UP! A Great Bird Adventure is a stage show that premiered on April 22, 2018 at Disney's Animal Kingdom, as part of the park's 20th anniversary celebration.[1] It is a rethemed version of Flights of Wonder, based on Disney and Pixar's animated film, Up.
On March 12, 2020, the show had its final performance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. On July 13, 2020, after Walt Disney World reopened, it was replaced by a new show, Feathered Friends in Flight.[2]
Show summary
The new version offered guests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug as they discover species of birds from around the world in their newest adventure at the Caravan Theater in Anandapur village. There were UP close encounters each day with amazing winged creatures.
Poor to mixed reception has lead to multiple re-writes of the show. In earlier incarnations, the live host was a Wilderness Explorer leader of the Anandapur chapter named Anika, who would talk about Indian culture in addition to the wildlife showcased in the show. A September 2019 re-write would result in a further simplification of the script with an even greater emphasis on the Wilderness Explorers with Russell being joined by one of his Scout Leaders that serves as a comic relief guide to the world of birds.
