(RUMOR) Rivers Of Light to end in 2020 replaced with new show featuring Disney characters

[dreamfinder]

How are "ratings" done and normalized? I am actually very curious to know. I know they do some guest surveys, but they seem minimal.

Depends on the ratings in question. Pretty sure @lentesta and his crew compile tons of rating for Touring Plans and the unofficial guide. But yes, WDW also does their own internal surveys. As far as "minimal" goes, a well designed survey can infer alot from a small sample size. Refer to a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University about Trump

From September 21 - 26, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,412 voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, including the design effect. Live interviewers call landlines and cell phones.

They infer the feelings of the nation (millions of people) from a sample size of thousands. So WDW can gather data with a similar margin of error with a smaller sample size. As PP's have pointed out, there are inherent biases and flaws with surveys and polls, but a well designed survey can be fairly accurate. Or as the case with many WDW surveys, can convey what they want it to if designed for that intention.

 

[lentesta]

Depends on the ratings in question. Pretty sure @lentesta and his crew compile tons of rating for Touring Plans and the unofficial guide. But yes, WDW also does their own internal surveys. As far as "minimal" goes, a well designed survey can infer alot from a small sample size. Refer to a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University about Trump

They infer the feelings of the nation (millions of people) from a sample size of thousands. So WDW can gather data with a similar margin of error with a smaller sample size. As PP's have pointed out, there are inherent biases and flaws with surveys and polls, but a well designed survey can be fairly accurate. Or as the case with many WDW surveys, can convey what they want it to if designed for that intention.

We have about 2,000 survey results for Rivers of Light. Its average rating is 4.0 out of a maximum of 5.0 points. That's about the same as the average WDW attraction. The other 3 nighttime shows average ~4.3 (IllumiNations) to 4.5 (Happily Ever After). The average AK attraction is just under 4.2.

In talking with Disney's research people, I'm fairly confident we have similar results across attractions and restaurant ratings.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

We have about 2,000 survey results for Rivers of Light. Its average rating is 4.0 out of a maximum of 5.0 points. That's about the same as the average WDW attraction. The other 3 nighttime shows average ~4.3 (IllumiNations) to 4.5 (Happily Ever After). The average AK attraction is just under 4.2.

In talking with Disney's research people, I'm fairly confident we have similar results across attractions and restaurant ratings.

Always interesting, thanks!

Have you got SWAG, or is that third show Fantasmic? And Tree of Life Awakenings? Got any Wishes, Kiss Goodnight, Water Pageant, MSEP ratings?

 

[Next Big Thing]

It's hard to say how it would play out. I know I've seen Wishes from the beach of the Poly but to objectively measure a similar view of Happily Ever After would be impossible for me to do. Just an interesting point.

I see HEA from my HOUSE every night. It looks great from outside the park, regardless of projections.

 

[marni1971]

By no means am I advocating for IP in Rivers of Light. If that makes it a better show, so be it, but I'm just asking for a better show. The quality isn't there for a Disney nighttime show, IMO.

IP shouldn't be relied upon to improve anything.

Having said that it is being considered - so far only that - and I wouldn't expect the show to be around in its current form in a few years.

Which is a shame since it's almost there. Almost.

 

[lentesta]

Always interesting, thanks!

Have you got SWAG, or is that third show Fantasmic? And Tree of Life Awakenings? Got any Wishes, Kiss Goodnight, Water Pageant, MSEP ratings?

All of these are in the past 12 months except MSEP as noted:
Fantasmic: ~4.4.
Tree of Life Awakenings: ~4.3
Wishes: ~4.7
Kiss Goodnight: ~4.1
Electrical Water Pageant: ~4.0
MSEP: Nothing in the past year, obviously, but ~4.5 in the year before that.

 

[Disney-Trains]

IP shouldn't be relied upon to improve

Which is a shame since it's almost there. Almost.

I totally agree.... It is still lacking a legit finale, but the show has grown on me a lot! (Not sure how many tweaks have happened but i know the show impresses me more each time I see it.)

 

[ToTBellHop]

I totally agree.... It is still lacking a legit finale, but the show has grown on me a lot! (Not sure how many tweaks have happened but i know the show impresses me more each time I see it.)

Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[PorterRedkey]

I will say given perfect weather and a perfect view the hardware works well



Of course this isn't always the case.

Is that from the Sunday show we saw together?

 

[WondersOfLife]

I've yet to see it, but I know it's supposedly not as grand as Fantasmic, and the long wait might've caused higher expectations = bigger disappointment.

It's definitely more grand than fantasmic..... Given the fact that Fantasmic was either extremely delayed, cancelled, ends mid-show, and all of the above every single time I've ever tried to see it this year. (Over Columbus weekend? 3 days in a row!)

I'll come back to Fantasmic when I know I'm not going to throw away my time due to "technical issues."

At least Rivers of Light works.

 

[marni1971]

Is that from the Sunday show we saw together?

Yep

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Rivers Of Light. The show I wanted to love. We saw it Friday night. Perfect seats. Calm, perfect weather. and it's a one and done for us. The water projections didn't work that well. It was hard to make out what some of the animals. And no real finale. We preferred The Tree of Life awakenings instead. What a shame.

 

[cjkeating]

For anyone planning a trip they've just added second performance for most of my trip (late November, early December).

 

[JBIRDTO]

Glad I did not read all the doom and gloom on this board. I was there last Saturday and saw the show for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually wanted it to last a bit longer. It was a great end to the day with a nice mix of music and appropriate spectacle. Lots of enthusiastic applause and I did not hear anyone speak negatively of the show.

 

[jaxonp]

ROL is a good show. I don't know what people are expecting but if it's a firework show, then you'll be disappointed.

 

[Maeryk]

It's hard to say how it would play out. I know I've seen Wishes from the beach of the Poly but to objectively measure a similar view of Happily Ever After would be impossible for me to do. Just an interesting point.

we haven't seen HEA from the Poly yet, but when we were last there they were testing the massive spotlights and some of the fireworks in the wee hours.. and we had a great view from our room in Hawaii.

I will say the lights are far more impressive from a distance, and add a much larger dimension to the park than the regular wishes fireworks did. The fireworks in the round, on the other hand, are just freakin spectacular no matter where you are (the fourth and NYE show, as well as some odd other times they have run it)

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

Moana and Friends Magical Made-up word: Lights of Happy-thesaurus Celebration!

 

[rle4lunch]

Rivers of Light should not (and most likely will not) be replaced until the other three parks have their nighttime shows cycled out with a real replacement (looking at you Happily Ever After). We could expect a (real) replacement next at RoE, then MK again. The sad thing is that DHS needs a fresh cycle more than any other park, but that seems least likely at the moment.

No one is going to care about dhs nighttime show in about 11 months. Their focus will be on the other side of the park, where CMs will have imperial electrified batons to beat back the overflow of commoners without a FP that try to enter the pearly gates of swge.

 

[rle4lunch]

IP shouldn't be relied upon to improve anything.

Having said that it is being considered - so far only that - and I wouldn't expect the show to be around in its current form in a few years.

Which is a shame since it's almost there. Almost.

It wants to be great, but only succeeds at being good. And not the high side of good, but passable good.

 

[Prototype82]

I LOVE Rivers of Light! The soundtrack is amazing so I hope this is not true!

It's my favorite night show. With actors, it was flawless.