Rivers of Light --- Almost Ready for Prime Time

[rteetz]

Anybody know how much this cost Disney not to have ROL up and running from last summer?

No idea but I am sure its not cheap.

 

[skier_pete]

The information I was given - and I apologize that this is essentially heresay as I am saying a friend whose a friend of someone that worked on the show so not reliable source at all - but the information I was given said that the 3 days was given to design the Jungle Book show. Basically the employee was told on a Friday that rehearsals were starting on Monday and they needed to have a show put together. That's why the projections were entirely scenes from the movie, there was no time for producing anything new. With rehearsals they did have a few weeks notice but it was extremely rushed. It is no surprise that it didn't hold up to Disney Standards. Most shows (including Rivers of Light) spend years in production.

Now - I am going to give them one bit of credit - they are clearly holding this show from release until they get it right rather than releasing a substandard product (which is what ended up happening with JB show).

 

[gregdep]

I hope it is ready by mid-December when I am there!

 

[bigmac5]

My date to pick fastpasses for my January trip is November 15. Hoping it's out by then so I don't have to redo them later!

That is our FP day and I am stressing

 

[Lisa F]

That is our FP day and I am stressing

I suggest you come up with a plan and a backup plan. it's not that hard really... implement your backup plan (in case it doesn't open) with the ability to make changes to accommodate it. The only FP+ that are impossible to move are FEA and 7DMT. Everything else there is tons of flexibility for at 30 days out and even some closer in.

I'm going in early december and have given up on it. I like my plans as they are. I'll catch it next time around when pandora is open as well.

 

[Lisa F]

AK hours are currently set to close at 7:00 for our trip in January - but I don't call closing at 7:00 a nighttime experience... Many people like to eat in the 6-7:00 hour. If you're there for the nighttime activities you're not (or at least we're not) going to waste time eating during that hour. That means when we're kicked out at 7:00 we have to go somewhere else to eat closer to 8:00. Which, 8:00 is fine for us - it's just silly that we have to leave & go somewhere else to find food. We'll likely head to Disney Springs or something unless we decide to call it an early night & we head back to SSR to eat. It's another missed opportunity by Disney to stay open late enough to at least feed people before they close up shop.

(PS) Polybound we ate lunch at both Tiffins & the Nomad Lounge on our Sept trip & it was fabulous - we have a lunch res to go back again in January & I am really looking forward to it.

hollywood studios is closing at 7 with a 7pm F! show for most of november and december except for the holidays. when the sun sets early and crowds are low, this is disney's entertainment schedule.

 

[bigmac5]

I suggest you come up with a plan and a backup plan. it's not that hard really... implement your backup plan (in case it doesn't open) with the ability to make changes to accommodate it. The only FP+ that are impossible to move are FEA and 7DMT. Everything else there is tons of flexibility for at 30 days out and even some closer in.

I'm going in early december and have given up on it. I like my plans as they are. I'll catch it next time around when pandora is open as well.

Yeah I have created flexability...but don't know when I might go again...this trip it will be over 3 years and the last trip there was a 7 year gap. I wish I was lucky enough to be able to go even every 2 years. If I knew I was going again soon I would not be a stressed.

 

[Lisa F]

Yeah I have created flexability...but don't know when I might go again...this trip it will be over 3 years and the last trip there was a 7 year gap. I wish I was lucky enough to be able to go even every 2 years. If I knew I was going again soon I would not be a stressed.

they've put so much into this show, it will be there for a while. Illuminations is running on 16 years old. By my next trip it will be 20 years old. It is my favorite nighttime show... I have decided to give up on RoL for my december trip and see Illuminations again... who knows if it will be there the next time I come and by the next time I come pandora will be done and AK will be much more a park, I will see it then. Even if it is 4 years from now. Even if it is 7. The show will still be running after everything they put into it and if not, it is probably not worth seeing!

 

[Anal Annie]

hollywood studios is closing at 7 with a 7pm F! show for most of november and december except for the holidays. when the sun sets early and crowds are low, this is disney's entertainment schedule.

Yeah, HS is closing early during our week in January too. That's why we end up with most evenings at MK or EP on our winter trips - they usually have later hours than at HS or AK. That's also why most of our ADR's this trip are lunches rather than dinners. The parks close early so TS dinnertime meals for us are left to the resort restaurants or DS at that point.

 

[intertile]

Going there for Thanksgiving. I had figured by then it would be open, but at this point I doubt it. Going there with the idea it will not be, and if anything we'll get a nice surprise.
We have park hoppers, so if it does open or I get wind of soft openings we can always skip another show to see it. I'm just not getting my hopes up.

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

The information I was given - and I apologize that this is essentially heresay as I am saying a friend whose a friend of someone that worked on the show so not reliable source at all - but the information I was given said that the 3 days was given to design the Jungle Book show. Basically the employee was told on a Friday that rehearsals were starting on Monday and they needed to have a show put together. That's why the projections were entirely scenes from the movie, there was no time for producing anything new. With rehearsals they did have a few weeks notice but it was extremely rushed. It is no surprise that it didn't hold up to Disney Standards. Most shows (including Rivers of Light) spend years in production.

Now - I am going to give them one bit of credit - they are clearly holding this show from release until they get it right rather than releasing a substandard product (which is what ended up happening with JB show).

If that is indeed true, what they were able to pull off in that short amount of time was truly impressive and a testament to Disney's ability to innovate even when it's crunch time. My fiance and I were literally the first guests in line for JB: AWM on the night is soft-opened and I get that it wasn't Fantasmic-caliber, but I was impressed nonetheless. I can't wait to see what they do with RoL.

 

[Wdwfan2016]

I will be surprised if it opens before 2017.

 

[bandjbaine]

So what would soft openings look like if they happen soon? How would a soft opening of a show like this work ( maybe based on past experiences with other shows opening?)My issue is that I have a planned AK day on Nov 20th. It's the busy week of Thanksgiving. Think they would try a soft opening at a time like that? Whose got an educated guess on what time the show might be- ie: I want to keep my 6:25 dinner reservation at Tiffins if there is no show, but if there is a show and the park closes at 7:30 thinking I'll need to cancel....

 

[skier_pete]

Not THIS thread again...

Within the next 2-3 weeks. They are being quiet about this on purpose.

Your going to keep saying that until it's true, aren't you...

 

[rteetz]

Not THIS thread again...



Your going to keep saying that until it's true, aren't you...

Well kind of. I just report what I see. I don't know if you saw this part that I reported but there was a small bumping of floats that might have caused a set back within the last couple weeks and executives were also onsite and saw the show and want this to open asap.

 

[Babsy]

Well kind of. I just report what I see. I don't know if you saw this part that I reported but there was a small bumping of floats that might have caused a set back within the last couple weeks and executives were also onsite and saw the show and want this to open asap.

Any thoughts on if they plan to start by showing it first to the D23 fans Sunday, Nov 20? If they do, will there be some soft openings then during the week of Thanksgiving?

Sorry, grasping ta straws now as the Thanksgiving trip is nearly here and still no ROL!

We will still have a great trip, but would love to see the show!

Thank you, rteetz, for continuing to report what you hear. I feel a little less 'in the dark' when I hear your reports! (and, yes, I know that it is rumour only and that is just fine with me) I still like to read and hope.

 

[rteetz]

Any thoughts on if they plan to start by showing it first to the D23 fans Sunday, Nov 20? If they do, will there be some soft openings then during the week of Thanksgiving?

Sorry, grasping ta straws now as the Thanksgiving trip is nearly here and still no ROL!

We will still have a great trip, but would love to see the show!

Thank you, rteetz, for continuing to report what you hear. I feel a little less 'in the dark' when I hear your reports! (and, yes, I know that it is rumour only and that is just fine with me) I still like to read and hope.

Nothing yet. Last I heard was by the end of the month.

 

[Babsy]

Nothing yet. Last I heard was by the end of the month.

Thank you!
Still hoping for pixie dust for for Thanksgiving week!

 

[Lee Matthews]

Really hope this is worth the wait

 

[Micca]

Really hope this is worth the wait

At this point, how can it be worth the wait? Does anyone believe this show will come anywhere near Wishes/Castle Show, Fantasmic, or Illuminations?