BREAKING: Rivers of Light Replacement Show

As reported previously here Traveling Through Disney stated that Disney had postponed the opening of Rivers of Light the new nighttime show at Animal Kingdom. When a press conference was held early this week highlighting all of the new summer offerings for Disney parks our speculations that Rivers of Light would not open in May were confirmed. 

Late last night, Disney released a new nighttime show and attractions coming to Animal Kingdom called Animal Kingdom Awakens at Night. The new show will be centered around The Jungle Book with a live musical performance. 

This also opens up the sunset safari on Kilimanjaro Safaris, nighttime street parties, and other special entertainers at night. 

We do expect that Rivers of Light will open eventually as they continue testing and rehearsing for the show. However, Disney being the perfectionist that it is decided to go with another more secure plan for the summer. Rivers of Light construction is on-going and it has been speculated that the system that controls the floats is having on-going issues that they cannot get under control. 

Animal Kingdom Awakens at Night will debut Memorial Day 2016. More information about this new offering is listed below. Stay here for more details as they become available. 

From Disney writer Jennifer Fickley-Baker

Starting this Memorial Day Weekend, guests will be able to enjoy Disney’s Animal Kingdom in a whole new way – after the sun goes down! Whether it’s riding Kilimanjaro Safaris at sunset, venturing down Kali River Rapids at twilight, dancing alongside African performers in Harambe, or reveling in a live musical celebration of Disney’s hit film “The Jungle Book,” park guests have a lot to look forward to.

Here’s a taste of what to expect:

“Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” Show – For the summer, Discovery River will become the stage for a limited-engagement show inspired by Disney’s hit live-action film “The Jungle Book.” “Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” is filled with music and special effects that celebrates the new film and the classic songs, now infused with an Indian influence.

Photo Credit Disney

The Tree of Life Awakens – Disney Parks Blog author Thomas Smith previously shared the first look at this amazing sight, in which the park’s iconic Tree of Life undergoes an extraordinary “awakening.” You can expect to see animal spirits come to life throughout the evening by magical fireflies. Each scene appears to emanate from within the tree itself and reveals stories of wonder.

Kilimanjaro Safaris After Dark – Guests can enjoy Kilimanjaro Safaris in the evening hours, thanks to special lighting that will allow guests to explore the savanna – and its inhabitants – well into the night.

• Harambe Wildlife Parti – Guests can turn into “party animals” at the Harambe Wildlife Parti and enjoy lively African music, exotic foods and drinks, and explore the local marketplace.
• Discovery Island Carnivale – On Discovery Island, guests can join the local community in their celebration of their love for nature in this party that features music, dancers, stilt walkers, food and more.
• Tiffins – Guests can enjoy the park’s newest eatery, Tiffins, for both lunch and dinner. Check out this previous post for a peek at what to expect from the menu.
• Nighttime Attractions – The park’s attractions, now operating in the nighttime hours, will take on a whole new life. For the first time, guests will be able to experience the thrill of attractions like Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids – surrounded by darkness. They’ll also be able to enjoy colorful midway games and attractions in DinoLand, U.S.A.

BREAKING: Rivers of Light and Other Nighttime Experiences at Animal Kingdom

Disney has confirmed this morning that Rivers of Light and other nighttime experiences that were set to open on April 22nd will be postponed. 

Disney expected the experiences to be ready to debut in late April but are experiencing some setbacks that will not allow the experiences to debut as originally planned.

Expect for a new opening date to come in mid-May as they work out all of the kinks in the experiences. This set back mainly relates to Rivers of Light. 

When the Traveling Through Disney family was there back in late March we assumed this announcement would be forthcoming. The amphitheater did not look anywhere close to being done and much construction was still being done. 

Disney has been testing out and rehearsing the show for anticipation of a mid-May opening date,, check out the video below to get a sneak peak!  

 

Stay tuned here for more information as it becomes available!

BREAKING: Summer Promotions at Walt Disney World

Good afternoon Traveling Through Disney friends. We were met this morning with a wonderful new offer from Walt Disney World they are calling the Awaken Summer promotion. 

Right now you can save up to 30% off of rooms at select Walt Disney World resorts. This promotion is valid most nights between 6/12/16 - 8/25/16. You must book your trip by 6/10/16 though to take advantage of this promotion.

Another added benefit of this new promotion is the Awaken Summer Magic Band you receive if you purchase a package with a room and tickets for 2 or more nights. This Awaken Summer Magic Band is Star Wars themed and will light up and make noises when you scan it at select offerings. 

This promotion is also in addition to the extension of the Kid Size package and the Family Offer package as well.

If you are looking to book your next trip, let's chat today! I'm a full service Disney vacation planner and my services are 100% free to utilize. Let me take the stress of planning off of you and save you some money while I'm at it. I can help as little or as much as you would like. 

BREAKING: Disney Dining Plan Price Increases

Breaking news out of Disney this morning....new Disney Dining Plan prices have been made available and the price increase will be put into effect as early as today March 9, 2016. 

The good news is there is no change in service inclusions. It looks as though all of the services have stayed in tact. This means if you are on the dining plan you will still currently get the same credit allotments and any extras you may have received on the deluxe plans (i.e. appetizers, deserts, etc.).

The bad news is the dining plan increase bumps up the total cost to about 3% across the board. If you recall the 2016 Disney Dining plan was: 

However, the new Disney Dining Plan is bumping up prices by over $2 each night. Check out the new rates below:

What do you think about this new increase in prices? The change comes after Disney released new ticket prices just 2 weeks ago. Will this change your mind when purchasing a Disney dining plan now or no?

Turtle Talk w/Crush Gets An Update

That adorable blue tang fish named Dory that we all know and love will be back with her own movie this June. All the Finding Nemo friends rejoiced when the trailer came out earlier this week giving us a fresh look at the upcoming movie that is sure to be hilarious and cute. 

With that being said, Walt Disney World and California Adventure is also doing a refresher on their "human tank." Beginning in May of this year some new friends will be swimming up to interact with you. You'll meet Destiny the whale shark, Bailey the beluga whale, and Hank the septopus (the seven legged octopus of course). In addition to the Finding Dory new characters, Crush's own little one Squirt will make his swimming debut.

If you're lucky you can also catch a glimpse of Nemo and his dad Marlin. 

Finding Dory is in theater's June 17th, 2016. 

BREAKING: Rivers of Light Dining Packages Confirmed

With the new show Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom debuting this Spring there have been many a rumor swirling around that a dining package will be offered for this new event. 

Much like the dining package that is currently offered for Fantasmic, guests can enjoy a lunch or dinner at one of the participating restaurants and receive a voucher for priority seating at Rivers of Light. 

Earlier this morning the packages were leaked on Disney's site but you were not able to make reservations. Now when you go to this site Disney URL you are greeted with a message stating the page is unavailable. 

No other information is currently available but stay tuned here for the most up to date info as it develops. Look for Disney to make a big announcement regarding the dining package this week.