Rivers of Light General Discussion and Photos
- Thread starter Cole
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- Jan 31, 2013
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So we did the second ROL show on Wednesday evening. Since I know all the background about what the show was going to be, I was very surprised to see how gutted it was. The rest of my family were like WTF? since the show has no real coherent story or characters. I could see all of that original concept stuff with the barges and the two sides (fire/water), but it really wasn't played up to any degree. The crowd was not that large (the two ends of the theatre were empty) and as UNlrd stated, there was no real applause or reaction after it was over since there is no real flourish to the ending.
This will be a one and done for me unless they do something to improve it.
This will be a one and done for me unless they do something to improve it.
I've been back to DAK 15 or so times since I first saw RoL when it debuted. I've yet to go back and see it again despite actually enjoying it the most out of my family.
It's just not worth it to me to go see it again.
I wouldn't go back either.
I appreciated the technology, but as others have said, everyone around me was very 'meh' when it finished.
My assumption is that they are already working on a version stuffed with Characters
I appreciated the technology, but as others have said, everyone around me was very 'meh' when it finished.
My assumption is that they are already working on a version stuffed with Characters
- Jan 31, 2013
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I wouldn't even care about characters as much as a coherent and engaging presentation.
Heck, I still think Illuminations is a good show (saw it along with Fantasmic last week) although I am ready for them to update them both as well.
Heck, I still think Illuminations is a good show (saw it along with Fantasmic last week) although I am ready for them to update them both as well.
More coherent story and more engaging presentation are exactly what it needs. And i'm actually anti-characters for an update for the show. A few fireworks couldn't hurt either, even if just low-level ones.
agreed (without seeing the show yet). any nighttime show without pyro is a waste to me.
they could use low level pyro, pyro launched horizontally/downward from towers as they won't be too loud for the animals.
Thank you for getting this in the proper thread
Mods the rest of the blather about RoL cuts should be here. IMO
- Sep 18, 2015
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- Jan 28, 2017
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All of them? After 18 months. Shame. Wonder if Disney will change their website advertising;
- Feb 8, 2014
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- Aug 8, 2018
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Okay, so I saw all of WDW's nighttime shows on my recent trip, essentially all for the first time. And Rivers of Light was one of my favorites. I could sit down, the area is stunning with the trees and everest and the lighting. Then of course, the actors coming through the audience is a great little pre-show (and you can see how gorgeous the costumes and make up are). And then the show is like a lullaby or a bedtime story. Elegant and whimsical with a good score, to boot. It isn't the Nighttime Spectacular that the other parks boast, and that's what I enjoyed about it. The Tree Awakening and Rivers of Light work together quite well to set an awesome tone for AK after dark, that's playful and beautiful, much like - well - nature. It made the park - for me - feel so much more complete.
Is the narrative strong? No, not really, but - save for Fantasmic! - I didn't find the other nighttime shows to have a particularly strong narrative either. And I think RoL could also use some of it's tech a bit better (or with some more variety) but in all, I was very happy with how it came out.
As for the actors getting cut, I'm pretty frustrated. I said my piece in the Budget Cutz thread so I won't parrot myself, but essentially, I'm sure paying these performers is such a small budget in the grand scheme of things. And further, this show is designed to have performers; they're even incorporated into the shadow projections. I think cutting them will make the show lose good deal of it's kinetic energy, which was one of the things that really worked in its favor. If people thought RoL was lackluster already, I think this will only exasperate those feelings.
Is the narrative strong? No, not really, but - save for Fantasmic! - I didn't find the other nighttime shows to have a particularly strong narrative either. And I think RoL could also use some of it's tech a bit better (or with some more variety) but in all, I was very happy with how it came out.
As for the actors getting cut, I'm pretty frustrated. I said my piece in the Budget Cutz thread so I won't parrot myself, but essentially, I'm sure paying these performers is such a small budget in the grand scheme of things. And further, this show is designed to have performers; they're even incorporated into the shadow projections. I think cutting them will make the show lose good deal of it's kinetic energy, which was one of the things that really worked in its favor. If people thought RoL was lackluster already, I think this will only exasperate those feelings.
- Mar 18, 2018
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That's where the conspiracy side of me wonders if management intentionally makes the cuts for workplace-politics. Look at it this way, I worked at DAK at the very beginning of it becoming a nighttime park. No one attended it. The park was dead. They even reverted back to being a daytime only park once it reached the slower season. Later on they open up Pandora and ROL and say "Awesome we're a proper nighttime park now." It does OK, but still doesn't justify the costs of cast members to keep the park opened. Disney decides that they need to cut back, so they neuter ROL to manage those budget cuts and thus one of the primary nighttime features isn't as appealing. The GSATs go down, management looks at them and says "Would you look at that, it's not worth operating RoL at all." RoL is gone, so the nighttime park concept is pretty empty, aside from Pandora and ToL. Disney decides its not worth it and reverts the park to being daytime only. They save money on operating costs and avoid the problem they're seeing now. I am 100% convinced that Disney management is motivated by the short-term and continuing the "Operate as an exceptional Theme Parks company/ then a company with a penny-pinching 'Training? Who needs training' mindset"-cycle.
- Feb 15, 2012
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RoL 2.0 was announced. “Rivers of Light: We Are One” includes Disney characters and Disneynature footage.
- Sep 20, 2012
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- Feb 15, 2012
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- Jul 27, 2015
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