Rivers of bore

[jaiminee krikit]

I agree! I wanted to see it to give it a chance, since some people like different things. It was so boring! And you have to get there super early and sit on those horribly uncomfortable seats. Ugh. And I had a old-enough-to-know-better girl in front of me singing and dancing the entire time, while her family completely ignored her. I also had to go to the washroom before the show began, but if I would've left I would've lost my seat. Talk about unpleasant.

 

[Tonyz]

Not true. I originally thought this was about Na'vi River Journey and it's really slow. I like Na'vi. I'm not particularly fond of ROL.

Ah I apologize I thought it was about the ride as well. Yeah I have heard the show isn’t great.

 

[WaterLinds]

It's always good to try something once. You never know what you're going to like. We tried it knowing there were mixed reviews. I thought it was pretty, and I'm glad I did it, but I would be fine to not do it again. However, my 9 y/o DS thought it was "the most beautiful thing I've ever seen". So obviously, he wants to do it again lol! I've notices on this thread that a lot of 9 y/o like it. There must be something to it!

My six year old son also really enjoyed it. The rest of us thought it was nice, but short/lacking something--we were all surprised when we realized it was done.

We were however highly entertained by the lady sitting behind us who couldn't stop venting about how they "took a perfectly nice show and ruined it with all that liberal garbage about unity." So apparently that's one more persepective on it...

 

[PPFlight75]

My six year old son also really enjoyed it. The rest of us thought it was nice, but short/lacking something--we were all surprised when we realized it was done.

We were however highly entertained by the lady sitting behind us who couldn't stop venting about how they "took a perfectly nice show and ruined it with all that liberal garbage about unity." So apparently that's one more persepective on it...

Lol! I didn’t know unity was just a liberal thing.

The kids must see something we don’t. I’m usually the weeper but my little one was so touched by it. What a sweetie!

 

[robinb]

We were however highly entertained by the lady sitting behind us who couldn't stop venting about how they "took a perfectly nice show and ruined it with all that liberal garbage about unity." So apparently that's one more persepective on it...

If that's the case I should have liked it better .

 

[DOOM1001]

Its worth seeing,but at least for me its a once and done.I'm not a big fan of Fantasmic and Fantasmic is about 10x better.

 

[cdnusagurl]

Here right now....aweful!

This is why I'm choosing to spend my night in AKL exploring Pandora and looking at the Tree of Life light up. I saw the video on youtube and almost fell asleep within 5 minutes of it, haha.

 

[Robo]

the lady sitting behind us who couldn't stop venting about how they "took a perfectly nice show and ruined it with all that liberal garbage about unity..."

"The most import thing in show business is SINCERITY.

And, if you can fake that, you got it made!"


-George Burns

 

[odd man out]

After seeing so many bad reviews, I went on Rivers of Light with very, very low expectations... it exceeded my expectations so I was happy. I wonder if it also helped my 1st ride (and 1st Pandora visit) was at night, so it wasn’t a change in theme.

Me too. I had read the mixed reviews, went in with an open mind, and quite enjoyed it. We sat in the dining plan section so we had good seats and didn' have to wait in line. Maybe that helped.

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

After reading a lot of bad reviews, I have really low expectations, so as hakepb I hope it can exceed my expectations as well.

 

[anneboleyn]

We loved ROL. It makes me tear up. But we feel a deep connection to animals. No, it's not flash and fireworks. I realize that's what some people think Disney should be all the time. Animal Kingdom was never designed to be that, though, and that's one of many reasons we love it.

As someone who also feels a deep connection to animals (I like them more than I like most people lol), your comment has made me really excited to see RoL!

 

[Magpie]

My six year old son also really enjoyed it. The rest of us thought it was nice, but short/lacking something--we were all surprised when we realized it was done.

We were however highly entertained by the lady sitting behind us who couldn't stop venting about how they "took a perfectly nice show and ruined it with all that liberal garbage about unity." So apparently that's one more persepective on it...

Ha, yes the show should have been about teaching the kiddies that nature is red in tooth and claw, and it's every man for himself. Never mind this "unity" nonsense, or preserving nature for future generations, or any of that nonsense. Your only goal in this world should be to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!

I bet she wasn't happy when her kids were learning about "sharing and caring" in kindergarten, either. It's all just more communist propaganda!

 

[adelew]

I really enjoyed it. It was beautiful to take it all in and reminded me of the fountain and light shows I enjoy at Longwood Gardens. We had the dining package so maybe that helped with the seating conditions. It was our best evening show. My 3 year old was terrified of the fire in the Epcot show. The Magic Kingdom was so miserably crowded each time that we opted to just watch the fireworks from behind the castle and forego the projections and music. Honestly, it didn't feel safe cramming everyone into that space in front of the castle. I felt much more relaxed at AK having a seat for my family and not fighting for elbow room. We bought snacks and another family shared some glow necklaces with us.

 

[Nimbus]

We went BACK to AK at night to see RoL. We had excellent seats. Extremely disappointing. Little to no narrative. Extremely disjointed. The projected images seemed random in their progression to the point where we actually started laughing at one point, like what the heck are we watching lol? The caricatures of indigenous people beating drums and more or less worshiping the randomly-selected, aimlessly-floating, barge animals was borderline offensive (to say nothing about being confusing). And the ending was so anticlimactic we didn't even realize it was over. When you compare it to the other Disney nighttime shows, which have such a rich narrative and cohesiveness between all the elements, this one just kind of leaves you scratching your head.

 

[rkstocke5609]

We went BACK to AK at night to see RoL. We had excellent seats. Extremely disappointing. Little to no narrative. Extremely disjointed. The projected images seemed random in their progression to the point where we actually started laughing at one point, like what the heck are we watching lol? The caricatures of indigenous people beating drums and more or less worshiping the randomly-selected, aimlessly-floating, barge animals was borderline offensive (to say nothing about being confusing). And the ending was so anticlimactic we didn't even realize it was over. When you compare it to the other Disney nighttime shows, which have such a rich narrative and cohesiveness between all the elements, this one just kind of leaves you scratching your head.

Not to be ignorant, but what is a “barge” animal?

 

[Nimbus]

Not to be ignorant, but what is a “barge” animal?

Haha, this is what I was referring to.

 

[ArielSRL]

Yes, the seating was terrible.

I also had a toddler on my lap (who probably couldn’t see much anyways) and I spent the whole time holding his feet back although the person in front of us probably felt a few kicks anyways. He wasn’t even kicking, there was just no room to even move much. We couldn’t even put our backpack down on the floor without it hitting people on the way down.

Yep...this is pretty much my exact situation. And I really think the seating just ruined it for me.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yep...this is pretty much my exact situation. And I really think the seating just ruined it for me.

Don't ever go see World of Color or Fantasmic at DLR. You'd be begging for these seats!

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Thank you to everyone who shared your own opinions of ROL and reasons why you like or dislike it. I have been going back and forth on what night show to do on our upcoming trip.

We pick & choose our night shows wisely (while the kids are this little, we’re doing one or MAYBE two night show viewings inside a park per trip). DD has seen Fantasmic, Wishes (RIP) & HEA, DS has seen HEA.

We are choosing between ROL and Illuminations and I think with the mixed ROL reviews we will do Illuminations especially if it’s future is in potential jeopardy as rumored.

I am dying to see ROL because I haven’t seen it yet. I don’t love Illuminations but would like to see it one more time just in case it goes away.

If ROL is still around in 2019, we’ll catch it then!

 

[ArielSRL]

Don't ever go see World of Color or Fantasmic at DLR. You'd be begging for these seats!

I’ve actually seen Fantasmic at DLR. but I was a solo traveler then so no kids to worry about and it was not in FL June weather/humidity where everyone is sweating on everyone else.

I do hope to visit DLR in the next 5 years and I’ll just pay for some premium seating or viewing if available.