RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
The Shaman of Songs needed work, her delivery was not smooth at all when we went. Hopefully that's fixed by now.
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Na'vi River Journey reviews, comments and questions
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
The Shaman of Songs needed work, her delivery was not smooth at all when we went. Hopefully that's fixed by now.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I didn't notice any issues (but I rode just once and didn't see any videos beforehand). The movement was quite impressive. I'll have to watch a video of it to see if she was working correctly or not for me.
RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
I'm with you there, the movement for it being animatronic was incredible. It was the vocals that needed work, they were choppy and the transitions were not smooth at all.
I'm sure it'll get fixed before opening day.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I wish I had noticed lol. I wasn't really paying attention to her mouth.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Right. Is there a "story" when you are visiting the Grand Canyon? Can one not just admire the beauty of it?
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Exactly! I can understand some guests being confused at no narration but it was a bit strange at first but I quite enjoyed the quiet journey and music. It's not getting enough credit. I wish Mermaid was as immersive.
ChrisFL
Premium Member
Agreed. If this was the case, no one would visit theme parks anymore, they could just watch videos!
RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
Clyde Birdbrain
Unknown Member
I don't understand the criticism of Na'vi River Journey not having a story. The ride has a backstory with Alpha Centauri Expeditions allowing you to visit the rainforest on Pandora, years after the irresponsible mining and environmental damage caused by the Resources Development Administration. How is that different from other attractions like It's A Small World, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Soarin', etc? How is going from one haunted room to the next, or going from one pirate scene to the next, more of a story than that of NRJ? A lot of attractions have backstories but no narrative told from beginning to end. I don't have a problem with that.
Castle Cake Apologist
Well-Known Member
http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/2006/11/myth-of-story.html?m=1
This article seems to be relevant here, as it often is.
Edit for context: Re-Imagineering was a fantastic blog that was anonymously run by a group of current and former Imagineers during the dark times of the "Save Disney" days. These are the people who truly know about this kind of thing.
This article seems to be relevant here, as it often is.
Edit for context: Re-Imagineering was a fantastic blog that was anonymously run by a group of current and former Imagineers during the dark times of the "Save Disney" days. These are the people who truly know about this kind of thing.
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The criticism, I think is more to do with the backstory being weak or more likely why a solid backstory is not portrayed in this ride. It's been said by others that once you pass the ride's entrance, Alpha Centauri Expeditions up and vanishes. Why does that thematic story element suddenly vanish? Why are we as visitors of Pandora on this Na'vi boat ride in the first place? Why is Alpha Cenaturi offering the experience to us?
So we have a boat ride on Pandora. Now what!? Shouldn't the logical progression of the land and NRJ's backstory then become; ACE presents us with a tour of a Pandoran river. I think that is what is missing from this ride. There is a lapse in backstory, the narrative component. The big Why. We get a Show but no Tell.
Surprise! It's Nahtatour.
Without a narrative component the ride is simply a gentle boat ride looking at bioluminescent flora with a Na'vi shaman at the end of it. It's a very short, glowy headscratcher. In the end we're left with a nicely detailed ride but with too many open-ended questions. What is it's purpose beyond looking pretty? A story or proper continuation of the land's backstory would tie those loose ends.
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sedati
Well-Known Member
Show don't tell is the goal of good writing.
I am honestly flabbergasted by the over-analysis of this ride. Mo'ara is mostly ACE. The ride is taking us into the Navi part of town. We get to compare and contrast the difference between those two peoples. I think Disney has described it quite honestly. Beyond that, Cameron called it dreaming with your eyes wide open. The whole thing is based on a dream he had when in his teens, one that stuck with him. Even from the videos, I feel it has captured a sense of lucid dreaming. What's wrong with pretty? It's actually harder to pull off than careening action or loud explosions. The ride seems like a high end meal. The portions might be smaller than at the neighborhood sports bar, but a lot more time and talent went in to it and it's meant to be savored not devoured.
Have you ever gone canoeing? What is the plot of that? Guides are nice, but so is exploring on your own. Here we get to cruise though one of the most beautifully realized dark rides ever. The closest comparison I can think of is if someone took you on a cruise to see the northern lights. Sure you might want to know a bit about the phenomenon, but when you're actually witnessing them I think you'd want peace and quiet so you can experience it on your own terms. You may not even like it, but the earth claims seven wonders and at each and every one of them can be heard the phrase "that's it?"
The ride doesn't have much plot, but it does have a progression. Except for the winding boat path, the first half gives us total freedom to look and listen. Slowly, music comes in. We see a procession of Navi and beasts. Where are they going? Seems we picked a special night to venture out. Then we meet the Shaman. She engages us directly, a momentary touch point amidst the aimlessness. The sights, sounds, and song is all beautiful. We don't know what she saying as her language is not ours. Does it matter? Do we need an interpreter standing beside her? Somehow, I think everyone gets the sense that she's singing about harmony.
Old school Epcot Center attempted edutainment- it held your hand and gave you linear history lessons capped with brief moments of speculative fiction. Animal Kingdom strives to be the true discovery park- I'd say it ALLOWS more of its guests. Sure there's lots to learn, but isn't the best part of the safari when the guide shuts up and turns the radio on? Both strategies have their place, but for varieties sake, there should be a place for both.
SourcererMark79
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I enjoyed it, beautiful to look around. It's definately about expectations.
spacemt354
Chili's
I refuted your logic on how you arrived at the opinion (via a YouTube video), not the opinion itself.
DisneyJunkie
Well-Known Member
Sorry you make too much of a VERY slow-moving, boring ride that offers nothing but pretty colors to look at and no real fun. How sad. No mistake at all to judge it on a YouTube video, nor is it silly. It shows the ride how it actually is, and how it actually is looks very disappointing. Such a lazy effort from Disney imagineers. A real shame.
DisneyJunkie
Well-Known Member
No, YOU are wrong. Many (no, not all) YouTube videos of the rides gives one exactly what one needs to know.
DisneyJunkie
Well-Known Member
The only ridiculous statement is denying that a YouTube video shows you pretty much exactly what you're getting on their dies. It doesn't take a genius to watch the high quality video and see what you're getting out of that attraction. Nothing in it remotely looks fun, and basically you're moving very slowly around some lit up scenery. Hardly a "COMPLETELY different experience" between seeing it in person.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
LOL. Ok.
DisneyJunkie
Well-Known Member
That's right, LOL. Ok.