My co-blogger Jessica Holmes and I have a lot in common. We are both passionate about family, Disney, runDisney and Dole Whips! We also both love the nighttime entertainment in all the Disney Parks! Jessica loves all the big spectaculars like Fantasmic and Illuminations, and I love Wishes and everything fireworks!
Over the last two months, we were both lucky enough to experience the brand-new nighttime show at Animal Kingdom-Rivers of Light. We both agreed that it was beautiful, and that the park is gorgeous after dark! However, we did disagree about one thing…Jessica believes that Rivers of Light is a “must do” every time, while I think it’s more of a “one and done” experience you can check off your Disney Bucket List! Read on and weigh in!
Getting Tickets
Jacqueline My friend Tiffany and I were literally in the final stages of planning for our upcoming runDisney Princess weekend when we heard that tickets for Rivers of Light were being released during our visit! Even though our spreadsheet had been set for months, we frantically moved our ADRs around in order to reserve a dining package at one of our favorite restaurants, Tusker House. (The other option was to get a Fastpass…but we didn’t want to mess with our Expedition Everest line up!)
After an awesome lunch (and of course photo ops with Safari Daisy and the rest of the gang) we were handed our tickets. At the time of booking, they were only advertising the first show at 7:15, but eventually added a second show (now at 9:15) … due to popular demand!
Jessica As soon as the Rivers of Light dining packages were announced, I booked a breakfast at Tusker House for the morning after the Star Wars 5k. We had been to the restaurant a few times and knew that we enjoyed it, and like Jacqueline, I didn’t want to use a FastPass. I figured this was the best possible way to see the show.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were given instructions about what time to return, and we were also given a light-up lotus flower popcorn bucket that could be filled at the show for $1.50. We goofed off (and snuggled) with our pals, and enjoyed a delicious breakfast.
Checking In and Pre-Show
Jacqueline Cast Members told us we needed to check-in no later than 7:00 for our 7:15 performance. Since we were childless and there was only the two of us (we can squeeze!) we really pushed the envelope! We snuck away to Tamu Tamu Refreshments to grab Dole Whips with rum to enjoy during the show. By the time we got back…at 7:00 on the dot…lines for people with Fastpasses were wrapped everywhere, and the lines for people waiting on Stand-By were even longer! The dining package tickets were really the way to go! We walked right up to a Cast Member and were seated immediately. It was tight-we were one of the last to arrive-but our seats and visibility were still great. (And FYI…we did NOT get the very cool lotus flower popcorn bucket at lunch!! LOL!)
Jessica We were advised to return an hour early for the show. We did, and we had our choice of seats – the area we were directed to was mostly empty. I enjoyed relaxing and taking pictures as the sun slowly went down. There was no pre-show entertainment, but there was a PhotoPass photographer who came and took pictures of anyone who wanted one. By the time the show started, the seating area was packed.
Rivers of Light
Jacqueline As the sun went down it was so cool to see the Tree of Life turn into a backdrop for a projection show. Birds migrating, elephants trumpeting…the technology was amazing! The lotus flower floats began moving in harmony, music played and dancers appeared out of nowhere!
Then came all the different water features…animals appearing on a “screen” of water, lotus flowers rotating and spraying fountains, and animal floats that looked as if they were made out of stained glass-gorgeous. It was truly mesmerizing.
Jessica I can’t wait to see Rivers of Light again! While it didn’t move me the way that IllumiNations does, I thought it was beautiful and so much fun to photograph. I loved that there were projections on the nearby trees, and the finale was breathtaking. I loved the animal floats (especially the turtles!), and I feel like there were probably other details that I missed the first time. The main complaint that I heard was that it didn’t have a cohesive story the way that the other shows do. It has an overarching theme of “we are one” that I thought was great.
I simply love being in Animal Kingdom at night! I’m so glad that there is a nighttime show here now, and I think the amphitheater is gorgeous, too. I love that area of the park. Having a show to go to really adds to the whole nighttime vibe and gives guests a reason to stay (or come to the park later).
The Verdict?
Jacqueline Rivers of Light was gorgeous and packed a lot of imagery in just fifteen minutes. I couldn’t help but marvel at this feast for the eyes…even when I couldn’t follow the storyline. Would I go again? Yes, but only to take my children so they could experience it for themselves. Once. (Assuming we could get a dining package again…I don’t think any of us would be willing to wait in that line! LOL!)
And while I appreciate their commitment to keep the show true to Animal Kingdom’s mission of preserving nature, I know my own children would have loved to have seen some Disney favorites like Simba and Rajah incorporated into the show. You know…kind of like Festival of the Lion King on water. 😉 As for me, I’ll take advantage of the empty park to ride Expedition Everest in the dark-my new Animal Kingdom Bucket List item!
Jessica I love nighttime shows. Sitting down at the end of a long day with a bucket of popcorn or a Mickey bar and watching a show is something I always look forward to. It has become ingrained as a part of my Disney traditions. IllumiNations is my favorite – I could watch it every night. I connected with it the first time I saw it, and I usually see it more than once if I am on a week-long trip. On most trips, it’s my first night tradition – the thing that makes me feel like I’m finally home. The soundtracks for all of the nighttime spectaculars are regularly played in my car, and my trips aren’t complete without seeing them!
Does Rivers of Light measure up to the others? I don’t think it’s quite as spectacular, but it is beautiful, and it’s one that I will watch again. Not to mention that by being at Animal Kingdom after dark, you get an incredible ride on Everest and you get to see the Tree of Life come alive!
