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

[Anthony Carter]

Honestly, people have to realize that these kinds of problems may arise out of the blue when booking vacations. I always say to go at least a month (or even more) after the "announced" opening. That way, if any problems arise and the experience is delayed, you have a better shot at seeing it and any of the problems are fixed (<cough> Gringotts <cough>) and the attraction is running at 100%. Plus, the opening crowds will have dyed down, making the lines more bearable. That's just my 2 cents. We'll be there during the last week of July, so I'm really hoping that this will be ready.

I think the fusyration

I think it is about much more than the show - although I was certainly looking forward to ROL. I'm a WDW addict but my family is more normal about it - they like it but can do just fine without it. I've been talking about seeing new things on our next trip on Memorial Day weekend. Nighttime safari, ROL, even existing rides like EE at night. Maybe Soarin in high def and Frozenstrom. Turns out we will do exactly what we did last September (and last May etc.) except Soarin' will be closed. We can't even see the third track for TSMM. Really is getting ridiculous at this point.

Completely agree with you, they could have staged the roll out better

 

[Jon81uk]

I haven't been to Animal Kingdom in a while. Is there still seating at FlameTree BBQ down by the water? and if so would you be able to watch the show from there?

All you would really see from the Flame Tree seating is the backside of all the fountains. It would not be a great view.

 

[flyerjab]

All you would really see from the Flame Tree seating is the backside of all the fountains. It would not be a great view.

So...another location to view the backside of water?

 

[marni1971]

Fantasmic is only 7,500 if I am not mistaken..

8,200 capacity per show.

 

[wdrive]

Fantasmic is only 7,500 if I am not mistaken and they do 1 or 2 shows a nights compared to the 2 or 3 that are supposed to happen with ROL. So I am curious to know if there was the same reaction around these parts to Fantasmic. Also, I heard here that it is common for Fantasmic to not even hit capacity for their second show. Maybe someone can confirm whether this is the case or not.

Fantasmic will rarely hit capacity for the second show. I've never seen it and I've worked there.

 

[Disney Analyst]

But they have completely automated attractions in existence that work fine. Se Winnie the Pooh and Aquatopia in TDL..

I feel like it is a lot easier to designate a ride vehicle on a small path through a mostly confined space then a massive lagoon, with many different effects on those floats plus the driving going to a computer system through some sort of wifi gps rdf who knows what system.

It sounds so nightmarish to me.

 

[Mike S]

It is. And even with three shows the capacity issue will be a PR and GS nightmare.

Think of the family with 2.4 children on their first and ever trip who still don't know what a fast pass is let alone that they might need one. Assuming they can get one on the day.

I hope the company have a good plan.

I'll never understand that statistic. What the heck is 0.4 of a child?

 

[cindy_k]

I'll never understand that statistic. What the heck is 0.4 of a child?

http://data:image/png;base64,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

 

[Cletus]

I'll never understand that statistic. What the heck is 0.4 of a child?

I don't know what part the 0.4 is either but I am pretty sure the 2.0 part is their mouth!

 

[TTA94]

I'd say they'll go when they're absolutely ready. And 100% sure it'll work.

Or rather they'll tell marketing when they're ready. I don't hold much hope until late May.

So you believe that they don't have any time frame in mind? I was thinking that marketing or the execs already decided on a new date and that's what it's going to be regardless if they start getting this working correctly sooner? I dont think they would have said on the blog the next Update will be mid or late May if they didn't have a new opening date in mind?

I am all for them making sure the show is at 100%, I'm just on edge because I know the insanity of summer hits the end of May... hopefully they soft open mid or late May at least!

 

[Stevek]

Did they make all the WDW bloggers, podcasters and "personalities" pack up their sleeping bags and leave the front entrance of DAK?

 

[Stevek]

Well, this is one colossal bummer. We're going in early May. I wasn't planning my trip around this, but was certainly looking forward to seeing it. Argh...

It will be a while before I get back to Florida, so Avatar will likely be up by that point. There will be a lot of new stuff to see at AK next time around. I suppose that's the bright side...

We had the same thing happen when Everest was being built. Our last day at DAK, they were testing all day...it opened the next day. Didn't get back for 4 years.

 

[TangledUpInKnots]

We had the same thing happen when Everest was being built. Our last day at DAK, they were testing all day...it opened the next day. Didn't get back for 4 years.

This has happened to me. And I'm going this year in May and it again looks like I'll just miss all the new stuff. I only get there every 4 years...sometimes 3 and sometimes 5, so it majorly stinks!

 

[Stevek]

They figured out all the issues but had to cut back. Here's the new show.

 

[ptaylor]

Did they make all the WDW bloggers, podcasters and "personalities" pack up their sleeping bags and leave the front entrance of DAK?

Don't be silly, they will be expecting the red carpet rolled out for them.

 

[PSUDisney77]

This has happened to me. And I'm going this year in May and it again looks like I'll just miss all the new stuff. I only get there every 4 years...sometimes 3 and sometimes 5, so it majorly stinks!

Long time lurker, very rare poster. Same thing here too, haven't been since 2007. Going in early May with my wife, her sister and her three kids. It's all their first time except my wife so I'm sure we'll have a great time regardless but really was looking forward to this new show.

I'll agree with other posters in that Disney dropped the ball here. Yes it's good they are not opening the show until it's 100% ready, but then don't market an opening date for it. Just not good PR.

 

[wdwmagic]

So you believe that they don't have any time frame in mind? I was thinking that marketing or the execs already decided on a new date and that's what it's going to be regardless if they start getting this working correctly sooner? I dont think they would have said on the blog the next Update will be mid or late May if they didn't have a new opening date in mind?

I am all for them making sure the show is at 100%, I'm just on edge because I know the insanity of summer hits the end of May... hopefully they soft open mid or late May at least!

Miss the published date once, you don't miss it again. I believe now it will open when its ready, and not until. Might be May, June, July, August or beyond. They won't make the same mistake twice.

They couldn't leave it open ended in the blog post, so mentioning an update in May is very safe and the right thing to do. It might be good news then, it might not be.

 

[Stevek]

Don't be silly, they will be expecting the red carpet rolled out for them.

And cupcakes!

 

[YodaMan]

8,200 capacity per show.

Not quite. Once bleachers were added to the "standing room" area, they can't really hit that number anymore.

 

[jrhwdw]

Miss the published date once, you don't miss it again. I believe now it will open when its ready, and not until. Might be May, June, July, August or beyond. They won't make the same mistake twice.

They couldn't leave it open ended in the blog post, so mentioning an update in May is very safe and the right thing to do. It might be good news then, it might not be.

So, if by some miracle(it would be nice to get some GOOD NEWS! not been a good week!)ROL works itself out quicker than everyone thought, we still need to wait till mid May for a blog post?