Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom finally performed for the public on February 10th, 2017 after 10 months of delays. So, how was it?
Our guest review from the cast member previews rings true, but I think that a fair amount of you reading this will find Rivers of Light at least somewhat enjoyable. There is some brilliant technology and fun music, but the whole thing sort of falls apart in the second half and the show indeed lacks a big finale like every other nighttime show at Disney Parks. If you have never seen World of Color at Disney’s California Adventure, a lot of the technology in this show should be new to you, making for some true “wow” moments. There are scenes of brilliance that make the show worth at least one watch for any guest, but it will probably lack the repeatability of many other nighttime spectaculars, at least in its current form.
The pre-show is fantastic, yet subtle. The lotus blossoms slowly roll in once the Tree of Life illuminates about 15 minutes before showtime, and the trees in the background of the show slowly come to life. Every now and then, one of the animals from the lantern floats makes it way through the background projections in shadow form, a brilliant and subtle foreshadowing of what is to come.
The show starts and the opening is everything I could have ever wanted the show to be. The entire theater quickly comes to life in a celebratory atmosphere for the arrival of the animal floats. The entrance of the animal lantern floats is beyond magnificent, and the way they exit this scene is even more inventive. The portion that follows with the lotus blossoms shooting water into the air is also fun, but then all of that stops.
Despite the “We Are One” song being fantastic (it’s going to be one off those catchy Disney songs that stays with you forever), the show loses its narrative and completely falls apart at this point. It sort of turns into an animal clip show on the projection mist screens, followed by a finale that lacks absolutely any bigger effects than the rest of the show. The big payoff piece in the large lotus blossom (featuring a fire effect) just isn’t impressive and leaves guests wondering if the show is actually over. The second half of this show is such a shame, especially after the artful execution of the first half. This is where you can tell something is missing and also that the show was hacked to death creatively over time.
The good news is given the nature of these shows, fixing it or adding new segments is fairly simple. Rivers of Light in its current form is a solid foundation that I do not doubt can grow over time into something just as epic and powerful as any other nighttime show.
Rivers of Light isn’t perfect, but I don’t think it’s a waste of your time either. A dining package may be a little overkill, but I would recommend a FastPass+ reservation. With the nature of the soft opening, I am not quite willing to provide any strategies for seeing the show just yet, but I will write up a separate post once I have tried a few different ways of viewing it and have seen it from a wide array of vantage points.
In the meantime, preview shows are taking place on a regular basis between now and the official debut February 17th, so be sure to check in the morning around 9am if you’re looking for a FastPass+ for one of these early showings.
Special thanks to Josh of EasyWDW.com for the use of his photos.
Here is a video of last night’s debut of Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. For whatever reason, YouTube refuses to allow anyone to upload the full show due to copyright claims on the soundtrack, so I had to reactivate the old Vimeo account from the former WDWNTube site to share this. Regardless, we hope you enjoy it!
If for some reason you do not like Vimeo, here is a highlights video from YouTube:
The annual price hike for tickets and annual passes at Walt Disney World is coming tomorrow, Sunday, February 12th, 2017 and we’ve got some of the details for you.
Last year, Walt Disney World introduced seasonal one-day ticket pricing, with three tiers based on demand at that time of year. For Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom parks, mid-tier tickets will cost $107, up from $102. Peak season tickets (check with Disneyworld.com for exact dates) will cost $119, up from $114. A one-day visit during the value season will cost $99, up from $97.
The Magic Kingdom remains at a higher one-day ticket price than the rest. Prices will rise for value and regular seasons, but the peak price will remain unchanged at $124. The regular season ticket will rise to $115 from $110.
Prices listed above are for adults and do not include tax. Tickets for children 3 to 9 will also going up.
Walt Disney World annual pass prices will also increase Sunday. Florida-resident gold passes with blockout dates during the Christmas and spring break seasons will cost $559, up from $549. Platinum passes with no blockout dates will cost $679, which is raised from $649.
Prices for Disney tickets are typically raised each year in February, so this is nothing new.
Also starting Sunday, guests buying tickets online can save up to $20 on Magic Your Way bundles ranging from three to 10 days. All tickets will now have expiration dates starting on Sundays, not just single-day tickets. The dates will vary.
The price of theme park preferred parking (an option added last year) will also rise to $40.
In addition, Disney is eliminating the “water park fun and more” option, which had combined admission to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon with a golf outing or a visit to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Visitors can still get this combo with a regular park hopper ticket.
The annual price increase for Disneyland Resort ticket prices is upon us once again.
Effective Sunday, it will cost $97 to go to one of the parks on “Value” days, the lowest-priced days of the year, up $2. A visit on a Regular day will be $110, while a Peak day will cost $124, both up $5. Tickets are more on days when demand would be higher.
Parking is also going up to $20 from $18.
Last year, in an effort to spread out the crowds, Disney introduced its three-level pricing. Some observers say the tiered pricing structure has worked, with less people flocking to the park, for example, on the highest-demand two-week period including Christmas and New Year’s Day.
On Sunday, prices for some annual passes will go up, too. The Southern California Select and Southern California passes will be $339 and $469, respectively, $10 increases. Both passes have blackout days. The Deluxe pass, with some Saturday and peak-holiday-period blackout days, is getting boosted by $20 to $619. The prices for the higher-end passes will remain the same.
A full pricing breakdown is not available yet, but should be later today.
Our latest photo report brings us to the Magic Kingdom as many refurbishments and enhancements continue through the less busy weeks of the year.
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom
Work continues on the Magic Kingdom monorail station (and it remains open thankfully).
Work continues on the Magic Kingdom train station.
The Emporium remains open while work is done to the exterior.
Tomorrowland In Progress Today
Sadly, the new paint scheme on the Tomorrowland rocks is already peeling.
There are now Toy Story Snuggle Snappers for sale.
Work continues on the rumored Joffrey’s Coffee location in Tomorrowland.
Just a few days ago, there was just a foundation behind those walls.
The Cool Ship has reopened, but the Cool Scanner remains under refurbishment.
The exterior painting on Space Mountain continues.
A look down at just the foundation for the coffee stand.
The Cool Ship is looking good after its short refurbishment.
Apparently, the guest relations location in Tomorrowland is still a thing, there was just no one working there the last time we visited.
Some Beauty and the Beast phone case designs can now be found at the D-Tech on Demand kiosks here.
As you can see, it was open again. I’m guessing they were understaffed the last time we visited.
The refurbishment of Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is underway, with the restrooms closed for remodeling.
This kid asked me why the bathrooms are closed. I responded, “Kid, have you eaten here?”
I’m not sure if it was done recently, but I noticed the old multicolored covering on the benches was gone and there was a new paint scheme on the walls.
There is now a FuelRod kiosk inside of Cosmic Ray’s. The convenience continues to grow as you can find many of these in each park now.
The work on the exterior has many of the windows covered.
If you couldn’t tell, it is really dark inside right now.
The work outside is to add more covered seating areas.
Beauty and the Beast Taking Over
I found the Beauty and the Beast MagicBand at the Magic Kingdom. It’s not the best one I’ve seen…
Bonjour Village Gifts is now selling tons of merchandise from the new movie.
Including the Belle doll which most think looks more like Justin Bieber in a dress…
This and That
I’m no fan of Pinocchio Village Haus, but closing at 6pm seems a bit early. Even the @WDWToday twitter account tweeted at 6pm the other day that you should go eat here, but it was closed already…
Inside, the electronic menu boards have been covered for a while, with these static signs placed over them for now.
There are now candy-filled lightsabers for sale at the parks.
Filled with off-brand M&M’s…
You can get blue or red, but clearly the red is more popular.
A new mug for sale in the Emporium.
I thought it was neat that it has an emoji of the castle underneath instead of the usual logo.
Pecos Bill’s has become my favorite quick service lunch spot over the last year. It seems this is where I end up every time there’s not something new to order elsewhere in the park.
The new kid’s nachos dish is a pretty good value, and you can load it up as much as you want at the fixin’s bar.
The taller trees on the riverbank were removed to help with the sight-lines for Tiana’s Riverboat Party.
As you can see, this new, smaller tree was just planted.
All sorts of emergency walkways and exits around the parks seems to be getting much brighter LED lighting for nighttime.
Seen here, the stairway at the dock is brighter than the lights on the Riverboat.
Tomorrowland Tonight
The nighttime lighting on the Tomorrowland rocks looks great as it reflects off the water and makes a wave effect.
New lighting was installed on the Progress City model along the Peoplemover and it looks great.
Just two days later, the entire Joffrey’s Coffee kiosk was there (sorry for the blurry pics, but best I could do).
Over the weekend, the Beauty and the Beast Sneak Peek at Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened to guests.
Beauty and the Beast is the latest movie preview to utilize the theater for a limited time, but this particular preview has brought about sweeping changes to the actual exhibit space.
Gone are the models of Buena Vista Street, Paradise Pier, the Tree of Life, Mystic Manor, and Tokyo DisneySea, replaced with props from TV and film.
The props from The Lion King on Broadway have found a new home in the case formerly occupied by the Tree of Life.
Why the world needs more Star Wars props outside of Star Wars Launch Bay is beyond me..
Some animation maquette can also be found here.
There is a res with props from Disney Channel’s Descendants.
The Beauty and the Beast film preview is in the adjacent theater.
All of the signage and such was painted a new color, gone is the greenish-blue.
I have to say, the preview itself has me far more excited for this film than I have been. I think Disney is going to be making even more money than they thought when this hit theaters next month. The preview does feature the entire “Belle” musical number, and because of this, the theater is crawling with cast members and security personnel watching to make sure no one films it. Seriously, this is not usually a thing with these previews at Hollywood Studios, but this one is being taken very seriously.
The losses to One Man’s Dream are upsetting. While the first two-thirds of the exhibit space are still there in all their glory, gone is the theme-park-heavy finale portion of the exhibit, undoubtedly a favorite of likely everyone who reads this site. So many wonderful models and exhibit pieces about after Walt’s passing were on display, likely now gone forever. While some expect this to change after the multi-year expansion of the park is completed, I would not. The new areas of the park being added do not add any new theater space or exhibit space, so I would doubt these “meet and greets” and movie previews and props will find another home.
While the average guest will enjoy seeing a prop from their favorite film, theme parks fans won’t have as much to enjoy when now visiting Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.
Starting today, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a new bird experience. Featuring the birds from “Flights of Wonder,” the park’s trainers and birds demonstrate lighthearted and interactive behaviors using stages in Africa and DinoLand U.S.A. In order to accommodate these new experiences, the “Flights of Wonder” showtimes will be adjusted to 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 2:30 PM daily.
The short performances in Dinoland U.S.A. will take place on a temporary stage in DinoLand U.S.A. at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. They will feature 3-4 different birds and highlight the connections birds share with dinosaurs.
The short performances in Africa will take place on the Harambe stage near Tusker House Restaurant and will occur as a surprise for Guests and will not be listed in the Times Guide. The performances will feature 3-4 different birds and highlight species characteristics and unique behavioral demonstrations.
The first major piece of the ongoing expansion of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge opened on Monday: Geyser Point Bar and Grill.
The new lounge and counter service location is nestled on the shores of Bay Lake where a beach line once stood.
The fire pit just outside of the main entrance will be a nice spot to enjoy some warmth and food & drink.
The bar and lounge portion of the establishment is under a large, open air structure.
Adjacent, guests will find a counter service location for if they are in a hurry.
A rather pleasant lounge surrounds the bar, offering a full service dining experience with a waiter or waitress.
The bar has plenty of seats, which is good, because they are going to need it…
The views of Bay Lake from here are gorgeous (even though Monday wasn’t exactly the most picturesque day in Central Florida).
The new location will be just steps away from many of the Copper Creek Cabins that are nearing completion at the resort.
If you take a walk around the corner, there is still much work to be done.
However, the themed elements here are fantastic. as the backstory goes…
Such rejuvenating transformations were common in the Pacific Northwest following the mid-20th-century fading of the Transcontinental Railroad, as locals turned rails into trails – repurposing everything from bridges and tunnels to cranes and quarries. A nearby “Boulder Ridge Railway and Mining Co.” water tower will be among the pool area’s landmark reminders of its pioneering past, while a vintage mine cart supports the mining theme with an affectionate nod to Disney history.
While not confirmed yet, the Reunion Station sounds like it may be home to the new activity center and childcare amenities for the resort (since the Cub’s Den is now closed).
The water tower and other themed elements nearby are stunning, fantastic pieces that go a long way to make this area feel special and envelope you in the resort’s fantastic theme.
They sure do love years ending in 71…
Train tracks in the ground and a nearby mine cart further the story.
We have a short video tour if you would like a better sense of how everything here is situated:
An updated map can be found nearby, featuring pieces of the resort that have yet to open.
Temporary stickers cover the items that are not yet open.
Alright, now let’s head on in and have a bite (and a few drinks, I suppose)…
Geyser Point Bar and Grill Menus
What instantly puts Geyser Point over many of the other establishments at various resorts is the variety of options. Not only does the lounge offer a huge menu of drinks and a few unique edible options, but you can also order from the full counter service menu as well. This is spectacular. This is one of the reasons why I love Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at Disneyland so much more than the Polynesian Village Resort version, because I can enjoy the specialty beverages, but also a quick service meal from the Tangaroa Terrace next door.
We start below with the lounge-only menu:
The featured cocktails are completely unique to Geyser Point Bar and Grill.
Below, the full counter service menu:
Below is the breakfast offerings (which we will be back for):
OK, now let’s get down to business…
Featured and Specialty Drinks
Let’s dive on in to the alcoholic beverages that we tried on our first visit, shall we?
Whippersnapper Sour ($11.25)
WhipperSnapper Whiskey perfectly mixed with Sweet-and-Sour
This is something fairly unique to this location and I thought it was pretty tasty too. I was concerned when ordering it as I don’t often like drinks with sweet-and-sour, but I would honestly order this again.
Cascadia Sangria Cocktail ($11.00)
Zodiac Black Cherry Vodka, fresh Lime Juice, and Orange Juice topped with Columbia Crest H3 Merlot
Warning: this won’t stay this pretty as you do have to mix it after this, but it does offer a pretty picture before you do. This was honestly my favorite of all the drinks that we tried and a fun twist on your average sangria.
Northwest Iced Tea ($11.25)
Rogue Dark Rum, 44° North Idaho Potato Vodka, Aviation Gin, Cointreau, and Sweet-and-Sour with a splash of Coca-Cola
Rum and Coke is probably just about my favorite adult beverage, and this is an interesting and delicious take on that.
Black Cherry Mule ($10.75)
Crown Royal Regal Apple, DeKuyper Pucker Sour Apple, and fresh Lime Juice topped with Fever Tree Ginger Beer
I wasn’t crazy about this and I think it is because it needs a little more of the black cherry vodka. I would say that I don’t usually like ginger beer drinks, but as we learned at the Paddlefish with the Gold Rush, it turns out that I do. So maybe stay clear of this one.
Huckleberry Punch ($11.25)
44° North Mountain Huckleberry Vodka, Bols Crème de Cassis, fresh Lemon Juice, and Cranberry Juice
This is yet another viable option here, especially if you like a good fruity cocktail. Huckleberry vodka is very unique, which again separates the drinks here from many other places at Walt Disney World.
Blue Wilderness ($10.25)
Black Cherry Zodiac Vodka, pineapple juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Curacao.
I could not for the life of men remember what was in this, so credit to The Dis for the ingredient list and for the discovery of the drink (my arm and head also pop up a few times in that video as I was sitting behind them). I do enjoy myself a fruity beverage, so this was rather enjoyable to me. You almost can’t taste the alcohol in this (“that could be dangerous, very dangerous” to quote the Indiana Jones Adventure), but that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of this nice fruity concoction.
Appetizers & Entrees
Below is a mix of items from both the counter service menu and the lounge-only menu.
Lump Crab Cake Sandwich ($13.99)
with House-made Canadian Bacon and Spicy Cabbage-Carrot Slaw
This sandwich was spectacular, stacked with plenty of crab cake and a nice, thick piece of Canadian bacon. Even the slaw blended well, being something I would usually remove before consuming the rest. The bread was fresh and I LOVED the waffle fries. This is seriously one of my favorite counter service meals I have had.
House Smoked Salmon BLT ($12.49)
with Lemon-Caper Mayonnaise
Giant, thick pieces of salmon with bacon, lettuce, and tomato on this perfect multigrain bread make for another fantastic option here. I hate to sound like a broken record, but this was awesome as well. A filling and well prepared meal for sure.
Cheesy Barbecue Brisket with House Made Chips ($11.00)
Alright, I know I just told you how much I loved the last two dishes, but this was our overall favorite. This cheesy brisket dip has a wonderful flavor and a nice dose of house made chips to dip in it. This is absolutely a must-order if you will be dining here!
Edamame with Chili Salt ($5.00)
These make for a really good, cheap lounge appetizer. The portion is very sizable and the chili salt gives them a favorable kick.
Crispy Fried Oysters with Miso Tartar Sauce ($12.00)
I also enjoyed the crispy fried oysters, which paired perfectly with the Miso Tartar Sauce.
Classic Bacon Cheeseburger ($12.49)
with Tillamook Cheddar, Lettuce and Tomato
As I would at most Disney counter service locations, I’m going to advise you to stay away from the hamburgers. These are not of the quality of a D-Luxe Burger and will not hit the spot. They are typically dry and almost flavorless. Steer clear at all costs. And yes, that is the full side of fries…
Smoked Turkey Sandwich ($9.99)
with Lettuce, Tomato and Cranberry Mayonnaise
Another viable option, the turkey sandwich is a solid substitute for the salmon version if you are not a big seafood eater. The quinoa salad was also pretty solid if you don’t want to order the waffle fries.
We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
UPDATE 8:39PM ET – “Fire is out. Units clearing the structure of smoke. Receiving reports of 5-7 victims of smoke inhalation. Medics treating now” – Anaheim PD
