News Primeval Whirl, Stitch's Great Escape and Rivers of Light permanently closed

[floydbeatle]

Sad to see PW go. I know most people disliked the ride, but my family and I always enjoyed it. Never saw ROL because we always left before it started. I can't remember Stitch, but I love Wreck-it-Ralph which is the supposed replacement. Doubt we will see that anytime soon. Frankly, none of this surprises me, and I suspect as others have mentioned that we will see more rides disappear.

 

[gerarar]

During this past Christmas, my parents got to see RoL, while my sister and I got to see it from the Everest lift multiple times (wait was only 5mins, so couldn’t resist it!).
It was very pretty from afar, and up close according to my parents. Seeing a large torch lighting up with fire does wonders in the surrounding areas.

Hopefully another nighttime spectacular replaces RoL soon down the road and pays homage to the original, since the music was really beautiful imo.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Whatever is eventually going to replace PW, I hope it’s still something Dinoland related. For all the flack it gets I have a soft spot for the area. Too many people forget about the other half of the land that isn’t Dino-Rama.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Magic- Treehouse or Country Bears/Shooting Gallery.
EPCOT- Figment or Gran Fiesta Tour or maybe even The Seas
DHS- Star Tours or Rockin' Roller Coaster
DAK- TriceraTop Spin

Out of all of these I would say that Figment is the most likely to face abandonment and closure. The attraction has been and still is in horrible shape, and the animatronic figments are so poorly maintained, they end up looking like my poorly maintained local Chuck E. Cheese stage show. I heard that the sound lab figment was barely moving yesterday, according to those who rode it. That’s just one example of its many maintenance issues, and the fact that no one rides it anymore also adds to a possible abandonment.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

An updated version of Jungle Book Alive with Magic has been mentioned as the eventual replacement.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Absolutely. Sadly, Disney did, and will continue, to take the wrong message from RoL's failure to resonate with guests. They blamed the lack of IP. They structured guest surveys to steer toward confirming this. But the real issues were pacing, not enough happening beyond lighting effects, and lack of a wow factor or proper finale.

Also, the general public is funny. The average person will be quick to say they don't enjoy something because of a lack of recognizable IP. But, when the attraction is good, the lack of IP does not even cross their mind.

While I have an audience, even if it is just you, one like-minded person, just for closure:

You know, I shall immediately concede every argument against RoL. Lame, underwhelming, unclear, poor pacing, no finale, progressively worse incarnations, budget issues.

And yet...
There have been moments when I was say at that lake. The Tree on one side, Everest on the other. Embraced by them. The beautiful lights everywhere. A soft spring breeze. Those shaman boats that have the most gorgeous lighting of any object in WDW. The colourful floats doing their ballet. The faint animal imagery that resonates so strongly after a day soaking up this endlessly rich park. And on those moments, RoL is a real treasure, you are looking at something that is precious. RoL too is special, in its own way, the way you love the least talented kid just as much as any other. Even if it didn't get as far as some others, it tried too.

 

[CastAStone]

My guesses per park-
Magic- Country Bears OR Treehouse
EPCOT- Figment
DHS- RNR

Treehouse has to be the cheapest attraction in the park to operate and country bears can’t be far behind. If they’re going to cut things it’s going to be shows with live actors.

 

[brb1006]

All those years of preparing Rivers Of Light for it's public premiere, only to get permanently closed a few years later. That show had so much potential.

 

[brb1006]

Wow.. wonder how much they blew on RoL.

I'm bummed, because that was Animal Kingdom's first and only nighttime show.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Not sure what would be worse... A SBNO PW for several years, or if they just remove PW and put a few temporary planters and a M&G there for a few years... As much as everyone complains about how the area as a whole looks, that ride is the centerpiece of the area and for it to be either SBNO or missing altogether will just make it look even worse ..

 

[Coaster Lover]

I'm bummed, because that was Animal Kingdom's first and only nighttime show.

Well... Technically...

 

[WEDway Inc & Company LLC]

I say we replace Rivers of Light with River of Dreams, a new Billy Joel inspired nighttime show! It's also got a private meet and greet session too!

 

[Brer Panther]

Don't give a crap about Stitch or Primeval Whirl, but it bums me out that now the spaces they occupy is just gonna sit empty without a replacement for a while.

Like what? Horizons? 20K? Most closures without replacements have happened in the Iger era. Heck, one of the major ones happened just a few years after he became CEO and is only now getting any sort of replacement.

Didn't the Submarine Voyage rides at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom close and sit empty for years? That was pre-Iger.

Disney did, and will continue, to take the wrong message from RoL's failure to resonate with guests.

Word. They do the same thing with their movie releases.

DHS- RNR

DHS- Star Tours or Rockin' Roller Coaster

Isn't Rock 'n' Roller Coaster pretty popular? Then again, so is Splash Mountain...

 

[WEDway Inc & Company LLC]

Isn't Rock 'n' Roller Coaster pretty popular? Then again, so is Splash Mountain...

Last I heard, Disney's contract with Aerosmith is up, and replacements are being looked at.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

Didn't the Submarine Voyage rides at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom close and sit empty for years? That was pre-Iger.

Yeah, that was literally the second thing I said.

 

[brb1006]

As in the first one.

Between RoL and Fastpass+ that’s quite a few bonuses not paid. At least they're being honest in a PR fluff way. Shame; the original RoL had potential and some lovely music.

I remember footage of the show from D23 2015 actually looked promising.

 

[Tom Morrow]

While I have an audience, even if it is just you, one like-minded person, just for closure:

You know, I shall immediately concede every argument against RoL. Lame, underwhelming, unclear, poor pacing, no finale, progressively worse incarnations, budget issues.

And yet...
There have been moments when I was say at that lake. The Tree on one side, Everest on the other. Embraced by them. The beautiful lights everywhere. A soft spring breeze. Those shaman boats that have the most gorgeous lighting of any object in WDW. The colourful floats doing their ballet. The faint animal imagery that resonates so strongly after a day soaking up this endlessly rich park. And on those moments, RoL is a real treasure, you are looking at something that is precious. RoL too is special, in its own way, the way you love the least talented kid just as much as any other. Even if it didn't get as far as some others, it tried too.

One of the strengths of Disney parks above others is the indirect experiences they can create. A feeling in the atmosphere that no other place can replicate by having so many elements working together. To add one of my experiences, once I went to DAK by myself one evening and was feeling down. There is a spot by the water in the extended Flame Tree BBQ seating that overlooks the RoL lagoon. There is a fence right up against the water and the trees surrounding it frame the lagoon and Everest perfectly. Adjacent to this spot there is a massive speaker pointed toward the stadium. You could see and hear the entire show from the vantage point, just from the opposite side. So there I stood, in near darkness surrounded by trees, entirely alone, and it felt like this production was happening just for me. The beautiful surrealness of that moment brought me out of my depressed mood.

I don't think a bunch of IP imagery and familiar Disney music would have had the same effect.

 

[brb1006]

Well... Technically...

We don't talk about that show!

 

[TTA94]

An updated version of Jungle Book Alive with Magic has been mentioned as the eventual replacement.

Honestly if Jungle Book Alive With Magic had some extra features like the lotus fountains, it would have been a decent show.

I still say they should go the WoC route.

 

[MisterPenguin]

View attachment 484172
If they do end up axing Dinorama, it looks like this could be room for a new D/E dark ride.

Bigger than that. Maybe a full land?

WDW doesn't have half a billion lying around for a new unannounced land.