Rumor Could we see an Animal Kingdom Night Show with Drones debut alongside Tropical Americas?

[Pizza Moon]

This D23 seems like the perfect time to announce if so!

Just check out what they're doing over at Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris!

Seems like a no-brainer to combine with fountains or the boats as they had during Rivers of Light.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Seems like a no-brainer to combine with fountains or the boats as they had during Rivers of Light.

Thanks for making a topic on this - it’s being referenced in a few different threads and it’s very interesting to me.

The floating drones was the original concept for Rivers of Light - they were going to look like floating lanterns. If you sat near the front of the amphitheater you could see hanging lanterns that were programmed to go with the show - they gave a small idea of what would have been possible.

They could not get the drone lanterns to work as intended in the water - which is one of the reasons it continued to get delayed.

There were also live performers cut from the show because Chapek really didn’t like paying entertainers *looks at the stages built into galaxies edge that sit empty*

Remember- imagineering teams continue to work on other projects - so this is surely the continuation of that project. Glad to see they figured it out!

I could see a show being announced at D23 that would open with Tropical Americas in 2027

 

[Biff215]

I hadn’t heard this mentioned for DAK but they certainly need to put something in that theater that will give guests a reason to stay through dinner. The park may still need more to do though if it’s truly going to be more than a half day park.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Thanks for making a topic on this - it’s being referenced in a few different threads and it’s very interesting to me.

The floating drones was the original concept for Rivers of Light - they were going to look like floating lanterns. If you sat near the front of the amphitheater you could see hanging lanterns that were programmed to go with the show - they gave a small idea of what would have been possible.

They could not get the drone lanterns to work as intended in the water - which is one of the reasons it continued to get delayed.

There were also live performers cut from the show because Chapek really didn’t like paying entertainers *looks at the stages built into galaxies edge that sit empty*

Remember- imagineering teams continue to work on other projects - so this is surely the continuation of that project. Glad to see they figured it out!

I could see a show being announced at D23 that would open with Tropical Americas in 2027

You’re welcome!

I was waiting for it to happen, but no one did it, and I instantly pieced together what you did: that DAW’s new show revived the old concept that wasn’t ready for Rivers of Light. Drone tech has likely leaped further than they even thought imaginable at the time.

I believe that would’ve made the difference in its longevity because Rivers just didn’t feel complete as it was despite the awesome soundtrack.

Hopefully a new show combines nature and the park’s IP like Lion King, Zootopia, Indiana Jones, and Encanto, balancing it with a beautiful theme like “We are One,” and I hope the soundtrack is a score of their movies not singing.

Could really balance it out well, but they also need more fountains than they had before.

You do this and then open either an Avatar coaster or clone the Paris Lion King ride by 2031, and Animal Kingdom won’t slump like it did after Pandora.

 

[Pizza Moon]

I hadn’t heard this mentioned for DAK but they certainly need to put something in that theater that will give guests a reason to stay through dinner. The park may still need more to do though if it’s truly going to be more than a half day park.

It needs more than just the show, so I get why they’re waiting for TA. You just can’t keep people there because despite it being my favorite WDW park (second only to Epic in Orlando), you just can’t spend all day there, even doing the walkthroughs, etc.

It physically needs more to support a night show especially that Dinoland is totally gone, which perhaps is an indictment on them not adding a single ride for 10 years, but I doubt it’ll take that long again.

My guess is 3-5.

 

[BrianLo]

This is and has been my number one wish for D23 (really). As of last year there did not seem to be any serious internal project around it per Steve, but Fall of 2027 was a ways off. That said, I want to reiterate there isn’t a true rumour here as of now, just solutions.

That said, they need the demand of DAK to be such that it warrants having longer park hours again. I also think a fix around DAK at night does not rest on a single entertainment offering after dark, but probably a concerted effort around several.

I think there’s a probability it doesn’t launch with tropical Americas, but instead is the bridge follow up project.

 

[Pizza Moon]

This is and has been my number one wish for D23 (really). As of last year there did not seem to be any serious internal project around it per Steve, but Fall of 2027 was a ways off. That said, I want to reiterate there isn’t a true rumour here as of now, just solutions.

Should I change the thread label to AK?

That said, they need the demand of DAK to be such that it warrants having longer park hours again. I also think a fix around DAK at night does not rest on a single entertainment offering after dark, but probably a concerted effort around several.

If DAW is trying to pull people longer with a show, it just would seem unlikely they would leave the theater vacant, and the reality is that without a night show, people just won't linger regardless. Fantasmic serves as a mega capacity boost to EPCOT in many ways by preventing park hopping, so you'd think they'd want to recreate that.

I think there’s a probability it doesn’t launch with tropical Americas, but instead is the bridge follow up project.

I hope not