Category: News

Live singers, dancers, musicians and fire performers celebrate the epic story of The Walt Disney Studios’ “The Jungle Book” in a limited-engagement nighttime extravaganza opening May 28, 2016, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.

Performed beneath the stars in the park’s new outdoor 5,000-seat Discovery River amphitheater, “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic,” debuts as the park introduces additional nighttime entertainment including a post-sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris adventure and visually stunning Tree of Life “awakenings” with Discovery Island song-and-dance merriment.

“The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” welcomes guests to the dangerous, captivating world of the young “man cub” Mowgli and the jungle animals that protect and threaten him. Featuring traditional Indian music as well as the wildly popular songs of The Jungle Book, the show immerses guests in the culture of and beauty of India and the peril of the jungle with singers, musicians, dancers and visuals.

As the show opens, barges festooned with Indian banners and intricate flower decorations float into view carrying river-bound singers, dancers and musicians.

The show’s opening number begins with an ethereal Indian chant in the Rajasthan style, then builds to an energetic sound featuring drummers and performers offering gifts of light with a dance of candles. The music segues to the film’s score, and the show’s water screens rise to reveal an image of the ornate cover of “The Jungle Book” story by Rudyard Kipling. As the book pages open, an engraved jungle scene transitions from black and white to the colorful 3-D world of the film.

Driven by John Debney’s “The Jungle Book” film score, the show’s live music is arranged in Indian styles that feature the sitar and tabla drums for beloved tunes including “The Bare Necessities,” “Trust in Me,” and “I Wan’na Be Like You.” Big-screen images from the film combine with impressionist projections and narration by the panther character Bagheera, to open a portal into the artfully-told story.

The 25-minute show is awash in special effects that include fire, and massive water-screen projections. While some of the cast tell the story from water’s edge and inside the theater, multiple barges and boats become additional sets pulsating with dozens of performers, scenic backdrops and light and fire effects.

“We’ve been fortunate to work with an amazing team of collaborators from around the world, from the filmmakers behind the blockbuster movie to a creative team of artists who helped to infuse our show with authentic aspects of the culture of India,” said Michael Jung, executive creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering.

Poignant film moments resonate, as when “wolf-mother” Raksha says farewell to Mowgli and tells him, “You will always be my son.” As the journey proceeds, guests will flinch at the sudden roar of tiger Shere Khan that leads to a thrilling chase, and they’ll laugh at antics of Baloo, the free-spirited bear and pal of Mowgli. As the tale unfolds, the audience can’t help but be mesmerized by the frighteningly hypnotic charm of Kaa.

Breathtaking water-screen images of an elephant herd, a virtuosic fire performance and dynamic live percussion build to a frenzied show climax. For the show finale, the cast of “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic,” performs an Indian-influenced mega-medley that becomes a boisterous mash-up of the acclaimed film’s top tunes, and performers spread throughout the aisles to transform the amphitheater into one huge immersive party celebrating the music, story and world of “The Jungle Book.”

As guests depart Discovery River Theater, they can continue celebrating in other areas of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where the evening comes alive with wondrous new nighttime experiences and a party-like atmosphere.

Celebrating the adventurous spirit of world travelers and explorers, Tiffins is the newest signature restaurant at Walt Disney World Resort, part of the largest expansion in the history of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.

“Tiffin” is the Indian word for a lunchbox used by travelers (also a mid-day meal), and the 252-seat restaurant in the park’s Discovery Island area is open daily for lunch and dinner with menus that takes diners to Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

“This new restaurant highlights our commitment to introduce new, innovative and immersive experiences only Disney can deliver,” said Beth Scott, vice president of Food & Beverage for Disney Parks & Resorts. “ We are confident that our culinary and beverage professionals have created something that re-imagines theme park dining, and encourage our guests to explore these authentic global flavors just as our Imagineers did when designing Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”

A detailed map within the restaurant’s entryway sets the stage for an immersive dining experience celebrating world travel, with bold artwork derived from sketches, journals and research from those who created the theme park.

“Tiffins is the signature restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, celebrating the culture of design and research that went into creating this unique park,” said Emily O’Brien, Walt Disney Imagineering executive show producer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

“All the senses are explored and turned into amazing works of art,” said O’Brien. “Two of the three ‘galleries,’ or dining rooms, focus on Asia [Trek Gallery with 74 seats] and Africa [Safari Gallery with 64 seats], and the third [Grand Gallery with 114 seats] pays homage to animal species that the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund works to protect.”

The travel-inspired artwork includes a static, three-dimensional piece that features prayer flags blowing in the wind. “As our research team traveled up the high mountains of Nepal, the winds were strong,” explained O’Brien. “The prayer flags are rarely seen hanging, they are always blowing.” This portrayal of the motion is realistically captured in the display which will hang above a corner booth in the Trek Gallery.

“Tiffins is not about a make-believe place, it’s about real people and places,” said O’Brien.

From the familiar to something new, the menu offers diners starters such a Lobster-Popcorn Thai Curry Soup with Basil and Peanuts (Asia/Africa) and marinated grilled octopus (Europe). Sustainable seasonal fish crudo (South America) and a salad of roasted baby beets and goat cheese with walnut granola and a sun-dried cherry vinaigrette (North America) round out international creations.

Entrées include Berber-Spiced Lamb Chop with Mustard Greens, Lentil Stew and Mint Chutney (Africa); Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with Huitlacoche Tamale, Hominy Succotash and Red Mole Sauce (South America); Miso-glazed Black Cod with Forbidden Rice in Steamed Bok Choywith Turmeric Sauce (Asia), and Grilled Head-on Shrimp with Tomatoes, Roasted Fennel, Olives and Sea Urchin Butter Sauce (Europe). For vegetarians, the Roasted Market Vegetable Curry with Quinoa, Zucchini and Lime Chutney brings a taste of Asia.

The kids’ menu includes roasted chicken, pan-seared cod and braised short ribs with seasonal vegetables and cous cous or multigrain rice, or roasted vegetables served over spaghetti squash.

Beverages focus on Africa, Asia and South America, including handcrafted cocktails and beers. Non-alcoholic beverages include exotic-fruit-flavored lemonades, Asian and African premium loose-leaf teas and coffee beans from Columbia, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Tanzania.

“With a focus on South American and South African wines, the beverage program is very special – we don’t have another one like it at Disney,” said Master Sommelier Brian Koziol, Food & Beverage Concept and Development director for Disney Parks & Resorts. “The program will focus on environmentality: producers that focus on sustainability, organic wines, and bio-dynamic viticulture,” he explained. “Environmentality is a core value at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and this beverage program is a great way to share that with our guests.”

With beautiful waterfront views, the adjacent Nomad Lounge focuses on storytelling, and also on guests’ travels.

“We’re trying to tell the story of how guests can make a change,” said O’Brien. While the answers of Disney experts are displayed, guests also have the opportunity purchase a tag that supports the Disney Conservation Fund and to write their own answers to the questions to display above the bar– a way to share their own travel stories “so they can be a part of the story,” said O’Brien.

With 55 seats inside, and 46 seats in a covered outdoor area, Nomad Lounge offers a half-dozen small bites such as a vegetarian summer roll, a seared Wagyu beef skewer, honey-glazed coriander-spiced pork ribs, Indian butter-chicken wings, seasonal fish balls with shishito peppers and house-made head cheese and chicken liver pate with chutney.

Like Tiffins, the lounge offers handcrafted cocktails with African, Asian and South American flavors, imported beers and a South American and South African wine list. Non-alcoholic beverages include exotic-fruit-flavored lemonades, Asian and African premium loose-leaf teas and coffee beans from Columbia, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Tanzania.

For Tiffins reservations, guests can visit DisneyWorld.com/dining or call 407-WDW-DINE