No more live actors in ROL

[FullSailDan]

This is just the first phase. Without the Shaman crews, the show becomes even more difficult to follow for average guests, if not totally incoherent. The show's mixed reception takes even more of a dive and that becomes justification to pull the plug entirely.

This was my first thought too, but the more I dwell on it, I’m sort of understanding this move. The show is baffling to most viewers narratively, it’s completely lost on them (due to many design decisions/limitations). Those of us who do get it and like the idea conceptually, are still trying to root for something that just never quite came to fruition. Cutting the shamans while an obvious cost cut, also is a mea culpa of sorts. It’s conceding the show that actually got delivered is really just trippy projections on fountains that move. No use fighting it. Let it be what it is, and let the masses be amused for 15 minutes.

No, it’s not the quality we’ve all come to expect. However, it is the situation as it stands. Money certainly isn’t going to be spent in this park in the immediate future. Who would have thought back in the mid 00s we’d be sitting here saying that AK needs the LEAST help attendance and attraction wise?

 

[MisterPenguin]

New fiscal year starts October 1st?

Bingo. It certainly does.

Wouldn't it be more of a quarterly thing for this quarter? The previous quarters did well. And with festivals and party nights and full Disney resorts, the next quarter should be fine. Not to mention all the extra people they'll by hiring for the "19 things" they just announced.

EDIT: Wait a sec... the quarter's almost over. These cuts will have negligible effect on this quarter and this fiscal year. Right?

 

[MisterPenguin]

The show is baffling to most viewers narratively, it’s completely lost on them (due to many design decisions/limitations). Those of us who do get it and like the idea conceptually, are still trying to root for something that just never quite came to fruition. Cutting the shamans while an obvious cost cut, also is a mea culpa of sorts. It’s conceding the show that actually got delivered is really just trippy projections on fountains that move.

I kinda feel the same way. If it weren't for all the background stuff I picked up here, I wouldn't know what the heck the shaman were all about. One of my criticisms of ROL is that the shaman's boats were usually too far away to see (and I was sitting in front rows most performances). It would have been really nice for their boats to have cut back and forth across the lake foreground.

 

[Obobru]

#thanksFox #thanksSky

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Not to get too political, but the issue here is how business and the economy works more generally at the moment and not whether the theme parks are bleeding money. I doubt that Disney is worried that they're going to start losing money. Their worry will be that profit margins will be lower than they were last year. And, honestly, if Disney still makes healthy profits but they're lower than expectations, the share price probably will go down and there will be plenty of headlines about a disappointing quarter for Disney.

This is it, 110%.

There are some companies whose “products” simply cannot fit with the current “short term growth” model (i.e., it’s particularly bad for them).

Disney is near the top of that list: For its theme parks, it produces and maintains art and experiences that rely on doing extra and including details that add up in a way that is intangible and unmeasurable... while the “how fast are things growing this quarter” culture motivates a “cut what is extra and doesn’t directly, measurably, and in the short-term contribute to profit margins” approach.

 

[Nottamus]

I could be wrong...but this kinda feels like the calm before the storm...

2019 Star Wars fans from every corner of this planet, and other planets, will show up to the opening. I know people saying they won’t schedule a trip until that’s opened.

So...cutbacks now...then total boom of growth in a year.

Just an opinion

 

[ParksAndPixels]

All I keep thinking is, “and yet ‘UP! Great bird adventure is still open?’...

 

[wdisney9000]

I wonder how much money they are saving by cutting out all these actors (Citizens of Hollywood, RoL) VS the money they actually spent on making your cell phone able to open you resort room door (which rarely works from what i hear)?

 

[Delgado]

It’s confirmed. Expect more budget savings to come in the short term.

Not being pessimistic, just saying how it is.

I’m definitely leaning towards cancelling our trip after Christmas into the New Year. The premium for the time of year coupled with the cuts just makes me believe it’s not worth it, go later when a few attraction open or a nighttime parade (looking at you MK). I’m paying a lot for a lot less. The amount of crap my husband buys for our kids while we’re there ,we could have paid for the live actors in ROL. So many cuts recently.
But really, I can’t be the only one thinking this..is this the Disney’s goal? I know they want to spend less but doesn’t that mean less attendance = less profit?

 

[JoeCamel]

I’m definitely leaning towards cancelling our trip after Christmas into the New Year. The premium for the time of year coupled with the cuts just makes me believe it’s not worth it, go later when a few attraction open or a nighttime parade (looking at you MK). I’m paying a lot for a lot less. The amount of crap my husband buys for our kids while we’re there ,we could have paid for the live actors in ROL. So many cuts recently.
But really, I can’t be the only one thinking this..is this the Disney’s goal? I know they want to spend less but doesn’t that mean less attendance = less profit?

As they have proven and stated less attendance does not mean less profit. The want to grow per guest spending not attendance and it is working. Just look at the numbers from the quarterlies.
Very short term thinking but you have a short term CEO and a merch guy in charge of the parks division.

 

[Magicart87]

All I keep thinking is, “and yet ‘UP! Great bird adventure is still open?’...

'Cause its gots IP!

But don't worry, there's a quick fix for RoL after the fiscal year. Rivers of Light Dance Party with Moana!

 

[Delgado]

As they have proven and stated less attendance does not mean less profit. The want to grow per guest spending not attendance and it is working. Just look at the numbers from the quarterlies.
Very short term thinking but you have a short term CEO and a merch guy in charge of the parks division.

I haven’t had time to read everything on the subject. There’s been a lot of info coming out.

The only issue I see with guest spending up and not attendance...There’s only so many toys, cups, bands, etc that a person can buy. They don’t rotate enough merch in for locals to be buying all the time. Restaurants MOSTLY (not all, please don’t bombard me with hate) are acceptably mediocre. Locals dont need hotels (yes I understand occasionally they stay), experiences (another dessert party?) So wth are people spending so much money on? If there’s a forum for this can someone reply with the link. Thanks for everyone’s input, yes even if you don’t agree with me I like reading everyone’s news, info, and opinion when put decently.

 

[Sweet Thing]

They did just agree to a raise. This along with all of the other cuts that are happening could possibly be to offset that.

 

[EvilChameleon]

Going to make my annual plea to replace this with World Of Color East.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I've never seen the show, but was going to this winter! Not now, not worth it without live actors. What is Disney thinking?????

 

[FigmentJedi]

Going to make my annual plea to replace this with World Of Color East.

That's what Happily Ever After is

 

[EvilChameleon]

How about no. Let's keep that overrated show where it belongs.

You really shouldn't talk about Fantasmic that way.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

The fact that they feel they can cut literally every human from a show pretty much proves the thing is a mess with no real storyline to tell.

That should be embarrassing to TDO.

But I assume they have the stereos in their Escalades up too loud to notice.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Has this already taken effect? My trip is next week and I wanted to see the original version of the show

FWIW, it’s still on Directv on demand (no charge.) I just recorded it so it will keep on my DVR after it’s no longer running (usually.) it’s a professional WDW video with close-ups, etc. that you’d never see while sitting in the RoL theater.

 

[disney4life2008]

It should be noted that Disney upper management never EVER liked Rivers of Lights and, in my opinion and the opinion of a few creatives who worked on the project, Disney has been trying to find a way to get rid of it since before it even opened.

It's a embarrassing show.