Walt Disney World has been gearing up for the grand opening of “Rivers of Light,” the first nighttime spectacular at Animal Kingdom. But this past weekend, theme park guests were able to see the full production for the first time as part of “soft opening” presentations.

What they saw on the “Light” side: floating lotus blossoms that morph into colorful, prancing fountains, oversized animal sculptures that could well be from a species of Tiffany lamps and gigantic water curtains featuring splashy wildlife projections.  

What audiences didn’t experience: a complicated story, animated characters or bombastic pyrotechnics common with Disney World finales.

As a kiss goodnight, “Rivers of Light” could be considered a peck on the cheek. Thanks for coming by; now, off to your cars, folks.

The floating fountains aren’t as sexy an effect as, say, 300 drones in the sky, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t complicated. The units are in near-constant motion while traveling on the theme park’s Discovery River, simultaneously spinning and spewing.

In the beginning, dramatic lighting on distant trees frames shadowy figures of animals.  (Audience members also can hear them, allowing minds to wander to the real residents of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.)  Later, barges carrying boxy, internally lit animal figures drift into the picture. The one with two elephants brings to mind Stella, the calf recently birthed at the theme park.

Wildlife also take the spotlight on large, arched water screens, sometimes running across multiple sprays. Down on the water’s surface, there are animals — baby bears, assorted birds — virtually splashing, thanks to technology tucked into the floating lotuses.