The latest Mickey Monitor newsletter for Annual Passholders provides more information and new concept art for Rivers of Light, opening at Animal Kingdom in Spring 2016. See below for the article from the Mickey Monitor;
“Rivers of Light pays homage to traditional Asian lantern festivals and this beautiful myth about the aurora borealis,” Michael Jung, Creative Portfolio Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering, told us. “There’s an ancient belief that when animals passed from one world to another they danced in the sky and became these beautiful rivers of light.”
Taking place on Discovery River, the show employs state-of-the-art projection effects, water screens, magical oating lanterns, live performance, music and shadow puppetry. It begins with two pairs of mystical hosts making their way to the river offering the gift of light.
Lotus lanterns open to transform into beautiful fountains. Four huge, amazing animal gures—an owl, tiger, turtle and elephant—appear and morph as their animal spirits awaken and come to life on the water screens. The hosts, the embodiment of re and water, return and the dramatic nish includes the animals ying out and literally painting the aurora all around you in an almost dreamlike panorama.
Of course, the welfare of the animals and the integrity of the Park itself were always top of mind, including not allowing any light projections or special effects to impact the animals or their environments and not installing technical infrastructure into the lagoon area. Michael promises that this spectacle will be like no other experienced at Walt Disney World® Resort. “And what’s so exciting is that our Guests have never seen this Park at night.”
