Is the Animal Kingdom night show a good idea?
Walt Disney World: what do you think?
The new night show at Animal Kingdom planned might not be such a blessing. The park hours will be extended and late Extra Magic hours will arise.
The animals also aren't awake at this time. With more people coming to Animal Kingdom, is this night show really a good plan for Disney?
Mr. Harris writes: "The animals also aren't awake at this time."
I Respond: Many animals are nocturnal.
Perhaps he should have said that the animals are not visible during nighttime hours because there is no artificial lighting on most of the open-air exhibits. I do know that AKL does a night vision safari for guests of the hotel, but they usually only have 3 or 4 pairs of goggles for a typical group of 20 or more. I guess DAK could do a similar thing, but they would need to buy a lot of goggles or come up with a way for guests to look through night-vision windows on the exhibits and/or safari trucks. Adding artificial lighting to the exhibits could confuse or harm the animals.
I think adding the nighttime show is a good idea for the park because it expands the park's capacity and money-making power. However, there needs to be plenty of things for guests to do while they're waiting for the show. Unless they can come up with a way to view the animals in the dark, those exhibits would all need to close (Busch Gardens Tamps closes its animal exhibits at dusk even if the park is open later), but there needs to be plenty of other outlets for guests to pass the time while they wait for the show. Also, they will need to enhance the lighting on Discovery Island and the front section of the park. If anyone's been in DAK when it gets dark, you know how tricky it can be walking out with the uneven, winding paths, and overhanging vegetation. Without improved lighting, getting a full park out safely after it's been dark for a couple of hours will be challenging.
From Rob Pastor
Posted October 30, 2013 at 8:36 AM
I've always wanted to experience Animal Kingdom in the evening. I would imagine the park is absolutely beautiful. I'm actually excited about the prospect of an evening Animal Kingdom park & show. Disney's shows are usually awesome. That may be the one thing they do best.
I think this night show is really an excellent plan for Disney.
I think it is a good idea. It will get them doing something with the pretty useless water around the tree that used to be filled with boats.
As for the animals, it appears that they are not bothered by Magical Hours. The trails and Safaris close earlier.
I think it is a great idea! Animal kingdom is the only park without a nighttime show, so it feels fitting that they get one.as for the animals, you wouldn't be able to see them that well anyway even if they were out. Also, (as someone already pointed out) there are nocturnal animals.
From Phil B.
Posted October 31, 2013 at 8:52 PM
This park is an absolute gem at night. Most have no idea because of the usual operating hours, but the way the park is lit along it's pathways, amongst all that nature as a back drop, really makes for a stunning visual experience after darkness falls. Giving the park activities that allow for it to be open into these later operating hours is a win across the board for all involved.
From J. Dana
Posted November 13, 2013 at 12:41 PM
BEST idea ever...and something that's been needed at this park for quite some time...and it's okay that the animals aren't visible (most of them, anyway)...because the park will still have plenty of non-animal attractions/restaurants to visit. Such as: Discovery Island, DinoLand, the Tree of Life area, most of Asia (the Yeti never sleeps and the water ride doesn't need animals), and the new Avatar Land (which, I'm assuming, won't have sleeping animals--I just wish it wasn't Avatar -- does anyone really have a heart-felt connection to Pandora???), and the then-newly-opened Festival of the Lion King.
The park has tons of night-time stuff available....AND, this is just a hopeful guess, I imagine that some sort of "night-time" animal exhibits will be installed. And remember all those rumors about "Night Kingdom"? Well, maybe this is the first step towards that. I'm not so sure that a "night safari" would be too successful, but I'm sure they'll find some way to use that area....
Doesn't Epcot close some of its front-of-park attractions at night? (or is that a long-ago practice?)
Interesting, though...according to the Disney Events Group, this represents a loss in their business because Animal Kingdom has long been one of their most popular event spaces because of its early closing time.
The night-time show is a no-brainer, especially considering the massive amounts of water/lakes that are built into this park, all around the Tree of Life.
From N B
Posted November 13, 2013 at 2:19 PM
J Dana, you put the "heartfelt connection" comment about Avatar so perfectly... it's hard to explain how some movies stick with you and other do not.
I always draw a parallel to Potter when it comes to Avatar because so many people read the HP books and had to imagine those stories before the movies were released.
Avatar had a fairly weak and overused story (infidels want the resources of the indigenous people and a hero changes sides to fight with the natives), but stunning visuals.
Every time I hear the first few notes of the Potter theme song, I am taken back to the very first movie and the opening credits and think about Universal's adaptation of Hogsmeade.
Anyways, as Animal Kingdom is my second favorite Disney park behind MGM (um, I mean Hollywood Studios), I would like to see what they come up with.
I think its a bad idea. What will the animals think? I can tell you, they won't like it.
I am on the fence on this one. I think it would be nice to extend the hours and bring more people to the park later in the day, and I think the plans that have been released so far of Avatar land the the bioluminesence will be beautiful. However, the first concern should be for the animals. They should not change the animals' routines to accommodate this change, and if they do have a show, it should not have fireworks, loud music or anything else that would be harmful to the welfare of the animals
Sounds like a great idea. There must be a way to do it, The Singapore night safari is a zoo/safari park only open after dark, and it's an amazing experience. The pathways etc are very dark, many just flame lit, but it works well.
Animal Kingdom already does Extra Magical Hours so I do not think the Animals are going to have any problems. In all reality, Animal Kingdom shuts down a huge chunk of the park at night anyway. If you think about it, there are really only two places in the entire park that have animals (and they are on the same side)
I think it's a good idea because it gives the park an excuse to extend hours. Most of the animals are actually more active at night, so it gives a great opportunity for some special viewing And with the new Avatar Land going in, the park may be getting a lot busier, needing something to extend hours.
Just as well, I heard a rumor from a cast member that part of the show will be making the Tree of Life completely light up in the dark, which could be a phenomenal sight.
Also, to the people who are talking about "The Emotional Attachment" to Pandora, that's not what putting it in is really about. If you've even looked at the plans that Disney has created, they are absolutely brilliant. This new area is an opportunity for the Imagineers to create a new interactive area unlike anything that's ever existed before, with some amazing new technologies… THAT'S what Disney is about, pioneering. (And who WOULDN'T want to ride a Banshee). Plus, I want to see Pandora glow at night.
The Extra Magic Hours for Animal Kingdom are all in the morning. They stopped the nighttime ones a few years back.
no because the animals with the sound of all people walking and talking loud would wake them up and not all animals are nocturnal. when pandora opens only that part should be opened during the night
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