Rivers of Light had its first public performance in Disney’s Animal Kingdom last night
“Rivers of Light is an all-new nighttime show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort. Rich in symbolism and storytelling, the elaborate theatrical production takes guests on a breathtaking emotional journey — a visual mix of water, fire, nature and light all choreographed to an original musical score. Rivers of Light will be performed on select nights.”
Nine months ago, I sat in the amphitheater in Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the “summer media kick-off event” and was told we were going to see a snippet of Rivers of Light because the show had been delayed. During the few minutes, we were presented with the story, laid out with the Storytellers processional that would start the show, before being shown the middle section of the program. Of course, you can watch what we saw back then here before reading my review of the full show:
Now, we move forward to this past Friday night and the first public performance of Rivers of Light. Having heard stories of all the technical problems and the things that went wrong during the Cast Member previews, I walked in very unsure of what I was going to see as compared to what was seen in the video above. After sitting for over an hour, the lucky guests who caught wind of the special early show — official opening is not until February 17th — we were given a real treat. Rivers of Light is not your normal “Disney show” just as Disney’s Animal Kingdom was never supposed to be a normal “Disney Park.” It is meant to capture your imagination and show the beauty of the animal kingdom, and it does that through some of the most technologically advance ways.
Rivers of Light floats
From before the show even starts, the lotus flower floats move into position and projections of animals moving across the tress on the far side of the lagoon it’s a prefect lead into the show. Once the show starts it is just visually and audibly stunning. Running a total 15 minutes, three minutes less than the originally planned show with the removal of the processional and some of the Storyteller elements, Rivers features 11 floats at times literally dancing around the lagoon all at one time. Meanwhile, scenes of animals are projected on a mist screen coming from the lotus flower floats. With all of this, I can fully understand why this show had been delayed.
Another Rivers of Light float
My two cents on this show is that it fits perfectly in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It doesn’t have any Disney references and it is about animals and nature, which was what the park was originally all about. Walking out of Rivers of Light I heard a lot of, “It’s no World of Color,” and my response was, “It was never meant to be.” Each Disney Park should have its own story and ‘voice,’ as I like to say. Wishes and Remember… Dreams Come True are perfect for the “Castle Parks” and World of Color and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fit the stories of Disney California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios respectively, but when guests see IllumiNations in Epcot, most don’t get the story or how it fits in that park. That is how I feel most guests will walk out of Rivers of Light, but it is a great addition to the park and will keep me there till after dark.
As a Disney Audiophile, the soundtrack and the amazing sound system in the new area are where I got lost during the show. It features a powerful musical score created by songwriter and composer Don L. Harper and the signature song “We Are One” was written by Mark Mancina, who created the score and was a key collaborator on the music for Disney’s hit animated feature film Moana. Honestly, I can’t wait to hear it over and over again.
I would never recommend watching a video of such a stunning show before seeing it in person, but if you don’t have plans to make it to Disney’s Animal Kingdom anytime soon, this is a good way to see it and make your own judgment:
If you are planning a trip to the park soon. make sure you book your FastPass+ or a special dining package, available to park guests that include reserved seating at the new show. Packages are offered at the buffet-style Tusker House or the new signature restaurant Tiffins (lunch and dinner). Reservations can be made by visiting DisneyWorld.com/dining or by calling 407 WDW-DINE.