River of Lights in Animal Kingdom

[bcrook]

I was talking about the nighttime safaris. They aren't a limited event it's just going on the safari but just at night. There will be a standby and fastpass queue no different than there is for safaris now. It is now a limited safari it's supposed to be open for all guests just like any ride.

Don't you think those night time safaris will be among the most difficult FP+ to score? I wouldn't be surprised if it went totally appointment ride.

 

[bcrook]

They've had somewhat regular 8pm closings on the weekend this year. I think they are actively getting the animals used to it.

EE at night is WDW's best night attraction...that used to only run during Christmas week extended hours. it's good more guests will get to experience it.

Sounds awesome.

 

[bcrook]

I am super excited for River of Lights and all the nighttime entrainment for that matter come to AK! I have always enjoyed AK the few times that it was open late into the evening. As far as how many showings there will be, I can only assume that there will likely be multiple showings daily since this will be a brand new show and interest will be sky high.

I would imagine the dynamics at DAK will change a lot when these open. Then again with Pandora opening. I hope those attractions in Pandora are stunners! This will relieve some of the pressure from MK. I would guess we will end up with tiers there now though.

I enjoy DAK as much as any park. I can't believe I still have to wait until sometime in 2017 to have it fully online.

 

[3smithboys]

Comparing the dinner packages to Disney California Adventure and a World of Color. Dining Packages.

I guess Tiffens, Rain Forest Cafe, and Yak n Yeti would have to fill that role. Nothing there as cool as Carthay Circle or Blue Bayou at Disneyland. I purchased the Wine Country Trattatoria lunch package with the World of Color in June. That cost about $40.00 a person. It probably wasn't necessary because the World of Color Fastpasses were only distributed on the day of event. We were in the park early enough. But we liked the preferred viewing area.

So if they have a similar model, the best seats will be saved for dining packages. Unfortunately, the two Landrys restaurants and that new Tiffens don't really offer interesting options.

Thanks for this info... I hope they do have choices. If Tiffins looks good and gets good reviews, I don't mind spending 2 credits... but if it doesn't then I hope to have options!

 

[rteetz]

Don't you think those night time safaris will be among the most difficult FP+ to score? I wouldn't be surprised if it went totally appointment ride.

They are still going to have a standby option.

 

[rteetz]

I would imagine the dynamics at DAK will change a lot when these open. Then again with Pandora opening. I hope those attractions in Pandora are stunners! This will relieve some of the pressure from MK. I would guess we will end up with tiers there now though.

I enjoy DAK as much as any park. I can't believe I still have to wait until sometime in 2017 to have it fully online.

I don't think we see tiers at AK.

 

[bcrook]

I don't think we see tiers at AK.

We'll see. DAK has the least amount of FP capacity out all four parks. With only about 3600 night time Safari slots, 10,000 river of light passes (if two shows a night), and limited other choices less than a Third of the guests will suck up the high demand rides early in the process. Average attendance at DAK is about 30,000 a day. When people start using their fastpasses there, things will be tight.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

No those were discontinued. This will be an all new experience for all park guests later this year.

No, they weren't discontinued. We looked into doing one a couple weeks ago at AKL but they were all full.

 

[Spork24]

It isn't a lagoon. It is a river that stretches the width of Animal Kingdom. I think good viewing spots will be in a pretty small area where the seating is being placed.

While we're correcting people, I'm pretty sure it's actually just a lake that Disney calls a river. But whatever.

 

[rteetz]

We'll see. DAK has the least amount of FP capacity out all four parks. With only about 3600 night time Safari slots, 10,000 river of light passes (if two shows a night), and limited other choices less than a Third of the guests will suck up the high demand rides early in the process. Average attendance at DAK is about 30,000 a day. When people start using their fastpasses there, things will be tight.

DHS and Epcot have tiers and have very little to do. AK is adding two more attractions and a nighttime show I don't think we see tiers at AK. How do you know Disneys attendance numbers? They don't release them to the public.

 

[rteetz]

No, they weren't discontinued. We looked into doing one a couple weeks ago at AKL but they were all full.

Then it was the early morning safaris. One of the AKL Safari options was stopped last year.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

Then it was the early morning safaris. One of the AKL Safari options was stopped last year.

No it wasn't. It left the entrance of AKL at 10 pm. We saw it leaving and asked about it.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

Then it was the early morning safaris. One of the AKL Safari options was stopped last year.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/animal-kingdom/night-safari/

 

[rteetz]

No it wasn't. It left the entrance of AKL at 10 pm. We saw it leaving and asked about it.

This is what I was referring to. The sunrise safari was discontinued not the sunset I knew it was me of them.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/dis...isney's-animal-kingdom-to-be-discontinued.htm

 

[bcrook]

DHS and Epcot have tiers and have very little to do. AK is adding two more attractions and a nighttime show I don't think we see tiers at AK. How do you know Disneys attendance numbers? They don't release them to the public.

Soarin - RnRC - Everest
Test track - tower of terror - Safari
SpaceShip Earth - TSMM - dinosaur
Mission Space - Star Tours - Kali River
Illuminations - Fantasmic! - River of Lights

Nothing else needs Fastpass but the ancillary experiences are equivalent. DAK comes up way short on capacity and quality of rides compared to DHS. If DHS and Epcot have tiers, DAK will most likely follow as soon as a universal appeal attraction shows up. And I think that both the nighttime safari and river of light will tip the scale for demand.

When Frozen and Soarin opens up, Epcot will have even more capacity and better ride experiences than DAK, and it will have to keep its tiers.

Maybe when the two new Avatar rides open - if they are high capacity rides - tiers could go away. But even with a Pirates of the Caribbean type ride and a Soarin type experience, this park will be a little shy of a full load. Nowhere near the MK capacity. Plus with the bump in attendance that is going to hit DAK until Star Wars land opens, demand will skyrocket in the Animal Kingdom.

 

[rteetz]

Soarin - RnRC - Everest
Test track - tower of terror - Safari
SpaceShip Earth - TSMM - dinosaur
Mission Space - Star Tours - Kali River
Illuminations - Fantasmic! - River of Lights

Nothing else needs Fastpass but the ancillary experiences are equivalent. DAK comes up way short on capacity and quality of rides compared to DHS. If DHS and Epcot have tiers, DAK will most likely follow as soon as a universal appeal attraction shows up. And I think that both the nighttime safari and river of light will tip the scale for demand.

When Frozen and Soarin opens up, Epcot will have even more capacity and better ride experiences than DAK, and it will have to keep its tiers.

Maybe when the two new Avatar rides open - if they are high capacity rides - tiers could go away. But even with a Pirates of the Caribbean type ride and a Soarin type experience, this park will be a little shy of a full load. Nowhere near the MK capacity. Plus with the bump in attendance that is going to hit DAK until Star Wars land opens, demand will skyrocket in the Animal Kingdom.

I think quality is an opinion. Personally I'd take Everest over soarin or RnRc. AK is my favorite park it has a lot of quality things and in my opinion has enough for a full day already but it is only getting better.

Frozen replaced an attraction it didn't add anything to Epcot so it won't have more capacity than it did before. The frozen ride is the same boat ride as maelstrom but is frozen themed.

Same goes for DHS. You have to think of the net gain. They have or will close the backlot tour, LMA, and other small things. LMA is a huge capacity eater, the backlot tour also ate a lot of capacity.

I don't think they would do tiers for a little amount of time. If they implement them they will stay through avatar. Nothing has the capacity of MK and no other WDW park gets the amount of people that MK does so they don't need that capacity yet.

 

[mumumouse]

On Disney Parks blog it does say early spring, which to me would mean March?? But, then I also see May 1st.

Yep, I agree with AK dining. Not the greatest. I guess we always need to remember, we are in an amusement park.

I have seen World of Color (I think that was the name) in California Adventure. It was awesome. The only problem is I made the mistake of being up front and center and got misted with water. No place to get dry after and it was a cool night in Cali. in March!!

I think this show is supposed to be similar.

 

[kaybird]

I think AK dining is the among the best of all the parks! Love Y&Y, Harambe, the Lobster mac n cheese at 8 Spoons, and can't wait for Tiffin's!

 

[bcrook]

On Disney Parks blog it does say early spring, which to me would mean March?? But, then I also see May 1st.

Yep, I agree with AK dining. Not the greatest. I guess we always need to remember, we are in an amusement park.

I have seen World of Color (I think that was the name) in California Adventure. It was awesome. The only problem is I made the mistake of being up front and center and got misted with water. No place to get dry after and it was a cool night in Cali. in March!!

I think this show is supposed to be similar.

Yes that is the one.

I talked my group into going where you went, and we were really wet too. Not as bad in early June, but still cold. Great show and the Wine Country Tratatoria prix fixe lunch was very good.

 

[MrKnight]

Thanks for this info... I hope they do have choices. If Tiffins looks good and gets good reviews, I don't mind spending 2 credits... but if it doesn't then I hope to have options!

Hopefully Tiffins will be a Disney operated restaurant. Both Rainforest and Yak & Yet are operated by a third party company (Landry's), I enjoyed Yak & Yeti but you can tell it is not Disney operated, its not the same quality experience, our server kept trying to get us to join their rewards program for Landry's.. One can only expect and hope that Tiffins will be Disney operated since it is being labeled a "Signature Restaurant" ..