Disney Announces Massive ‘Lion King’ Park Attraction

For the first time, Disneyland Paris is unveiling an attraction dedicated to one of the company’s biggest blockbusters, The Lion King. The announcement came during D23 weekend, with Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, revealing the plan. Per a writeup via Disneyland Paris, “this larger-than-life area will bring guests on a journey through the African savanna and immerse them into the unforgettable adventures of Simba, Timon, Pumbaa and many other iconic characters from the beloved Disney film, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.” The attraction is reportedly set to debut in 2016. Ridegoers will journey through Pride Rock, the gateway to an adventure-filled water attraction that follows Simba on his journey from cub to king, in a retelling of the story from the classic animated feature film. There will also be new character greetings, themed dining, and shopping opportunities, which is coined as something for all fans of all ages not to miss. 

“We are very excited and proud to be unveiling the next immersive area of Disney Adventure World, our second park that has been undergoing an expansion on a never-before-seen scale. This marks another milestone in the ongoing transformation of Disneyland Paris. After Worlds of Pixar, Marvel,” D’Amaro noted.

“From the moment the sun rose on the big screen in theaters all around the world, audiences were captivated by the story of The Lion King, and its characters, and it has not lost any momentum since. Our goal as Imagineers is to translate the emotional core of the film into this exciting project and have you relive that feeling all over again as you experience this unique attraction. I’m thrilled and excited that The Lion King will make its attraction debut here at Disneyland Paris.” Michel Den Dulk, Portfolio Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, said in a statement