OFFICIAL New Animal Kingdom Experiences UPDATE 5/28: Reports from first night in Post #2

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Check Post #2 for reviews of AK nighttime activities and Jungle Book from first 2 nights.


This thread will provide the latest on Animal Kingdom (AK) news. I will keep this first post up to date with everything that is just beyond the Riverbend.


If any new information comes out, I will highlight that new info in red font, making it easy to scan the thread to see if anything new has happened.

Nighttime Activities begin Friday May 27
Jungle Book show begins Saturday May 28
Fastpass and Dining package booking for Jungle Book began May 21

Dining packages will be attached to Tiffin's and Tusker House (read the Tiffin's menu blog post for more info).

Thanks, once again, to @yulilin3 we have the opening times for all the food location, in case you aren't enjoying a dining package at Tusker or Tiffin's.

Africa
Dawa Bar 11pm
Harambe Fruit Market 10pm
Harambe Market 10pm
Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery 10pm
Mahindi 11pm
Tamu Tamu Refreshments 10pm

Asia:
Caravan Road 10pm
Chakranadi 11pm
Drinkawhalla 11pm
Mr. Kamal's 10pm
Royal Anandapur Tea Company 11pm
Warung Outpost 10pm
Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes 10pm

Dinoland
Corn-ivores 11pm
Dino Bite Snacks 10pm
Dino Diner 10pm
Restaurantosarus 11pm
Trilo Bites 10pm

Discovery Island
Creature Comforts 11pm
Eight Spoon Cafe 10pm
Flame Tree 10pm
Isla of Java 11pm
Pizzafari 9:30pm
The Feeding Ground 11pm
The Smiling Crocodile 9:30pm

The Oasis
Pastries and Coffee kiosk outside the park 11pm



Showtimes thanks to @yulilin3

Jungle Book Alive with Magic 9pm and 10:30pm


Discovery Island Carnivale 5pm yo 9:45pm and it includes
Viva Gaia 5:15pm (not sure if Viva Gaia will have more sets during the night)
Discovery Island Sunset Serenatas 5:40pm, 7:10pm, 8:05pm, 9:15pm


Harambe Wildlife Partii 5pm to 10pm and it includes
Burudika 4:55pm, 5:55pm, 7:30pm, 8:50pm, 9:45pm
Kora Tinga Tinga 5:35pm, 6:25pm
Harambe Village Acrobats 7pm, 8:05pm, 9:20pm

There isn't any indication that Expedition Everest will close due to the JB show, but there are no fastpasses available for late at night.

Jungle Book Show Seating:

Asia (by Expedition Everest): Guests with FastPass+ entitlements should enter on this side. Stroller parking is planned to be by the Siamang exhibit.

DinoLand U.S.A. (by Finding Nemo – The Musical): Dining packages (when applicable) and standby seated Guests should enter this side. Stroller parking is at the same location that’s used for Finding Nemo- The Musical.

The theater will open to Guests 90 min prior to the first show.


Kiss Goodnight from the Tree of Life occurred at 11:10 pm the first night.


AK has not added tiers to their fastpasses.

It looks like AK will stay open until 11 pm starting on May 27th. AK nighttime hours have only been extended through early July. Multiple sources on the Disney Parks blog have assured readers that the nighttime openings will continue and the late close will be the new normal. Disney is just being very slow with updating these hours on the parks calendars for who knows why.

Please feel free to discuss anything you want to about the new offerings, including any rumors or news. If you are looking for the ROL discussion thread, it has been moved to the theme park community board http://www.disboards.com/threads/ru...g-package-is-showing-up-as-an-option.3486308/






Animal Kingdom is getting a lot of new entertainment that has begun:

“The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” Show – For the summer, Discovery River will become the stage for a limited-engagement show inspired by Disney’s hit live-action film “The Jungle Book.” “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” is filled with music and special effects that celebrates the new film and the classic songs, now infused with an Indian influence.

Standby seating may be limited because there are only 5,000 seats in the theater.



The Tree of Life Awakens – Disney Parks Blog author Thomas Smith previously shared the first look at this amazing sight, in which the park’s iconic Tree of Life undergoes an extraordinary “awakening.” You can expect to see animal spirits come to life throughout the evening by magical fireflies. Each scene appears to emanate from within the tree itself and reveals stories of wonder.

There will be several different shows throughout the night. According to the media preview event, there will be no stated showtimes and the shows will occur randomly. The creators did not want masses of people lining up in front of the tree in advance to view the shows.

According to first hand reports the Tree has done a little 'kiss goodnight' like the castle does, which is just a little show/music that plays shortly after park closing.

Kilimanjaro Safaris After Dark – Guests can enjoy Kilimanjaro Safaris in the evening hours, thanks to special lighting that will allow guests to explore the savanna – and its inhabitants – well into the night.

The safari will be artificially lit to attempt to replicate a permanent sunset look.

Hyenas and wild dogs have been added.

Fastpasses are bookable now, they begin on May 27th.

Discovery Island Carnival – On Discovery Island, guests can join the local community in their celebration of their love for nature in this party that features music, dancers, stilt walkers, food and more.

Harambe Wildlife Parti – Guests can turn into “party animals” at the Harambe Wildlife Parti and enjoy lively African music, exotic foods and drinks, and explore the local marketplace.

Entertainment options will include:

Muziki
Located in Harambe’s drum circle, this delightfully unusual goodwill shaman perched high atop regal stilts invites children to join him as he plays his own instruments, dances and makes them official drummers of the day.

Karibu Sisters
Resembling regal African cranes, these 3 women add to the rhythm of Harambe Marketplace through elegant dance, acapella songs and acoustic renditions of African party music.

Harambe Soccer Meerkats
Cheer on the village’s finest soccer players as they ramble through the streets rallying anyone within sight for a quick pick-up game—entertaining with comic soccer moves inspired by African animals and delighting with skillful acrobatic teamwork and dancing.

Harambe Village Acrobats
Wearing costumes of grass, beads, bells and feathers set against a mosaic of African prints, this troupe of skilled performers move with the synchronicity of circus performers as they drum, dance, tumble and climb into man-made pyramids and break away into spinning, tumbling towers.




New Experiences at Animal Kingdom slated to begin sometime in the future (really no one has any idea, I've heard everything from 4th of July weekend to just being hopeful to have it before the Christmas season):

Rivers of Light

ROL has had rumored technical issues. No one knows how long these issues will take to fix. The show will replace the currently running Jungle Book show as soon as it is ready.

According to the Disney Parks blog:

'The show, set on Discovery River in the Asia section of the park, will depict an ancient lantern festival guided by two storytellers who call forth four animal Spirit Guides: an Asian Tiger, Tropical Turtle, African Elephant and Great Horned Owl. These Spirit Guides return at different points during the show to lead the audience through their journey through the Rivers of Light.'

It is believed that the show will feature water effects (somewhat similar to World of Color in DCA in California), lanterns and large, colorful water floats.

As of this time the show is rumored to run for approximately 22 minutes.

The stadium will seat 5,000 with 2,500 on one side and the other 2,500 on the other side.

The Disney Parks blog has announced that there will be 2-3 shows per night. The show times are pure speculation at this point.

FP+, according to the Parks blog, will be available for ROL.

We are also not quite sure which restaurants will have ROL dining packages. If ROL follows the same model as the Jungle Book show, Tusker's House and Tiffin's will offer dining packages.

Soft openings for ROL are unknown at this point.




New Dining Experiences

Tiffin's signature restaurant

Tiffin's is now open!

Menu:

http://www.themouseforless.com/walt-disney-world/dining/menus/tiffins-menu/

Tiffin's is 2 dining credits, just like every other signature restaurant at Disney.


Tiffin's will provide a dining package for the Jungle Book show and will open May 28:

At Tiffins, the package includes your choice of appetizer, entrée, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage at either lunch or dinner. The Dining Package is $67 for adults, $32 ages 3 to 9, plus tax and gratuity. Tiffins is on the Disney Dining Plan and counts as two table-service meal credits.





It has been said that Tiffin's will have an excellent view of Pandora (rumored to be opening early 2017).


Nomad Lounge

Nomad's is now open!

Menu:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?restaurant.id=676#menu

Drink Menu:

*Pandora was not included in this post because it is not supposed to be complete until early 2017.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

As reviews of nighttime AK events come in I will add them all to this post so they are easy to find.


My conclusions after reading a lot of reviews (I did not watch any videos).

I think everyone needs to watch the Jungle Book if you were interested before a lot of these bad reviews came out. Not every review is bad, and I don't think you can get the true flavor of the show from watching a video.

Some people did enjoy the show, others didn't. Not everyone likes everything, so it would be a shame to miss out on the show due to reviews from others.

Maybe expectations just need to be kept in check. This is a placeholder show that was created to fill the hole due to Rivers of Light not being ready.


Reviews from Night 2:

@lovethattink :

Both sides, both nights opened at 7:30pm.

I loved the show! My husband and son liked the show. We had incredible seats. I could see both the stages perfectly. The water projections were clearly visible.

The songs, storyline, and dancing made perfect sense to me and fit together. My dh and I both felt there were subtle changes between tonight and the videos from last night.

I think your seat matters. Because where I could see the stages and water projections clearly, the people behind me on the safari said they couldn't see from their seats. I showed them a picture I took, and they said their view was no where close to what I saw.

The safari tonight.. We saw lots of animals! ! Several coming right up to our car. Our guide was Frank and he knew how to work his spotlight. He was a great guide! We were surprised by how many we saw!

@yulilin3 :

Went last night to AK again, this time with my DD15. I didn't tell her anything about the show and asked her to give me her objective review.
We had a fp for the 9pm show. Arrived at AK around 7:20pm went over to Discovery Island and watched one of the Viva Gaia performances with all the dancers for the Wildilife Partii.
I asked one of the managers why they're sets weren't posted on the schedule for the nighttime shows and he said they are trying to see how this weeks goes and then adjust the schedules accordingly. It sounds like they are giving the live performances both at Discovery Island and Africa a test run...I hope they stay because everyone was dancing and jamming to their music.
Anyways after the show ended we made our way over to the theater, we walked in without having to queue at 8pm,The standby by and package side was pretty full, the fp side still had a lot of empty seats.
Around 8:30pm the rush of fp began to arrive, makes sense since the fp times say 8:25pm to 8:45pm
So here's what my DD15 had to say
If this was a permanent show she gives it a 6 out of 10. If this is a show they put in 5 weeks and is temporary she gave it a 8 out of 10.
Biggest disappointments were the water screens, and she noticed that some of the dancers forgot steps. Other than that she liked it. She said some people may not like it because most of the music, apart from Bear Necessities and I Wanna Be Like You, is not well known since it's the soundtrack from the movie.
We walked over to the Tree of Life and stood there for a bit and just got the random, seconds of awakenings (Tigers lift his head, a butterfly fluttered, snow falling) but she wanted to go check out Tiffins and Nomad's Lounge.
We got there at 9:55pm and I thought it was closed because it was empty. My daughter said "look there's a stroller parked outside" so we went in.
Tiffins is so beautiful inside, we might not be able to eat there cause of prices but they did an awesome job with the theme and decor. There were only 2 families dinning
Nomad Lounge had about 5 people sitting at the bar and about 3 tables being used.
Because we were hungry I checked what the nearest food place would still be open and went over to Strarbucks, it's on the trail side from Discovery Island to Africa, while we were eating we noticed the ambiance music turned off and you could hear that the tree of life was doing it's 5 minute awakenings, this had to be around 10:15pm, we finished our food and headed again to the front of the tree and saw an awakening around 10:40pm and then another right at 11pm so it looks like the full 5 minute awakenings happen about every 20 minutes

@marciemi :

We had FPP's for last night for the first show and also did the night safari, EE, Kali & watched the tree of light shows afterwards. Some thoughts:

1. They let us in the theater from the FPP line about 7:30 but it really didn't start to fill up until closer to 8:30. If you wanted to be in one of the middle sections, you probably needed to be there before 8. Otherwise, there was still plenty of seating at 8:30 but it was more off to the side.

2. We really enjoyed the show. We were in the middle of the FPP section, in the last row of concrete seating before the bench seating. In retrospect, this was a big mistake since the concrete was SO hot and never cooled off during the nearly 2 hours we sat there. I'd read the concrete seats have more space so we intentionally took them but I really didn't see a difference, at least on the FPP side. The theater had plenty of space - all the people complaining I think have never been to a football game. I never felt crowded or like someone's knees were in my back or I was bumping the person ahead of me. Next time I'd go a bit further back (the dancers were a bit in the way for us of the main stage) and think there'd be more legroom in the wooden seats and they'd be a lot cooler! I also would just take my chances and arrive around 8:25.

3. We were able to see the water projections fine. Maybe 1/4 of the time I wasn't certain what they were, and obviously the ones on the side or at different angles weren't clear but the main one in front of us I thought was good. Maybe not quite as "wow" as Fantasmic but not a problem.

4. IMPORTANT TIMING WARNING FOR NIGHT SAFARI! Pay attention to when the HS fireworks are. We began our safari right as they began and I think it really ruined the atmosphere. About the first 2/3 of the ride were a constant "Bang, bang, bang-bang-BANG!" I felt like we were in a bad remake of the old poacher section! We could actually even see the fireworks a couple of times from the ride. While this was kind of cool, it wasn't what I was looking for in the night safari. We did see a LOT of animals though and had a rhino just strolling right next to the vehicle for quite some time (I actually moved over a bit as he was a bit too close!) and a couple others (maybe wildebeest types - the big ones with long curved horns?) stand right next to & in front of us that we had to wait to move. I think we saw as many animals as we usually do during a day safari and the different atmosphere was fun.

5. Everest was really cool in the dark and worth the wait. Going through the tunnels are pitch black (not just mostly black like during the day) and you could see a lot more inside since your eyes were more accustomed to the darkness. Definitely fun!

6. Kali is just disappointing to me no matter what and this wasn't a change. Different to do in the dark but still a basic Six Flags ride with no real Disney touches. Did it once in the dark - check. Can cross that off. Incidentally we had FPP's for this from like 10-11 and they didn't even have the FPP machines uncovered - just believed you if you said you had them. Mostly because there was NO line in either FPP or standby. Wouldn't waste a FPP on this next time.

7. Tree of Light was awesome! We were trying to pack a lot in the day so only saw the last two performances which were about 10:55 and 11:15pm. People have been reporting roughly every 15 minutes so if you stake out a half hour or so you should at least see two of them. We may go back tonight to watch more of these. They have an area roped off for traffic that you can't stand in but there was plenty of room to stake out a spot and just stay for however long you wanted. First show we were a bit off center as we walked up about 5 minutes before it but then just moved more center as people left after it ended.


@KateP85 :

We went to AK last night (DH, myself, DS3 and baby) and saw the first JB show, did the night time safari and Kali at night.

I thought the night time safari was OK, better than I was expecting, but I do think it's still better during the day. We saw quite a few animals, probably just as many as during day, they were just harder to make out. I didn't like the sunset effect at all, I thought it looked artificial and out of place. It was a different feel to the ride though, I would say definitely do it once.

Kali at night was fine, still not my favorite ride but DS3 loves it. I kind of wished we'd done EE instead, that sounds like it's pretty great at night.

As for the JB show...I don't know what to say. It was OK, not terrible, not spectacular. If you go in knowing it's just a temporary show simply telling the story with music and dance, I don't think you'll be disappointed. DS3 lost interest quickly, I'm not sure it will hold many young childrens interest the way the other nighttime shows do. I think the problem is that many visitors don't know RoL was postponed and just heard there was a new show at AK at night, so they'll be expecting something more spectacular - and spectacular it is not. But I think they did the best they could with very little time.

Oh and the projections on the Tree of Life are really beautiful! Definitely try to catch that once or twice!

Overall I don't think we'll do AK at night again until RoL starts, a show I'm still so excited for. I just hope they can get that up and running soon.

@CarrieR
:

We arrived around 6:05 for a 6:45 Y&Y res. With so much extra time, we opted to hop into Adventurer Minnie-Mickey line - photo with mice has been on the to do list for a while. Posted time was ten mins, I'd guess it took about twenty. Got to Y&Y around 6:35-6:40 and no issues checking in.

Our waiter was great, food was great - this was a new find for us last trip (we had avoided due to no TiW.) I'd guess we were seated around 6:50/7 and out at 8:15/8:20. Hit the restrooms on our way to RoLl, entering around 8:30.

Thee was a random sign post back towards Kali - no ropes, no CM, just a sign post saying "Jungle Book Fastpass+." We shrugged and kept walking. This was 8:30ish with an 8:25-8:45 FP+ time; walking up the theatre appeared about 3/4 full.

We finally found the FP+ entrance down towards the theatre - guy holding lit sign. Entered on the last aisle, we were told to go to the left - go to the bottom and there are spots on the left - just keep going down and you'll find room on the left.

...there was nothing on the left. So we went to the right and that CM told us to go up as the view was better; we climbed about four rows and sat towards the center aisle. Few minutes later a manager type CM came and tried to make us scoot all the way to the right (i.e., towards the far outside of the seating area.) Needless to say that went over like a lead balloon in the crowd; they finally figured out how to load from the outside.

Despite the "in five minutes" announcements at 8:55, the show started about three minutes late. IMO, it was... embarrassing. The large water screens don't meet in the center, the projection was horrid - as in, most of the time we could see that there was light and there was supposed to be a picture, but it was unclear. (More on this later.) The dancers gave it their all - bravo to them! The rafts all had techs on them and the joinings of raft to barge were rough. From 40-75% of the way through, the show was fairly strong - Bare Necessities & I Wanna Be Like You. Music overall was good. I was surprised how LOUD it was, given the fuss about the animals.

Most of the crowd just looked confused. We were confused. Guess I'm not familiar enough with the JB storyline? But oftentimes there was movie audio playing without context - since you couldn't see images on the screens - and things like the boy's screams were pretty unsettling.

Next we had a FP for night safari and um... it was not an experience I plan to repeat. There were few animals; those that we did see were trying to sleep and it felt skeevy disturbing them. There were perimeter lights that blinded you at random corners. And it's not like you can photograph since it's dark.

Went to Everest next; posted 30m wait. We opted for single rider and were VERY confused when the CM sent the whole SR line "two by two, all the way down." Turns out there was NO ONE in standby.

As we climbed the lift, JB started again - water screen was gorgeous & clear. Still the gap, but the further back, the better. Once we got off EE (awesome, btw, highly recommend at night - but we already knew that from Christmas week) we headed towards dinosaur and saw more of JB from that vantage point. Def better.

Rode Dino 2x (had FP but was walk on) and then caught the last "awakening" @ 11:15. It was everything JB was not. Great job, Imagineers!

Overall, we had a nice night. But I suspect once word gets out how underwhelming night safari & JB are, Night AK will be short-lived (at least until Avatar is there to bolster.)

Happy to answer questions, but may not be til I get home tomorrow night! Hope that's helpful!


Day 1 Reviews:

@yulilin3 :

Safari: 6 out of 10, it was dark, whoever things that there will be a lot of artificial lighting it is not true. Some animals you could see more clearly but most were very dark to see. The lions were up on the front of the Rock and you could barely see them. If you can only do one safari do it at daytime. Or bring night goggles.


Jungle Book show: loved it. It's basically a retelling of the movie they have a lot of dancers and some musicians, some dancers come into the aisles. Definitely a must-see
Tree of Life: only saw a couple of Awakenings, but if you blink you missed it comma not sure if there are longer one but the ones I saw were very fast. It does look beautiful

Tree of Life Kiss Goodnight happened at 11:10

@SureAsLiz :

My reviews of last night are pretty similar to others. I only went to see the Jungle Book since I went to the preview on Tuesday, and got to experience the rest of the nighttime stuff then.

Safari: I wasn't a fan. Maybe if the lights were blended better? The spotlights stood out to me too much and were really distracting. Plus the few fed sounds were annoying. We had a bunch of animals out at 9:30ish, but not all were active. Still a different view of the animals which was cool.

Shows: Carnivale was a lot of fun. Great music, dancers, and interactive. Lots of energy that's contagious even if you don't participate

Tree of Life Awakenings: Saw 2 on Tuesday, and saw one of those 2 last night. Still amazing. Probably my favorite new nighttime feature

Jungle Book AWM: The show wasn't bad, but it wasn't as great as it was hyped up to be (not just by Disney, but from people close to the show as well). It started off slow, but then picked up and was entertaining from then on. I sat in FP for the 9pm show and Standby for the 10:30. I had a terrible seat at 9 - couldn't see the water screens at all, could barely see the singers in the center (why are the singers in the center facing an empty river?). The terrible seat was my fault, but I'm still surprised it was designed like that. I really enjoyed the choreography, and the dancers were great (borrowed from other shows around property), but the whole thing was missing a cohesion that other shows have. There was too much going on, almost like there were 4 shows happening at once, and it was impossible to take it all in. Overall, something I would watch again with a good seat to see the dancers on the front stages, but not something I would go out of my way to wait for.

@TheRustyScupper :

1) Yes.
2) Even the Orlando Sentinel, who gives WDW good reviews due to the ad revenue, gave a mediocre review.
3) The nighttime AK is a disappointment.
. . . the safari is not well enough lit to really see animals
. . . the Jungle Book show is almost amateurish
. . . the Tree Off Life animations were clever and well done, however
. . . the Carnival Dancers are the some ones and same performance from the daytime


@book_junkie : good review of group with wheelchairs

We were a group of 5, two in chairs, that went Friday. Saw the dancers in Discovery Island, tumblers in Africa, the tree light (no stories) and lots of happy people.

As to JB, here's what I posted in another thread.
I'm not sure what people were actually expecting. I thought it was really good, and fit with what they do at AK, what they CAN do, and what it was billed as: musical showcase of the Jungle Book on the water.

We went to the second showing on Friday with FP- it was pretty clear from the amount of clipboard carrying CM's that this was a test run of everything. The queue and weird winding of the FP+ line was horrid- we crossed Kali Rapids line, then the pathway to Everest, with line jumpers everywhere AND people running around us in line because we were too slow. CMs at the benches were trying to catch people but weren't arguing when people said they'd already been checked. We got in line right around 9:55 and would have been in the front of the second/third section over save for we had wheelchairs in our party, so we were at the very top and over.

Had a really good view of one of the secondary floats and dancers, and side projections. There were additional dancers in the aisles at times, and live musicians on floats as well. I think the projections just needed more water- the sprays didn't meet in the middle.
The dancing was really nice, and fit along with the music, story and theme. Lots of traditional influences.

I'm not sure what people were expecting, really. Maybe more like Lion King the Musical costumes? I thought the formal dress looked beautiful, but I could see where you'd expect costumes for the actors. There's no where to change, though- they're on the floats from beginning to end so it'd be a bigger cast. The floats could be more enhanced, but then they wouldn't fit every scene. You can't have the huge pyro the other parks have because of the animals- it's already a huge issue with the night safaris and shifting the animals sleeping schedules. The screaming from Everest was distracting as anything- honestly, I wish they'd pause it while the show is on or close it early like TSMM. It's right behind the FP section and can just cover the sound.

Was it Fantasmic or Star Wars Fireworks? No, different experience. Was it Wishes? No. Was it the forecourt show? Nope, I wouldn't stop for that at all. Did I go into it expecting it to be? Nope.

Did I enjoy it? Yes. Have I seen the new version of the movie? Nope. Would I see the AK show again? Yep, in a few weeks to see the differences with FP.

Then again, because it was scheduled I didn't have to spend the night waiting around to see it. Unlike the stories on the Tree, which are random. And on one side. Was in AK from 6-11 and never did see one.

Then again, I fully admit I like this type of dancing and storytelling. And I know the book and first movie. We went when it was full dark so that may have helped as well.


@Accident :

trip report of AK nighttime activities first night: http://www.disboards.com/threads/animal-kingdom-opening-night-2016-05-27.3514445/

@lpizzuro123 :

We were at the second show tonight and sitting nearest to the middle video water projection. We felt the water did not always connect in the middle so felt we were missing the center of the video.


@daftkast :

Just got back from animal kingdom and fortunately was able to bag a spot in the first ever public showing of the Jungle Book show.

They did 2 shows tonight as soft openings. The times were same as normal or advertised. 21:00 & 22:30.

We had to queue up and stand by line started by dinoland. They hold you there and lead several hundred of you into the auditorium. Whilst they do that cast members stop the flow of traffic on the walk ways to let the standby line cross over. Was a little surprised by this. But it works and no doubt over time they will perfect it. We actually got lead around 300 of us from dinoland to Asia opposit everest. as they wanted to fill up the other side of the auditorium.

It's a half hour show. And contains lots of Indian dancing and fantasmic style water projection. I have to admit a lot different to how I imagined it. My wife really liked it. But I am not so sure. Really really pleased to say I have seen it though.

On reading the small amount of reviews. I have to admit I do agree with the majority. The filling time thing is definately evident. The dancers were very good. But hate to say it. I will not rush back. I'm from the UK and like to see the evening shows at least twice on a visit. But this I will not bother going back to see. Harsh. But was a nothing show. Really thought there was going to be puppet animals etc. But didn't really get it at all.

The night safari was really good. Never been so close to the animals. A rhino and giraffe. Were literally 2meters from the vehicle. Some of the animals were difficult to spot. It really is dark! And we may have been lucky with the proximity of the animals. But they did seem more active in the dark. The sunset thing I finally twigged. What it was. It was in the Savannah. But looks ridiculous. For a few minutes. I thought it was a bar or restaurant that had bright lighting. The piped noises were terrible. I did actually hear real flamingos though!

Everest in the dark was brilliant also. For those wondering this did run all night some people on other forums. Thought it would not run whilst the show was on. But it did go on until 11pm.

Kali river was Also running all night. At first I didn't think it would. As most of the cast members helping with the crowds for the show had Kali outfits on.

The tree of life show. Looks great. But sadly only got the last 2 mins of the final show. It seems to loop every few mins. From when it gets dark. Apparently there are 4 different versions of the show.

But was a great evening and will definitely recommend animal kingdom in the evening. But not necessarily the show.

Despite it being the first ever late evening was quite surprised at how quiet it was. It wasn't dead by anymeans. But thought there would have been a lot more people there than there was. Everest standby was between 20-30mins. Safari when we did it at 10pm was around 65mins. When we arrived around 18:45 a lot more were leaving than arriving.

Hope this may be useful


Jungle Book Reviews are...not great. DISboards posters are quoting tweets about the show:

josh ‏@easywdw 2m2 minutes ago
It's so bad people don't even know when to clap. I have no idea what I just watched.

Bill Blankschaen ‏@BillintheBlank 32s32 seconds ago
I give the Jungle Book light show a grade of D. Only because the dancers are trying hard and it's hot. Fail. Hope they learn

Blankschaen on Twitter: "@WaltDisneyWorld Jungle Book night show feels like they're killing time until something better is ready. Oh wait they are."

So far this Jungle Book show is one of the biggest "blank" shows of a nighttime spectacular I've ever seen. #AnimalKingdom

WDW News Today ‏@WDWNT 8s8 seconds ago
Jungle Book: Alive with Magic is bad. Rushed, uncreative, should not be marketed as a nighttime show.


Reports from @yulilin3

Alright, I have some time to kill until I have to start live streaming.

Nomad's Lounge, beautifully dine, great back story, the menu adjoin is full of stories about the imagineers and how they found inspiration all over the world to create ak. Each drink has a story begin it, 2 of them are about Joe Rhode
The prices are the same add other lounges but the menu is more extensive and many of the drinks come in non alcoholic versions.
It's definitely a great place to relax.

I ordered the only dessert that is offered and it tasted great but small for the price
I asked and no ap discount offered only cm

As to the theater for jungle book, the theming is great, there are a couple of places along the walkway to EE from Asia where you can see inside, no clue if they will let people linger or they would have them walk without stopping.

I'll report my impressions on everything else when I get back home tonight.

At AK now. Made my way to EE and asked about a couple of things
EE will NOT close during the jungle book show
They are not offering fp for evening times to see how the crowds impact the area, they will reconsider that at a later date, but for now no evening fp

Guys Nomad's Lounge, holly molly is gorgeous, completely empty right now, I'm the only one sitting here

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Thanks for doing this, @OhioStateBuckeye!!

 

[lovethattink]

Looks great! Thanks for taking this on.

 

[ErinF]

Thank you so much for putting all of this together!!

At this time there has been no news of AK turning into a tiered fastpass park like Magic Kingdom.

I think you meant "like Epcot and HS"

 

[tinkerhon]

Excellent job ! Great read !

 

[Ensusieasm]

This thread will provide the latest on Animal Kingdom (AK) news. I will keep this first post up to date with everything that is just beyond the Riverbend.

Please feel free to discuss anything you want to about the new offerings, including any rumors or news.

Animal Kingdom is getting a lot of new entertainment that is anticipated to start in the next month or so. Friday April 22 is Earth Day and AK's 18th birthday. Most of the experiences below have been confirmed by the Disney Parks blog to be starting on April 22.

At this time there has been no news of AK turning into a tiered fastpass park like Magic Kingdom.


New Experiences at Animal Kingdom slated to begin Friday, April 22:

Rivers of Light

According to the Disney Parks blog:

'The show, set on Discovery River in the Asia section of the park, will depict an ancient lantern festival guided by two storytellers who call forth four animal Spirit Guides: an Asian Tiger, Tropical Turtle, African Elephant and Great Horned Owl. These Spirit Guides return at different points during the show to lead the audience through their journey through the Rivers of Light.'

It is believed that the show will feature water effects (somewhat similar to World of Color in DCA in California), lanterns and large, colorful water floats.

As of this time the show is rumored to run for approximately 22 minutes.

The stadium will seat 5,000 with 2,500 on one side and the other 2,500 on the other side.

The Disney Parks blog has announced that there will be 2-3 shows per night. The show times are pure speculation at this point.

FP+, according to the Parks blog, will be available for ROL but it is currently unknown when fast passes will become available to book. It is rumored that the ROL FP will not start until May 1.

Dining packages will be available for ROL, it is also unknown when they will be available to book but most people think it will be any time now.

We are also not quite sure which restaurants will have ROL dining packages. If you look under menus at Tusker House on the MDE app you can see that it lists Tusker House as having dining packages for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nothing about that is confirmed though, it is still considered a rumor at this time. There is also a rumor that Tiffin's and Flame Tree Barbecue will offer the dining package. We do not know when dining packages will be released, but it is widely believed to become available at any time. The dining packages are also rumored not to begin until May 1. The dining package is also widely believed to be included on the dining plan as 1 credit, though this has not been confirmed either.

Soft openings for ROL are unknown at this point. If they do happen in the weeks leading up to the show's debut on April 22 they will not be advertised, it will be a spur of the moment thing.

ROL Preview Parties

According to the HUB (the cast member informational web site) Disney will be offering 3 ROL preview parties.

There is a possibility these events might not happen if the show is not ready to go live. It is also unsure when booking will occur, though it is anticipated that they will sell out very quickly.

Premium Preview Event Friday April 15:
4,000 tickets
7 pm entry
ROL Lanyard for your credentials
FP for nighttime Safari
7-8 pm EMH access to Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Triceratops Spin
8-10 pm Event Elements Begin: food and beverage available from Flame Tree and Harambe
830 pm First ROL
9:45 pm Second ROL
11 pm Event Ends

Preview Event Saturday April 16 and rumored for Sunday April 17:
8,000 tickets
5:30 pm check in begins at Main Guest Entrance
530-630 mix in to the park with other guests
7-10:30 pm EMH access to Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, Triceratops Spin, Kilimanjaro Safaris night safari
7 pm Event Begins: food and beverage available for purchase
830 pm First ROL
9:45 pm Second ROL
10:30 pm Event ends


Comparison:

What the premium event has that the preview event does not:
-lanyard
-FP for Nighttime Safari
-half an hour more of party time
-half as many attendees
-food and beverages included in the price

The preview event does seem to have 2.5 hours longer ride access than the premium event.

Prices are a rumor at this point, it looks like the Premium event will be $100 per person and the Preview event will be $50. At this point it does not appear that there will be different child prices or AP or DVC discounts.

It is unknown at this time whether park admission, on top of your party ticket will be required.




Discovery Island Carnivale

According to Disney's official website, we can:
join a cavalcade of dancers, stilt walkers and musicians for a nighttime dance party in the streets of Discovery Island.

In late afternoon when the sun is beginning its descent at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, listen for the distinctive drumming of Latin and world-beat rhythms as they fill the air around Discovery Island—that’s when the Discovery Island Carnivale, an exuberant dance party to end the day and welcome the night, begins.


The Viva Gaia Band and a spirited group of Islanders welcome you to a larger-then-life gala celebrating the wonder and beauty of nature and who we are together—the “Nature Family.” Bursting with cheerful music and spectacular costumes that take inspiration from the living creatures of the air, land and sea, this seemingly spontaneous, free-spirited jubilee winds its way from one end of Discovery Island to the other, eventually arriving at the Discovery Island stage where the exhilarating festivities get into full swing.


Over the course of several hours, the unflinching beauty of nature is on dazzling display. Clap your hands, dance, laugh and experience unbridled joy into the evening—the pulsating bass, lively beats and playfully outlandish outfits inspiring all around to join in the high-energy excitement. Watch as Danza del Arpa, one of the Island musicians, takes to the stage to play the Paraguayan harp, as if calling upon the animal spirits within the Tree of Life.


In the moonlight, everyone appears to glow. It’s a celebration of the night, and a celebration of nature—and it’s surely one you’ll never forget.



Harambe Wildlife Parti

Taken from Disney's official site:

On the lookout for a night you won’t forget? Head to Harambe where “party animals” have taken over the streets.
Harambe, the African village within Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, is a popular daytime destination known for its excellent street musicians, stunningly beautiful theater district, vibrant marketplace, diverse eateries and lively daytime street parties. But after the sun sets, Harambe’s excitement soars even higher with the Harambe Wildlife Parti.


Be a part of this lively street festival that kicks off in late afternoon when Afro-Pop musicians the Burudika Band take to the stage in Harambe’s Old Square and perform music popular in Africa. Clap your hands and kick up your heels to the blissful beats—it’s almost impossible to resist dancing in the streets!


Wander past the main stage and into the bustling marketplace to discover even more exotic entertainment just around the corner, including:

• Muziki
  Located in Harambe’s drum circle, this delightfully unusual goodwill shaman perched high atop regal stilts invites children to join him as he plays his own instruments, dances and makes them official drummers of the day.

• Karibu Sisters
  Resembling regal African cranes, these 3 women add to the rhythm of Harambe Marketplace through elegant dance, acapella songs and acoustic renditions of African party music.

• Harambe Soccer Meerkats
  Cheer on the village’s finest soccer players as they ramble through the streets rallying anyone within sight for a quick pick-up game—entertaining with comic soccer moves inspired by African animals and delighting with skillful acrobatic teamwork and dancing.

• Harambe Village Acrobats
  Wearing costumes of grass, beads, bells and feathers set against a mosaic of African prints, this troupe of skilled performers move with the synchronicity of circus performers as they drum, dance, tumble and climb into man-made pyramids and break away into spinning, tumbling towers.

Boasting music, dance and an ever-changing landscape of performances and things to see and do—Harambe’s Wildlife Parti offers the excitement of an African village bursting with non-stop entertainment and surprises for all who visit.




Kilimanjaro Sunset Safari

Taken from the official Disney site:

Experience a different breed of discovery when you explore the wilds of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve at night. Previously off limits to visitors after sundown, this unforgettable journey aboard a rugged, all-terrain caravan takes you deep into the wilds of Africa, where creatures both big and small await your arrival amid the tranquil shadows of the lush brush.


During your adventure, witness the rarely seen nocturnal habits of the reserve’s many animal residents, including lions, elephants, hippopotamuses and hyena. Spy a careless crocodile slumped upon a rocky plot. Behold spirited zebras galloping silently across a vast plain. Catch sight of a curious cheetah, lazily reclining in the brush. Strategically placed lighting evoking both the setting sun and rising moon—plus side-sweeping headlamps attached to your safari vehicle—ensure you won’t miss a moment. And as always, your friendly safari guide is on hand to share expert knowledge about the animals and their unique nocturnal habits.


So climb aboard, lean back and take in the sights of Africa by night; it’s sure to be one drive you won’t soon forget!

Disney has also already been slowly introducing two new animal species into the safari: the hyenas and wild dogs.

FP+ will be available but it is not at this time.


Tree of Life Awakenings

Taken from Disney's official site:

Beginning April 22, 2016, animal spirits within the great tree come alive at night in mesmerizing color and light.

During the evening hours, pay special attention to the Tree of Life at the center of Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. At various times, flickering fireflies magically appear and awaken the wondrous animals spirits carved into the tree’s towering trunk—bringing to light a stunning visual extravaganza swarming with vivid color and animated imagery.


Witness a graceful young doe embark on a thrilling cross-country journey. Behold love blossoming between 2 hummingbirds. See a spry fox spreading gifts of love among the denizens of a wintry forest. A feast for the eyes, each approximately 3-minute-long revelation celebrates the eternal balance and harmony that exists in all living things, big or small, and is sure to inspire and delight the entire family, big and small.

Everyone is speculating that this will be a lot like the projection show on Cinderella's castle at the Magic Kingdom.

There are rumors that there will be several different projection shows shown through the night.

New Dining Experiences

Tiffin's signature restaurant

The opening date for this restaurant is unknown at this time. A few days ago, the website listed it as opening on April 22, it has since changed to say 'coming in spring 2016'.

ADRs will be accepted and many people are anticipating being able to book those reservations any day now.

Tiffin's will most likely be 2 dining credits, just like every other signature restaurant at Disney.

It has been said that Tiffin's will have an excellent view of Pandora (whenever that opens is anyone's guess, but it won't be anytime soon).

Here is Disney's official description of Tiffin's:

Seek and you shall find a treasure trove of mouthwatering delights from far-off places places for lunch and dinner.

Roam the road less traveled at Tiffins, thanks to a globetrotting menu of artfully prepared fare fit for a weary traveler. Begin your expedition with lobster-popcorn Thai curry soup, grilled octopus or—for those who like to travel light—an archeologist salad drizzled with champagne vinaigrette. Go off the beaten track with frog legs tempura, black-eyed fritters or cheese and chicken liver pâte before planting your flag with the Berber-spiced lamb chop, pork tenderloin or miso-glazed black cod.


Seafarers, fortune hunters and vagabonds will no doubt find new discoveries in the pan-seared duck breast and leg confit, Wagnu strip loin and braised short rib, or the whole-fried sustainable fish. Leaving no stone unturned? Satisfy your sweet tooth with crème brûlée, peanut butter mousse or a classic ice-cream sundae.


For an additional cost, Guests 21 years of age and up can pack additional provisions with a selection from the renowned wine list—many of which are available by the glass—in addition to a noble assortment of after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks.


No matter which direction your compass points, you’re sure to encounter an unimaginable abundance of delectable food at Tiffins.

Nomad Lounge

This bar should be connected to Tiffin's. It will most likely open at the same time and is stated to be opening Spring 2016.






If any new information comes out, I will highlight that new info in red font, making it easy to scan the thread to see if anything new has happened, i.e. if fastpass reservations or ADRs for Tiffin's open.

My favorite park just got even more favorite! Can't wait! Thanks for the info!

 

[BeArilyn]

Thank you!!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Thank you so much for putting all of this together!!



I think you meant "like Epcot and HS"

Got it

 

[babyblues425]

Thank you, Great job/read

 

[Paigevon]

Fantastic!

According to @rteetz 's thread Pandora is rumored to open "early 2017" currently, I believe! Please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Fantastic!

According to @rteetz 's thread Pandora is rumored to open "early 2017" currently, I believe! Please correct me if I'm wrong

Nope I think you are correct, I'll add that.

 

[elle101me]

Thanks for putting this together!!

 

[pigletgirl]

Nice! This is really helpful. Good work!

 

[capegirl]

This is wonderful! Thanks a bunch.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Thanks for all your hard work. This is great!!

 

[maryj11]

You did an awesome job putting this all together OhioStateBuckeye! Very nice , I think this thread will be great for providing info about AK's new entertainment and activities

 

[lpizzuro123]

Great thread. Thanks so much. Now I'll be checking both. We are planning on Disney end of May. If that trip doesn't happen, some medical issues, we are planning October. Hopefully by October all this ROL stuff will be straightened out.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

Fantastic! Can't wait to go!!!!!

 

[dmetcalfrn]

Great job!!