12:51am ET
10 months of waiting, doubt and uncertainty had taken place before Animal Kingdom's nighttime spectacular Rivers of Light came to fruition. Before it's official opening (February 17, 2017), Walt Disney World annual passholders have been given the chance to see an advanced screening of the show.
Without having to wait hours in line or crammed in a theater, the show was pleasantly satisfying. Without knowing what the show could've been when it was supposed to debut in April of 2016, or what it was intended to be when Imagineers crafted the performance-- many guests walked away in awe solely due to the visual impact of Rivers of Light.
On the second night of public viewings, the show faced technical setbacks (video) forcing the performance to stop, reset and restart. Nearly 10 minutes in, the water screens shut down, the music stopped and the arena went black-- leaving guests in question of what was going to happen next. With a brief explanation over the intercom, guests remained anxious as the barges retreated back to their starting positions and the show rebooted.
Rivers of Light is visually stunning, technically fascinating and brings a unique type of showcasing of nighttime entertainment to Walt Disney World. The animal barges are gorgeous and light up in a multitude of colors and patterns to coincide with which part of the show is taking place. The lotus flowers are the jack-of-all-traits of the show and act as the glue to seamlessly transition between boats, barges and water screens. The technology of the lotus flower floats is unprecedented; allowing to take in water and shoot it 20+ feet in the sky in a number of different patterns and synchronizations. These flowers also create small-scale water screens that hold high quality projection images while moving.
While the show is nothing short of beautiful and majestic, it did feel a bit empty. There are two boats (one on each side of the amphitheater) with two storytellers on board. The storytellers do not speak or sing during the show, but act out the storyline. It is tough to focus on the storytellers with so much going on between the barges and water screens.
The music fits the beauty of the show; little-to-no lyrics and carried an easy underlying tune to sync up with the wildlife on display in the show. FINAL VERDICT: If you go into Rivers of Light with an open mind-- not knowing what it could've been and not holding a grudge of a debut delay of 10 months, you will likely enjoy the show. As previously stated, it's visually stunning and refreshing in the sense that it is so unique from anything other Disney parks have to offer. This show also leaves the door open for alterations and improvements. With the groundwork and blueprints in place and a show finally happening on the water, Imagineers will be able to add effects and different experiences to the growing show. One bit of advice would be to allow the storytellers to have a bigger role. While keeping the focus on the animals and the cultural stories, it would be nice to have the storytellers talk between songs and while the barges transition in order to help connect the stories and let the guests know what exactly is going on and why it's relevant. Overall, Rivers of Light is a nice addition to the evolving Animal Kingdom.
