While visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom this morning, we were mostly distracted by the adorable baby Sumatran tiger Bakso, who made his debut at the park today, but we also checked in on some ongoing projects. Earlier today, we took a look at the glowing pavement refresh underway in Pandora – The World of Avatar, but something very interesting is happening in the Discovery River Amphitheater, which is the former home of the Rivers of Light nighttime show and the KiteTails daytime show. Here’s the latest!
Custom-Built KiteTails Docks Removed from Discovery River Amphitheater
Last week, we noticed that a portion of the custom-built KiteTails dock had been removed. The docks were the launching point for the giant animal-themed kites that flew around the Discovery River Amphitheater from October 2021 through September 2022.
The removal of the docks immediately made my Spidey senses tingle because Disney will typically not allocate a budget to something that is defunct. In short, I think that Walt Disney World would’ve been happy to leave the in-theme docks in place forever until they sank or there was budget for an all-new show. While the docks could’ve certainly been sinking or otherwise in need of repair, it’s the possibility of a new use for the Discovery River Amphitheater that I hope is in the cards. Let’s take a look at the recent work.
First, here’s a look at a photo from the archives where the docks were in place, and when they were in use during the KiteTails show.
And here’s a look at the dock as we saw it recently, partially removed, but also partially still in place.
And now here’s a look at the area from our visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this morning, with the themed docks completely removed from the Discovery River Amphitheater.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
