We just saw the 8:30 show. Technically and conceptually, the show is stunning. The choreo of the floats is astounding; it really is nuts how precisely the show is run. The story, as vague as it is, also feels clear and I felt as though I could always follow what was supposed to be happening. There are some very good high points, namely, the introduction of the animal floats and the reveal of the lotus screens (and subsequent animals "hopping" from flower to flower).
On the other hand, the pacing is just bad, and the focus is lacking as a whole.
The show starts with all four small lotuses on the river, which would be fine if they weren't the central element of the show. The shamans appear next, and their boats spend almost no time in front of the seats. Fire spends a bit of time with us, but it felt as though the Water boat rocketed to the center of the lagoon almost immediately. To this end, I think it would've been better to start with the boats at the docks, them coming to meet at the bridge, and then heading to the lagoon together, and THEN summoning the lotuses.
This led to a sense of largeness that the show failed to really surpass by a nice margin right from the get-go, and the subsequent introduction of the animal floats only exacerbated the issue. Side note: the animal floats are BEAUTIFUL, and it is an absolute crime that you only get a good look at two of them. Also, the shamans and animals are the most interesting things to look at, so the underuse of them in favor of the lotuses was a bit of a headscratcher. But moving along, their introduction signals the climax of the show.
This is not the intended climax, but the entire audience (myself included) gasped and wowed as they came out and positioned themselves, and the result was breathtaking. But then they were quickly gone, and did not come back till the end, at which point they were grossly underutilized, and the show now had reached it's most breathtaking moment within the first five minutes.
Moving on: the lotus/projection portion. I have to say that this was great, but some of the punch was lost because it felt like it should have built into the intro of the animal floats, not the other way around. The large lotus was underwhelming as a whole, mostly because of the way it was presented. With as interesting as the transitions up to this point had been, it was weird to see what was supposed to be the centerpiece come out so simply (unlit and in a straight line to the center of the lagoon). Also, four fountains was kind of pathetic after a while.
The fire was nice, but with the level of punch it was intended to have, it falls flat. I think this moment would work better if fire also shot out from the other lotuses. It doesn't need fireworks, but it needs more. This also suffers from having to compete with the reveal of the animal floats, which I must reiterate was fantastic. What I really think should happen is that the animals should come back after the lotuses do their thing and move to their reveal positions (but switch the animals so that the animals are on the opposite sides they started on) before all goes dark and the tower rises. Then, when the tower lights, shoot fire from the smaller lotuses, light the animal lanterns as though they're on fire, and you've got a better climax moment.
I don't mind the floats staying onstage after the show ends, but I really think the fountains and floats should subtly change colors like the castle does since they don't disappear like fantasmic does.
I thought it was a good show, but it needs some reconfiguration and retooling to be on the same level as what the other parks offer.
