-rainbow segment. I was shocked to see they removed the rousing moment when the grizzly bear is "running" through the water, who gave the okay to cut that? Thank God they kept the parade of animals scene as it was really the highlight of the original. Yet I am still confused as to why they STILL are not used more in the show? Why have such stunning floats come out in such a gorgeous moment and then throw them away? Lastly, the finale is much better than the original. We all know how abruptly the original show ends and they did a better job this time making that obvious. Of course the ending of Circle of Life is iconic at this point so kudos for them on making that choice. Overall this was a change that is obviously forced. They had the potential to create a decent show at DAK that celebrates nature with some peppering of IP, but they took on step forward and two back. I really hope that this show continues to evolve and can find a seamless balance between these two concepts because it CAN work beautifully if done correctly. I'll likely be seeing this show again in the future.
Prototype82
Well-Known Member
It's not even the IP aspect, even though the original story had so much heart and originality. I just feel like there's no transition or flow or cadence. I dunno. Lover of the original over here. I just feel like it was an awkward mashup and I miss the stunning 3 dimensional projections. Maybe they'll tweak it more?
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
It certainly lacks pacing and wow moments... Once you have basically seen every effect in the first 5 minutes the rest is just more and more of the same... Maybe they need to introduce new floats later in the show...Maybe they need to create some new effects that are not given away in the first 3 minutes... Maybe they need to go back to the original show and add the storytellers and Shamen back in... Maybe they need to be lead into the arena with a processional of lanterns creating a proper prologue to the show... Bookended with the lantern procession leading everyone out of the show at the end... Like joining a parade... Something like that would feel more interactive and engaging rather than watching cartoon clips with flower fountains....
PorterRedkey
Well-Known Member
I think the show builds up a little better than the original. In the original version, they had shown all their tricks half-way through the show. They had nowhere left to go except the disappointing lotus fire tower. The new show starts off simple (maybe too simple) and gets grander as it moves forward.
That said, Bare Necessities (a song I love) really grates at me. This song, unlike Circle of Life, has no sense of grandeur and therefore no place in this show. It's like throwing a circus clown in Sunday mass. It really took me out of the "mystic vibe". So did the cartoon movie montage.
I really thought one of the strengths of the original show was the RoL soundtrack. The fact that it is reduced down in this version is disappointing for me.
I wish they would have kept most of the old show. They could have added the thunderstorm/rainbow segment and kept the lighting changes/improved tower-fire from the new finally. The saddest part is that this show had so much potential. Now it seems, it will be relegated to being tweaked every couple of years, just to keep the guest's interest.
One more thing. FIX THE REAR SCREENS! Or at least don't project images that are meaningful for the story in the big gap where there is no water to project the images. They know the problem, why accentuate it by animating as if there will be a full 180 spray? They can still use the middle of the screen, but just make it lower than the "V-gap" at the top of the combined water screens.
That said, Bare Necessities (a song I love) really grates at me. This song, unlike Circle of Life, has no sense of grandeur and therefore no place in this show. It's like throwing a circus clown in Sunday mass. It really took me out of the "mystic vibe". So did the cartoon movie montage.
I really thought one of the strengths of the original show was the RoL soundtrack. The fact that it is reduced down in this version is disappointing for me.
I wish they would have kept most of the old show. They could have added the thunderstorm/rainbow segment and kept the lighting changes/improved tower-fire from the new finally. The saddest part is that this show had so much potential. Now it seems, it will be relegated to being tweaked every couple of years, just to keep the guest's interest.
One more thing. FIX THE REAR SCREENS! Or at least don't project images that are meaningful for the story in the big gap where there is no water to project the images. They know the problem, why accentuate it by animating as if there will be a full 180 spray? They can still use the middle of the screen, but just make it lower than the "V-gap" at the top of the combined water screens.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Yeah, all of it just felt rushed and shoved together. It was awkward. I could find some decent moments but they definitely should have taken more time to make it better. The IP didn't actually bother me much (even though I may not have wanted it, they could have blended it all a little better; lack of flow). It just didn't come together. Again.
And one of the biggest flaws is the water 'screens'.
HoldenC
Well-Known Member
Which is funny for a show subtitled "We Are One"
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
Which is funny for a show subtitled "We Are One"
And also removing most of the song 'We Are One'.
Mikey73181
Well-Known Member
That part confused me the most, you rename the show including the “We Are One” tag and then take out parts of the song that were already there. The one part with the two people singing they changed the words from the original (which was fine) but then cut it off earlier.
cookiee_munster
Well-Known Member
Having Never seeing this show in person it's hard to comment because you don't get the full scale of everything, but having seen the original and this new show with the added characters the whole thing is still pretty much underwhelming.
A night-time show at a park filled with animals will always have its restrictions. There’s only so much you can do without all the animals in the park (wild and captive) being affected by the music or effects used.
Saying that, there does need to be more. The show is very minimal, but as a lot of people have said already, a lot of the "wow" stuff is already revealed early on in the show, so there's no real wow factor towards the end - the lotus tower fire effect does absolutely nothing for me in regards to impressiveness at the end. It really could do with some more floats and more of the lotus flowers.
The creators really did have a massive challenge when they decided to do this in a natural wild body of water, compared to a more regulated pool like for world of colour. Could a rig like world of colour be installed or would all the lighting just be covered in algae and muc in a short space of time?
A night-time show at a park filled with animals will always have its restrictions. There’s only so much you can do without all the animals in the park (wild and captive) being affected by the music or effects used.
Saying that, there does need to be more. The show is very minimal, but as a lot of people have said already, a lot of the "wow" stuff is already revealed early on in the show, so there's no real wow factor towards the end - the lotus tower fire effect does absolutely nothing for me in regards to impressiveness at the end. It really could do with some more floats and more of the lotus flowers.
The creators really did have a massive challenge when they decided to do this in a natural wild body of water, compared to a more regulated pool like for world of colour. Could a rig like world of colour be installed or would all the lighting just be covered in algae and muc in a short space of time?
GlacierGlacier
Well-Known Member
The body of water there is man-made. If they really wanted to, they could've put a WoC rig out there.
The biggest issue with the WoC rig, in my opinion, is it's daytime presence. During maintenance when it's above the surface, it looks terrible. Imagine a rusted mess like that sitting next to the very well-themed India.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
I think the point about it being natural was not saying it wasn’t man made but that it is not a treated body of water with a concrete bottom like paradise bay.
cookiee_munster
Well-Known Member
yarp! That’s what I meant
I never thought about the rigging having to be above surface during maintenance. Unless it could be done at night? 
Either way, something permanent and fixed so the lake has a large number of lighting like world of colour would be super impressive. The start of the world of colour show always impresses me when the fountains are minimal, but the lighting travels across the water.