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

[Jones14]

So, serious question, what could be done to make the show more "wow" to some? To appeal to those who aren't as impressed. I admit the show could use some work, it shouldn't need it but it does. I really think it fits the park great, I'd hate to see IPs inserted just to appeal to one demographic (though it would depend how it's done, I'm not completely against it but I think it's a last resort), but apart from that, what, honestly, could they do to improve it? (And besides better water screens, that's kind of a given, I'm not asking about the tech aspect but the show aspect of it all). We aren't getting fireworks and to me that's what some want when they say it's not impressive or not "wow" enough. But I know some just aren't going to like it.

I think having fire shoot out from the four smaller lotus flowers once the fire tower is fully raised would be sufficient to give it some oomph.

 

[TTA94]

Are they even still trying to add the lanterns? I feel like those and any other enhancements won't happen until the next version of RoL.

 

[Kman101]

Good suggestions. I was just curious what could be done to make it more wow. I was kind of drawing a blank. I wasn't all that impressed by the big lotus fire feature either. Other fire features would make it a bit more wow. And I know I didn't want the tech side, which has already been sort of explained as to what's needed, but the water screens. I personally loved the projections on the trees before the show along with the firefly effect. But I've read some complained about that too and not seeing it clearly enough. Better projections overall would be an improvement.

 

[MisterPenguin]

So, serious question, what could be done to make the show more "wow" to some? To appeal to those who aren't as impressed. I admit the show could use some work, it shouldn't need it but it does. I really think it fits the park great, I'd hate to see IPs inserted just to appeal to one demographic (though it would depend how it's done, I'm not completely against it but I think it's a last resort), but apart from that, what, honestly, could they do to improve it? (And besides better water screens, that's kind of a given, I'm not asking about the tech aspect but the show aspect of it all). We aren't getting fireworks and to me that's what some want when they say it's not impressive or not "wow" enough. But I know some just aren't going to like it.

Getting the mini-lanterns to work with the system without frying it would help. I also think that making the Shamans pure pantomime wasn't the best choice and that instead of the single narrator, have them set the stage and occasionally narrate things could make things read better, much like what Tapestry of Nations did.
Finally, the Tower doesn't have as much of a wow factor as they thought it would. I'd say make it into a dragon (so the park's logo is finally complete) and beef up the constellation stuff in the ending with additional mythological references. Like have the horse turn into Pegasus, bears gain those long tails, put Scorpio there, the full Chinese Zodiac club, the dragon tower would represent Draco and the assorted constellations of dragons in Asian astrology and all these constellation beasts would be animated, not just the ones floating on lotuses.

Let's bullet point what's been said and add to it:

• Get the lanterns working
• Change the narration to be the voices of the shamans, and rewrite that Earth-o-centric part, because, you know, there might be life elsewhere on, you know, Pandora, for example
• more animal animations
  
• Have the shaman ships criss-cross in front of the viewing stands several times so, you know, we can actually see them
• Have the light-up animals also cross in front of the crowds more
• plant walls of bamboo on both sides of background side of the lake so as to have better projections onto them
• build some ruins into the lake so as to have several tall pillars from which the top of said pillars you can shoot the water to create a better water-screen, add fire to them to beef up the fire lotus
  
• Use the small lotus projections more... they're fantastic!

 

[Kman101]

Let's bullet point what's been said and add to it:

• Get the lanterns working
• Change the narration to be the voices of the shamans, and rewrite that Earth-o-centric part, because, you know, there might be life elsewhere on, you know, Pandora, for example
• more animal animations
  
• Have the shaman ships criss-cross in front of the viewing stands several times so, you know, we can actually see them
• Have the light-up animals also cross in front of the crowds more
• plant walls of bamboo on both sides of background side of the lake so as to have better projections onto them
• build some ruins into the lake so as to have several tall pillars from which the top of said pillars you can shoot the water to create a better water-screen, add fire to them to beef up the fire lotus
  
• Use the small lotus projects more... they're fantastic!

All great suggestions

Agreed on the small lotus projections. I was impressed by them.

I was disappointed the animal floats go dark for most of the show. What's the point? And the staging of the lotus flowers could use some work.

 

[Dizney Crew]

More fire at the end is a must, the tower is such a let down as the "Big Finale". Even having just a sea of Fire effect, similar to Fantasmic and World Of Color would be a welcome change. Even though we've seen this effect plenty of times before I don't think it gets old, espcially since we know we aren't going to get any fireworks at AK.

 

[El_Tomato]

That's what I was thinking - if anyone knows where to get the original version from, would you be able to share it with those of us who don't have it yet?

Found it! Just hope Disney doesn't...
https://m.soundcloud.com/sorcererparker/rivers-of-light-full-soundtrack

I much prefer this version rather than the edited one. Although the changes are minimal, I feel like this one flows better (especially the segment right before the Parade of the Spirit Animals and the introduction to the show, where the shamans would originally walk through the audience - a pity we lost that ).
Does anyone know what motivated the changes? The absence of lanterns?

 

[Dizney Crew]

Could a bigger fire effect be a hazard due to all the foliage in AK?

Maybe? Haven't thought about that, but still I'm sure they can turn the "heat" up a little bit. And if they can't this show really is doomed, they might as well turn the show to a night time water ski stunt show that would be more entertaining then what we have now.

 

[PorterRedkey]

The soundtrack is wonderful. I frequently listen to both versions. But given it's a new build there is no reason why show quality should be inherently limited to a hit or miss depending on conditions. It had to be designed to be the best from the start. There was certainly enough time to ensure it works every time. Given the amount of varying accounts here and elsewhere it's not hitting the mark that it and the park deserve.

I'll be seeing it myself (for real this time) later this year with someone from these boards. I'm very much looking forward to it and comparing our opinions.

 

[mguimond1990]

My problem with ROL is that we were given images like this about the show..and I know the show was never going to be EXACTLY like this rendering....

.....but what we got was this. It's just underwhelming.

 

[cjkeating]

Are they even still trying to add the lanterns? I feel like those and any other enhancements won't happen until the next version of RoL.

I would also be interested in hearing if the lanterns being added to the show is still a possibility.

I have a feeling this might not be happening as I expect we would have seen daylight testing of the lanterns like we did with the main floats when the show wasn't ready.

 

[djlaosc]

Found it! Just hope Disney doesn't...
https://m.soundcloud.com/sorcererparker/rivers-of-light-full-soundtrack

I much prefer this version rather than the edited one. Although the changes are minimal, I feel like this one flows better (especially the segment right before the Parade of the Spirit Animals and the introduction to the show, where the shamans would originally walk through the audience - a pity we lost that ).
Does anyone know what motivated the changes? The absence of lanterns?

Thank you!

 

[tirian]

I've been working in Europe for a couple of weeks and finally had a chance to check on these boards. (BTW, @wdwmagic , this really is the best Disney community online.)

I watched Rivers of Light almost two months ago, and it was the first time everybody around me complained all the way out the viewing area. There was no emotional connection. No memorable music. No storyline to build to a finale. The technology was incredible and the visuals were beautiful, but by the time it ended, Rivers of Light felt like a hugely expensive rough draft of a better show that must exist in someone's mind.

On the bus ride back to the Contemporary, I discussed the show with nearby guests who felt similarly underwhelmed. Disney needs to fix this show ASAP.

 

[tirian]

All great suggestions

Agreed on the small lotus projections. I was impressed by them.

I was disappointed the animal floats go dark for most of the show. What's the point? And the staging of the lotus flowers could use some work.

More fire at the end is a must, the tower is such a let down as the "Big Finale". Even having just a sea of Fire effect, similar to Fantasmic and World Of Color would be a welcome change. Even though we've seen this effect plenty of times before I don't think it gets old, espcially since we know we aren't going to get any fireworks at AK.

ROL would first benefit from some kind of storyline that builds to a finale with a memorable song. The story doesn't have to be a linear narrative. Illuminations ROE is an abstract retelling of the earth's creation and civilizations; ROL could be similarly abstract about the beauty of nature. Between the lotus flowers and animal barges, why not celebrate our planet's biology, from botany to zoology, from the dinosaurs to our current year? Imagine those lotus flowers shooting red and orange fountains while flames burst to dinosaur projections. What if we watched flowers from germination to blooms? Enchant audiences with segments of baby animals snuggling against their mothers. (Right now, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment between cheetahs, but that's about the only attempt to engage our emotions.)

Instead, the show feels like completely disjointed segments, combined with a lousy song with unintelligible lyrics except for "WE ARE ONE."

I've seen ROL twice and that's enough for years to come.

 

[Tom Morrow]

ROL would first benefit from some kind of storyline that builds to a finale with a memorable song. The story doesn't have to be a linear narrative. Illuminations ROE is an abstract retelling of the earth's creation and civilizations; ROL could be similarly abstract about the beauty of nature. Between the lotus flowers and animal barges, why not celebrate our planet's biology, from botany to zoology, from the dinosaurs to our current year? Imagine those lotus flowers shooting red and orange fountains while flames burst to dinosaur projections. What if we watched flowers from germination to blooms? Enchant audiences with segments of baby animals snuggling against their mothers. (Right now, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment between cheetahs, but that's about the only attempt to engage our emotions.)

Instead, the show feels like completely disjointed segments, combined with a lousy song with unintelligible lyrics except for "WE ARE ONE."

I've seen ROL twice and that's enough for years to come.

I think the introductory song and "We are One" are memorable enough, and is "an abstract story about the beauty of nature" not exactly what ROL is? Agreed that it needs some work but not a complete re-write.

 

[tirian]

I think the introductory song and "We are One" are memorable enough, and is "an abstract story about the beauty of nature" not exactly what ROL is? Agreed that it needs some work but not a complete re-write.

Like I said earlier, ROL feels like a rough draft of a better show that exists in someone's mind.

 

[Dizney Crew]

ROL would first benefit from some kind of storyline that builds to a finale with a memorable song. The story doesn't have to be a linear narrative. Illuminations ROE is an abstract retelling of the earth's creation and civilizations; ROL could be similarly abstract about the beauty of nature. Between the lotus flowers and animal barges, why not celebrate our planet's biology, from botany to zoology, from the dinosaurs to our current year? Imagine those lotus flowers shooting red and orange fountains while flames burst to dinosaur projections. What if we watched flowers from germination to blooms? Enchant audiences with segments of baby animals snuggling against their mothers. (Right now, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment between cheetahs, but that's about the only attempt to engage our emotions.)

Instead, the show feels like completely disjointed segments, combined with a lousy song with unintelligible lyrics except for "WE ARE ONE."

I've seen ROL twice and that's enough for years to come.

I thought the song was catchy and memorable enough, the only highlight of the show for me. But music is subjective not everyone is gonna like it.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Instead, the show feels like completely disjointed segments, combined with a lousy song with unintelligible lyrics except for "WE ARE ONE."

There is a structure though: We Are One's built around the Animal Spirits taking us into their home ecosystems of the jungle, ocean, savanna and tundra.

 

[ag3_tre]

I know this won't solve all the problems, but if the moving mini-lanterns are what's causing issues, they could rope clusters of them together around the theater and in directly in front of the audience. They could control the color changes they way they do Glow with the Show. Wouldn't that make things at least somewhat more visually interesting?

 

[dreamscometrue]

I've been working in Europe for a couple of weeks and finally had a chance to check on these boards. (BTW, @wdwmagic , this really is the best Disney community online.)

I watched Rivers of Light almost two months ago, and it was the first time everybody around me complained all the way out the viewing area. There was no emotional connection. No memorable music. No storyline to build to a finale. The technology was incredible and the visuals were beautiful, but by the time it ended, Rivers of Light felt like a hugely expensive rough draft of a better show that must exist in someone's mind.

On the bus ride back to the Contemporary, I discussed the show with nearby guests who felt similarly underwhelmed. Disney needs to fix this show ASAP.

Interesting. I had a completely different experience in March. Fourteen of us saw it, and every single person loved it. Two or three said it was the night time show they enjoy the most (and we saw all 5). While we were making our way out of the theater, we chatted with random people, and it got rave reviews.
Always lots of different opions, which is expected with any demographic, but I was a huge fan and will see it once or twice on every vacation.