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

[EPCOTCenterLover]

That's where I fervently disagree. I think kids are more educated now than they've been in quite some time. Formally and in experiences.
ETA- maybe that's why I love the character aspect even more. Kids today are reading at 3, organized sports at age 3, practing sports 4 days per week at age 5.. 30-45 minutes of homework per night starting in kindergarten..sports camps, educational camps etc taking up their summers and school breaks..
I don't know everyone's ages here.. but in the 70s and 80s that was not the norm. Sometimes it's good to let them have a break from that all and just enjoy being a kid..with classic and new Disney characters that they know and love.

Oh, I agree they are more educated and certainly under more stress than in generations past, but as the husband of a teacher for many years as well as me being a volunteer camp leader for a decade, it's pretty easy to see a large number of kids are also entitled, self-focused, and demanding. Not ALL kids- but very many.

 

[Rodan75]

I think for most of this discussion, folks need to define what they consider IPs. Because SM is an IP, EE is an IP, Soarin' is an IP...an IP isn't necessarily an animated character integration.

Folks go from being super generic to super specific with no rationale for how they are splitting the hairs of the argument. Discuss and argue away, but at least define your freakin point so those of us trying to follow can make sense of it.

 

[Daveeeeed]

That's where I fervently disagree. I think kids are more educated now than they've been in quite some time. Formally and in experiences.

ETA- maybe that's why I love the character aspect even more. Kids today are reading at 3, organized sports at age 3, practing sports 4 days per week at age 5.. 30-45 minutes of homework per night starting in kindergarten..sports camps, educational camps etc taking up their summers and school breaks..

I don't know everyone's ages here.. but in the 70s and 80s that was not the norm. Sometimes it's good to let them have a break from that all and just enjoy being a kid..with classic and new Disney characters that they know and love.

Kids may be more informed, but that doesn't mean they care. In high school 90% of kids could care less about anything happening in the world. I am literally that guy that gives people news briefings because they could care less to see for themselves and schools plus parents in general don't help matters either. Generally kids are very rude, but there is a fraction that actually care, but unfortunately grades aren't deemed as important in society as athletics and looks.

School doesn't start becoming your life until middle school -- or really until 7th grade and truly until you take high school classes. That's when you actually find out you're good at something and when you actually have to study.


Bottom line is -- ips work when they are used properly (see the Tower of Terror) but they don't truly work for Frozenstrom. The safaris is one of the best rides I have honestly no idea why you think primeval-Whirl is so good.

 

[Daveeeeed]

I think for most of this discussion, folks need to define what they consider IPs. Because SM is an IP, EE is an IP, Soarin' is an IP...an IP isn't necessarily an animated character integration.

Folks go from being super generic to super specific with no rationale for how they are splitting the hairs of the argument. Discuss and argue away, but at least define your freakin point so those of us trying to follow can make sense of it.

True. Mine is when you use a property such as a movie and put it into the parks.

My stance is that hey work when they are used properly as in to further enhance the story of the land -- not a book report, not out of place, and not used to mask cheapness.

I'll be going to Disney World soon and will love it, but that is because they have a good balance currently at Animal Kingdom and if they were to destroy that, there would be a problem.

 

[Kman101]

Those photos look incredible. That's not wow enough for some of you? LOL

 

[SorcererMC]

Don't think anybody's posted these, but here's the high-res versions of the photos from the page on Disney's site

Maybe it's just me but I don't see anything in these pics which suggests that RoL is going to feature IP at all. They appear consistent with the concept art. I have high hopes for this show.

 

[Rteetz]

Maybe it's just me but I don't see anything in these pics which suggests that RoL is going to feature IP at all. They appear consistent with the concept art. I have high hopes for this show.

It's not supposed to feature IP. At least in its current form.

 

[SorcererMC]

It's not supposed to feature IP. At least in its current form.

Thanks! I thought that was the case, but I didn't know if I missed something buried in the thread.

 

[Kman101]

Thanks! I thought that was the case, but I didn't know if I missed something buried in the thread.

Nothing missed, we're just speculating, well at least I am, that the "higher ups" who aren't supposedly impressed with the current show as they've seen it want IPs thrown in. Because that just suddenly makes it all better .... No one is giving clarity on what changes the higher ups want so we're left to speculate.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

No. The ride's 'story' is complete nonsense and Jack's place in it is inexplicable.

1. "Dead men tell no tales." And yet, they're going to tell a tale. And the two people on the mist don't really introduce themselves. So... who are they?

2. Beach with pirate and mermaid skeletons. OK... why?

3. Living skeleton piloting a sailing ship in the rain. OK... why?

4. Ship attacking a fort. British ship? Pirate ship? Not clear. Looking for Jack Sparrow and gold. Why?

5. Pirates (?) torturing townsfolk looking for Jack Sparrow. They all seem to want to protect him. Is he their local hero? Oh, look, someone's watching from around the corner and hiding. Is that Jack? Well, since he's willing to let people get tortured to protect him, I guess he's no hero.

6. A slave-bride auction. I hear the Redhead is preferred. What does this have to do with the tale?

7. Several pairs of figures are on a laughable fast roundtable that is supposed to simulate running I guess. Is this based on a cartoon show? One pair is carrying a chest... of treasure? Is that part of the tale? Are any of the other runners part of the tale? One oaf is looking at a treasure map bragging that Captain Jack Sparrow will never get his hands on it. And look, I guess that's Jack popping up from the barrel reading over his shoulder.

8. An alcoholic pirate talking to his cats.

9. A sea shanty that carousing pirates sing while a city burns. A pirates life for me!

10. Pirates in prison trying to call over a dog who inexplicably holds the key. A pirate's life for me, indeed!

11. Captain Jack with his hoard mumbling something incomprehensible. Yay (?) Captain Jack! (?) He... did it?


This 'attraction' exists purely based on the power of nostalgia.

They made a mess of the ride when they added the movie "enhancements." It was never meant to tell an explicit story, it's just a series of experiences as you move through one specific moment in time.

Originally...
As you move through the fort (queue), you hear Spanish soldiers preparing for an incoming attack by pirates. This used to be enhanced by the sound of cannon fire outside the attraction, an effect which was removed during the refurb. Music was also added in the queue which now drowns out much of the dialogue. You board boats in an underground canal to escape the pirates through a series of caverns (you see the pirate ship out in the distance as you first depart). As you drift through these caverns, you discover the skeletons of a crew of pirates who previously came to the town to hide their treasure, but eventually perished in the caverns, their treasure lost to the ages ("dead men tell no tales."). You eventually dump out into the harbor of the town, where there is an active battle between the same pirate ship from earlier and the Spanish soldiers in the fort. The original dialogue made it abundantly clear that these pirates were here to steal the treasure buried in the caverns. What follows is just you moving through the town as the pirates pillage and plunder, looking for the treasure. As they go, they also terrorize the townspeople. Further dialogue throughout the scenes originally continued the narrative that the pirates are here for the hidden treasure. This is why they're dunking the mayor in a well... get information from him. There is no story, per se, but there is definitely a narrative structure.

Now there's random supernatural elements in the caverns that have nothing to do with the events unfolding, and the pirates are now desperately looking for Jack Sparrow for some reason. Why? It's never really explained. The scenes of skeletons and treasure hidden in the caverns also don't really make much sense or have any real purpose in the overall new narrative, other than being a bunch of random stuff that is never referred to again.

Incidentally, I believe our pirates was the only one to go this route with the original story. The others mostly used a time travel conceit.

 

[21stamps]

Haha you're joking right? In high school 90% of kids could care less about anything happening in the world. I am literally that guy that gives people news briefings because they could care less to see for themselves and schools plus parents in general don't help matters either. Generally kids are very rude, but there is a fraction that actually care, but unfortunately grades aren't deemed as important in society as athletics and looks.

School doesn't start becoming your life until middle school -- or really until 7th grade and truly until you take high school classes. That's when you actually find out you're good at something and when you actually have to study.


Bottom line is -- ips work when they are used properly (see the Tower of Terror) but they don't truly work for Frozenstrom. The safaris is one of the best rides I have honestly no idea why you think primeval-Whirl is so good.

Nothing that I said was about high school students. None of it.

Kids being rude or entitled has nothing to do with anything I've been talking about either.

Kids, especially young ones, are under more pressure and have more hectic schedules today than they have had previously. For better or worse that's how the world is now.
The claim that characters at Disney are catering to a generation of dumbed down kids are what I was speaking to. "Kids" are a lot smarter these days than the comment that I was responding to portrayed them to be.

This is why I believe Disney has their work even more cut out for them. How do you appeal to people today? That's what everyone is trying to figure out.. and they are succeeding..especially with their movie based attractions.

 

[Kman101]

Pretty sure I've heard cannons firing outside of the attraction but I could be wrong about that ... maybe it was part of the Sorcerors thing?

 

[marni1971]

Pretty sure I've heard cannons firing outside of the attraction but I could be wrong about that ... maybe it was part of the Sorcerors thing?

Apparently it was. Sadly.

I got all excited when I was told they were being fixed.

 

[21stamps]

Thanks! I thought that was the case, but I didn't know if I missed something buried in the thread.

The whole discussion came up when comments were made than Animal Kingdom shouldn't have more character elements.. and a comment that AK shouldn't become MK 2. Then a discussion sprouted and took a few turns..lol.

As far as RoL itself, all I know is that an opening date hasn't been announced yet. I don't care it uses a projection of Simba or if it's completely character free. I think it will be wonderful either way.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Pretty sure I've heard cannons firing outside of the attraction but I could be wrong about that ... maybe it was part of the Sorcerors thing?

Cannons still fire for Sorcerors, but they've been silent for the most part because Entertainment doesn't want them firing during the Jack Sparrow show. This was explained in the recent Passport2Dreams essay on the original Florida Pirates: http://passport2dreams.blogspot.ca/2016/11/marc-davis-and-pirate-gold.html

You think they could find a way to just turn them off like all other park sounds effects do during entertainment acts.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Pretty sure I've heard cannons firing outside of the attraction but I could be wrong about that ... maybe it was part of the Sorcerors thing?

I believe that is now the only time the old audio is played, it's one of the effects triggered by the game.

 

[Kman101]

Apparently it was. Sadly.

I got all excited when I was told they were being fixed.

Aw, booo

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Listening to the "Caribbean Plaza" track on Another Musical Souvenir of Walt Disney World is kind of sad because almost none of the audio heard in the first few minutes is left in the park. The cannons, barker bird, steel drum band, original queue music etc. all gone.

When Jack Sparrow was added in 2006 it was a great effect and a clever marketing tool, but 10 years later and the movie series almost done, I want the ride to go back to the way WED intended it to be shown.

EDIT: We should probably stop talking about PotC in the RoL thread

 

[marni1971]

No one is giving clarity on what changes the higher ups want so we're left to speculate.

I gather it's story, or lack of, that is the biggest issue. It's a muddly mess of prettiness and hollowness, far from the original brief. Questions are rightly being asked how it got this far. Though short of starting from scratch (which is doubtful) it is probable the show will open more or less in the state it is in, and maybe altered / plussed / rewritten as they go. Opening in the quieter period wouldn't surprise me, though I'd be shocked if it's not open in some form for Avland in the summer.

 

[Po'Rich]

Hesitantly, I am going to wade into this discussion and add my own two cents...
My concern with adding an IP to Rivers of Light is that it can be a cheap answer to the presumed issues with the show (I say, "presumed," because I haven't seen the production myself). However, many have attested that Disney execs state that it lacks the punch that they wanted from the show. Adding an IP would be a cheap way to add that punch. Need a big finish? Well, let's add Simba...or Moana...or, gasp, Elsa.

The problem is that instead of looking at the product and find a way within the narrative to improve the product, an IP borrows from the popularity of a different narrative to add that punch. It would be like adding Woody to a Cars movie just to help bolster an inferior movie (not saying anything about Cars, just providing an example). I think what people want from Rivers of Light is a new narrative that doesn't need to borrow from another narrative to be amazing.

As for Pirates, I believe that it was better before. In fact, it was so popular that they made a movie based on the ride. Then, they modified the ride to be based on the movie. So, we go from a ride that captures the theme of pirates to one that is all about Jack Sparrow. What is lost is the world where kids can imagine the world of pirates to one where they merely remember the movies.