New Images and Details Released for The Lion King Ride and Area at Disneyland Paris; Construction Begins Soon

Exciting new details and images have emerged for the highly anticipated Lion King ride set to open at Disneyland Paris, with construction slated to begin in Fall 2025. As announced by Disney Parks Blog, this marks the debut of the first-ever land and attraction inspired by The Lion King, promising to be a major highlight of the revamped Walt Disney Studios Park, soon to be renamed Disney Adventure World.

The Lion King-themed land will feature a thrilling water ride that takes guests on a journey through iconic scenes from the beloved 1994 film. The experience will culminate in a dramatic 52-foot drop, just two inches taller than the one found on Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Visitors can look forward to encountering Audio-Animatronics of young Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa enjoying grubs in a lush jungle setting, as depicted in a new concept image released by Disney.

The Lion King land will also boast a towering 120-foot-high Pride Rock and offer an array of dining, shopping, and character meet-and-greet opportunities. This attraction is set to open following the grand opening of World of Frozen in 2026 and will contribute to the expansion of Disney Adventure World, which will double the current park's size.

In addition to The Lion King ride, Disney Adventure World will feature other exciting attractions such as the Raiponce Tangled Spin, with Mandy Moore reprising her role as Rapunzel, and the first-ever attraction inspired by Up. This new ride will offer a "spinning carousel" experience, providing guests with breathtaking views of the park's scenery.

The park's new entrance, World Premiere, is set to open on May 15, 2025, and aims to recreate the glamour of a Hollywood premiere. Adjacent to it, World Premiere Plaza will draw inspiration from Broadway and the West End, featuring theaters with performances such as TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical Adventure, Mickey and the Magician, and Frozen: A Musical Invitation.

For more Disney magic, don't miss our 30th anniversary retrospective of The Lion King, information on how to get tickets for Destination D23: A Journey Around the World of Disney, and our recently updated list of the top 25 Disney animated movies.