River of Light worth it?

lolomarie

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 3, 2013
I've read lots of reviews if RoL and am having a hard time determining if this show is worth it for my family.

Some information: we will be traveling with myself 34, DH35, DM61, DS4 and DS10 months. On our previous trip 1st DS was 15 months and night shows were difficult. We will absolutely doing HEA, F!, Illuminations and SW fireworks. I don't want to use one of our 3 initial FP+ on RoL as I hope to get 4,5, and maybe more throughout the day. We may or may not take nap breaks. Previously I found it hard to leave park and make it back in a timely manner.

So what do you think? RoL, skip it or must do? I know this is subjective, but I'd love opinions! If we do it would you suggest a dinner package? Try for same day FP+? Line up early? How early?

Thanks Dissers!
 
So we went to ROL last month with our 2 and 4 year old and LOVED it!

We didn’t have a FP - just headed that way around 15 minutes before and nabbed some of the last seats (I’d aim for more like 20/25 in advance to make sure you have seats).
 
I agree that it's subjective (plus you already have plenty of other things that take priority it seems). For me, it's definitely worth doing at least once so that you did it. Last November, I went in thinking that it's a good time to sit down and relax, but ended up loving the show. I plan on seeing it again in May and November.

I had a Tiffins RoL dining package and it was nice since the dining packages had a small section to the side for the show. Plenty of room to sit down and it never filled in completely before the start of the show.
 
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we really enjoyed it! it was so nice you can sit down and if the little ones are having trouble you can get up and leave with no problem. it's probably not something we would go back and watch again, only if we have new groups with us that haven't seen it
 


I've read lots of reviews if RoL and am having a hard time determining if this show is worth it for my family.

Some information: we will be traveling with myself 34, DH35, DM61, DS4 and DS10 months. On our previous trip 1st DS was 15 months and night shows were difficult. We will absolutely doing HEA, F!, Illuminations and SW fireworks. I don't want to use one of our 3 initial FP+ on RoL as I hope to get 4,5, and maybe more throughout the day. We may or may not take nap breaks. Previously I found it hard to leave park and make it back in a timely manner.

So what do you think? RoL, skip it or must do? I know this is subjective, but I'd love opinions! If we do it would you suggest a dinner package? Try for same day FP+? Line up early? How early?

Thanks Dissers!

I think you answered your own question here .... try for it as your 4th or 5th. Been reported by some of the "bloggers" that this is becoming easier and easier to do this and just walking in to SB. This way you can play it by ear to see if your group is prepared to stick it out that long.
 


It’s pretty & nice to experience once...
We always eat breakfast at Tusker House, so we did the package with priority seating...worked out well for us, since we were eating there regardless and had that added benefit.
 
It’s pretty & nice to experience once...
We always eat breakfast at Tusker House, so we did the package with priority seating...worked out well for us, since we were eating there regardless and had that added benefit.

Breakfast? Rivers of Light is at night.

I would never recommend to anyone to waste an FP on it. In my experience, there is always stand by space. Seeing it once is nice just because I like to experience everything at least once. That said, I won't bother with it again.
 
Breakfast? Rivers of Light is at night.

I would never recommend to anyone to waste an FP on it. In my experience, there is always stand by space. Seeing it once is nice just because I like to experience everything at least once. That said, I won't bother with it again.
You get a voucher to come back and see the show if you purchase the dining package. You have to dine 2 to 3 hours before the start of ROL.
 
I enjoy it too. We went a couple weeks ago. The FP section was full, but there were plenty of standby seats. My husband loses interest in the show after 5 minutes. My 13 year old son loves it. Opinions are varying. It's worth giving it a try once.
 
No!

Is that good enough? ;)

Seriously, I think there are several limitations with the show. Disney shows are often about taking a new technology and using it to tell stories. Fantasmic! was about water/mist screens. World of Color was about computer controlled fountains (Bellagio on steroids). And I think RoL was about automated GPS enable boats to determine boat placement. My understanding is that something about the high tech on RoL didn't quite work out, so they rushed the show out with what they had.

The other thing about Disney shows is that sometimes there is awesome tech (WoC) and sometimes there is awesome storytelling (F!). We felt like RoL had neither. The story was muddled and the tech couldn't save the show. There are also a lot of CMs on the boats in beautiful costumes. At least I think they're beautiful, they are beautiful in the official photographs. But in the show, it is too far and too dark to see all of the details in the costumes.

Sometimes prior experience can ruin new experiences. People who ride WDW iasw for the first time can enjoy a charming boat ride. For others who have ridden iasw at Disneyland, the experience is underwhelming. We got to experience WoC at DCA and found RoL underwhelming.

...oh, and I forgot to mention that since the show takes place in an animal park, there are no fireworks or pyro effects. So the show seems a little bland.

But having said all of this, I recommend you watch a video on YouTube and try to make up your own mind.
 
I thought it was very nice, when I saw it last year. I am taking a friend to see it this year, hopefully the fact that its on a little bit late (9:15 pm) wont bother her. But IMHO, definitely worth seeing at least once. :thumbsup2
 
No!

Is that good enough? ;)

Seriously, I think there are several limitations with the show. Disney shows are often about taking a new technology and using it to tell stories. Fantasmic! was about water/mist screens. World of Color was about computer controlled fountains (Bellagio on steroids). And I think RoL was about automated GPS enable boats to determine boat placement. My understanding is that something about the high tech on RoL didn't quite work out, so they rushed the show out with what they had.

The other thing about Disney shows is that sometimes there is awesome tech (WoC) and sometimes there is awesome storytelling (F!). We felt like RoL had neither. The story was muddled and the tech couldn't save the show. There are also a lot of CMs on the boats in beautiful costumes. At least I think they're beautiful, they are beautiful in the official photographs. But in the show, it is too far and too dark to see all of the details in the costumes.

Sometimes prior experience can ruin new experiences. People who ride WDW iasw for the first time can enjoy a charming boat ride. For others who have ridden iasw at Disneyland, the experience is underwhelming. We got to experience WoC at DCA and found RoL underwhelming.

...oh, and I forgot to mention that since the show takes place in an animal park, there are no fireworks or pyro effects. So the show seems a little bland.

But having said all of this, I recommend you watch a video on YouTube and try to make up your own mind.
Not rushed but actually several months late because of that new tech. They had to cut aspects because it wasn't working.

Not every show needs fireworks/pyro to be a good show.
 
Not rushed but actually several months late because of that new tech. They had to cut aspects because it wasn't working.

Not every show needs fireworks/pyro to be a good show.

Agree that not every show needs fireworks, but fireworks and other pyro can help add moments of excitement to an otherwise boring show. And I say this full well knowing that taste in shows is highly subjective.

I can't think of any other Disney night time show that doesn't have some sort of pyro. Can you? And again, this doesn't make it bad, but it does make it unique. And it makes it challenging to stir up the emotions you typically get from pyro.

Here are a couple of links to other sites that talk about the technical difficulties:
https://www.****************.com/news/20170213/32488/rivers-light-review

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...ingdom-nighttime-problems-20160816-story.html
 
Agree that not every show needs fireworks, but fireworks and other pyro can help add moments of excitement to an otherwise boring show. And I say this full well knowing that taste in shows is highly subjective.

I can't think of any other Disney night time show that doesn't have some sort of pyro. Can you? And again, this doesn't make it bad, but it does make it unique. And it makes it challenging to stir up the emotions you typically get from pyro.

Here are a couple of links to other sites that talk about the technical difficulties:
https://www.****************.com/news/20170213/32488/rivers-light-review

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...ingdom-nighttime-problems-20160816-story.html
Animal Kingdom doesn't need a pyro based show. Yes pyro can be exciting but that doesn't mean its necessary for a good show.

World of Color didn't always have pyro and has been loved since it debuted.

Do I think RoL could be better? Of course but I don't find it as terrible as some think.

I am well aware of the technical issues the show faced....
 
We enjoy it, as a matter of fact, right now it's our favorite night time show at WDW. We can't do the projection shows at MK or HS because I'm height challenged and unless you buy the dessert package, someone is likely to get in front of you at the last minute (it has happened to me both times I tried MK and both time I tried HS). I enjoy Fantasmic but for some reason my son doesn't like it. I don't like Illuminations, just don't get it. As far as a FP, I've had no problems getting one about a hour before the show. We haven't done a dining package in years but if you want to eat at Tiffins (which I can't say enough good things about) it wouldn't hurt.
 

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