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

[stretchsje]

I have a random question, if Disney waited so long (March 2nd) to announce the April 22nd opening, something drastic had to happen for them to delay it all the way until the summer? Or is that a bad assumption?

Pete from The DIS Unplugged podcast pointed out that the media preview event for this show on April 19th is still proceeding as scheduled.

He thus concluded the show is more likely delayed due to budget cuts, not technical issues, finishing with #ThanksShanghai. He's been doing this a while and called the reschedule unprecedented.

 

[cspencer96]

Pete from The DIS Unplugged podcast pointed out that the media preview event for this show on April 19th is still proceeding as scheduled.

He thus concluded the show is more likely delayed due to budget cuts, not technical issues, finishing with #ThanksShanghai. He's been doing this a while and called the reschedule unprecedented.

Delaying the opening would not be due to budget cuts. In fact, any delay would be costing them money for every day beyond the scheduled opening. This is a tech thing, it happens. They can still preview the pieces that work to the media, programming a B-mode display to show off the eye candy, but they likely are having issues that prevent them from turning the proverbial keys over to ops and letting it run.

 

[KikoKea]

RoL is a welcome addition to AK, but I must admit that every time I think of the show I see dirty green water spraying into the air for everyone to breathe. Did they clean up the 'river' or are they pumping in clean water just for the show's waterworks? I'm thinking it has to be clean water.

 

[bjm72385]

RoL is a welcome addition to AK, but I must admit that every time I think of the show I see dirty green water spraying into the air for everyone to breathe. Did they clean up the 'river' or are they pumping in clean water just for the show's waterworks? I'm thinking it has to be clean water.

I believe I saw someone say in the past that those are man-made "rivers" with concrete bottoms from when the park was built, and the water is dyed like Jungle Cruise and probably a lot cleaner than it looks.

 

[stretchsje]

Delaying the opening would not be due to budget cuts. In fact, any delay would be costing them money for every day beyond the scheduled opening.

That was my thought, too. A majority of the costs for this project are in development, not operations. Not turning it on squanders its potential revenue- and if they don't think the revenue is there, then they wouldn't be trying to make this a nighttime park to begin with. 5000 seats per show translates into what, an additional 4000 dinners sold?

Pete was thinking the revenue potential wouldn't be there until the summer crowds start. I think that's unlikely, but I figured I'd pass along his theory for comment.

 

[peter11435]

I believe I saw someone say in the past that those are man-made "rivers" with concrete bottoms from when the park was built, and the water is dyed like Jungle Cruise and probably a lot cleaner than it looks.

They are man made but they do not have concrete bottoms.

 

[wdwmagic]

Pete from The DIS Unplugged podcast pointed out that the media preview event for this show on April 19th is still proceeding as scheduled.

He thus concluded the show is more likely delayed due to budget cuts, not technical issues, finishing with #ThanksShanghai. He's been doing this a while and called the reschedule unprecedented.

No it isn't budget cuts. This is causing Disney a major headache, so certainly isn't something they would want to happen.

The show can run on a limited basis, and with some handholding, but isn't ready for daily operations. They might be able to get it to limp through a media preview.

 

[KikoKea]

I believe I saw someone say in the past that those are man-made "rivers" with concrete bottoms from when the park was built, and the water is dyed like Jungle Cruise and probably a lot cleaner than it looks.

Even if it is dyed, it still doesn't look very clean. DCA's water looks like it's as clean as a swimming pool.

 

[peter11435]

Even if it is dyed, it still doesn't look very clean. DCA's water looks like it's as clean as a swimming pool.

Clearly you haven't been there in a long time...

 

[Timothy_Q]

At night the blue stuff will practically vanish from sight

You can say that about all bad theming.

"If it's dark you won't see it!"

 

[ParksAndPixels]

Are there only 4 FP+ scanners? That doesn't seem quite enough for 2,500 people to get in quickly, especially with the fast turn around required for the following show.

In ten minutes time, that would require each to run over 60 people per minute... And that's if guests are trickling in

 

[KikoKea]

Clearly you haven't been there in a long time...

Well, DCA doesn't look murky is what I meant and my last trip there was in Dec. If AK's water really is clean and the idea was to make the water look like a stagnant river, they did a great job!

 

[peter11435]

Well, DCA doesn't look murky is what I meant and my last trip there was in Dec. If AK's water really is clean and the idea was to make the water look like a stagnant river, they did a great job!

Neither body of water is clean.

 

[hopemax]

Are there only 4 FP+ scanners? That doesn't seem quite enough for 2,500 people to get in quickly, especially with the fast turn around required for the following show.

Yeeaaahhhh....2500/ 4 scanners = 625 people per scanner. If each scan took 10 seconds, that would be 6 people per minute. So 104 minutes. 5 seconds per scan, 12 people per minute = 52 minutes. They have to plan on having a bunch of CMs with handhelds. I can do a 5 second scan with my plastic card, but the little kids too short to match Mickey to Mickey but want to it themselves...hmm.

 

[Marlins1]

RoL is a welcome addition to AK, but I must admit that every time I think of the show I see dirty green water spraying into the air for everyone to breathe. Did they clean up the 'river' or are they pumping in clean water just for the show's waterworks? I'm thinking it has to be clean water.

They got rid of the green color somehow a few years ago. Now it just looks like regular lake or river water. I do remember it being pretty bad a while back.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Sad just sad

 

[brb1006]

They got rid of the green color somehow a few years ago. Now it just looks like regular lake or river water. I do remember it being pretty bad a while back.

Pretty bad as in filthy?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yeeaaahhhh....2500/ 4 scanners = 625 people per scanner. If each scan took 10 seconds, that would be 6 people per minute. So 104 minutes. 5 seconds per scan, 12 people per minute = 52 minutes. They have to plan on having a bunch of CMs with handhelds. I can do a 5 second scan with my plastic card, but the little kids too short to match Mickey to Mickey but want to it themselves...hmm.

There was talk of just scanning once for each group with FP+. That would help tremendously here.

 

[peter11435]

There was talk of just scanning once for each group with FP+. That would help tremendously here.

I've heard this too. And I believe they did a test of it at fantasmic.

Also those touch points are awfully far apart. I'm wondering if there will be some type of mobile touch point between the two. That will double capacity but be removable so it's not a pinch point when exiting after the show.

 

[danv3]

New photos from today of both seating sides. And it look like a 50-50 split between FastPass and standby,

PHOTOS - A look at the completed Rivers of Light seating areas

What about dining package seating? Whose 50% does that come out of?