The king of the Pride Lands will meet the king of the swingers this summer at Disneyland Paris as the resort unveils a new stage show and summer season, The Lion King and Jungle Festival.
Once you’ve swallowed that over-encompassing name like a plateful of Timon and Pumbaa’s grubs, the line-up promises the bring a much-needed fresh and vibrant feel to the atmosphere in parts of Disneyland Park.
Top of the bill is the new stage show, titled The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands. This big, musical, acrobatic production will play at The Chaparral Theatre in Frontierland, which has been almost completely rebuilt from the ground up into a massively more substantial venue than that we knew before.
Notably, those pesky roof-supporting columns blocking so much of the audience’s view are gone and a brand new, detailed facade will face the Disneyland Railroad station.
The show itself is looking like a winning combination of two of the park’s previous all-time hit shows, mixing the acrobatics of this same venue’s long-running The Tarzan Encounter with the dramatic staging and musical excellence of The Legend of the Lion King, which played Discoveryland‘s sadly cramped Videopolis Theatre from 2004 to 2009 with Broadway quality leads and stunning special effects.
Elsewhere, extra mini-shows and live atmosphere will turn this stage show debut into something more approaching a real season, encouraging more visitors to see an extra summer trip worthwhile.
The Jungle Book Jive will be a “musical parade event” featuring Baloo and King Louie helping explorer Mickey in a journey through four worlds. Timon’s “MataDance” will be a street dance-along, and there’ll be exotic animal characters and live music from the ever-popular African Djembe drums in Adventureland guaranteed, at a newly christened Djembe Joy Village.
Read the full announcement for the festival below:
This summer, Disneyland Paris will bring to life two Disney masterpieces acclaimed all across Europe, with a never-before-seen experience. Be prepared for The Lion King and The Jungle Festival, from June 30th to September 22nd, 2019.
Two Disney masterpieces brought to life by Disneyland Paris
To quote the infamous Scar, “be prepared” to be thrilled by the rhythms of the African savannah and the Indian jungle with brand-new shows, encounters and immersive experiences! The time has come to reveal the content of this unprecedented season.
“The Lion King: Rhythms of the Prideland”, an original Disneyland Paris creation
The story of The Lion King will be brought to life in Disneyland Paris, as famous songs spanning generations will be revisited to tell the legend of Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Mufasa, Scar, Timon and Pumbaa. Emotions will flow with new spectacular scenes of “Circle of Life”, “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, the forever iconic “Hakuna Matata” and many more. Singers, dancers, acrobats and drummers will give a new life to the Pride Lands with choreography and original costumes designed by Disneyland Paris.
“The Jungle Book Jive” with Baloo & Co.
This new creation will celebrate The Jungle Book in the heart of Disneyland Paris. Imagine a trip through the Indian jungle filled with colours and discoveries. The “Jungle Book Jive” show will proceed from every side of the Park. Get ready to have fun with Baloo and King Louie, as well as Mickey Mouse and his Friends who will turn into explorers for the season. Accompanied by a variety of artists, they will invite you to dance to the rhythm of the jungle. Be prepared to be taken back to your childhood with songs such as “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You”. You will be swinging!
Come join Timon’s “MataDance”
The immersive experience doesn’t stop there… Disneyland Paris is preparing more surprises to bring you back to the heart of these Disney classics. Timon and Pumbaa will be waiting for you at Adventureland to teach you their philosophy by dancing to Timon’s “MataDance”.
A village dedicated to The Lion King and The Jungle Book
You will also be able to set off to discover the “Djembe Joy” village where you will live a new immersive and interactive experience dedicated to these two great Disney classics. The unforgettable Rafiki in The Lion King or the iconic King Louie in The Jungle Book will be waiting to offer you a memorable experience. And there will be many more surprises for you in the “Djembe Joy” village.
A shopping experience dedicated to The Lion King and The Jungle Festival
The Lion King and The Jungle Festival will also be the opportunity to discover new merchandise specially developed for Disneyland Paris. A range of products dedicated to “The Lion King: Rhythms of the Earth” show will be on offer along with fashion and lifestyle merchandise dedicated to The Lion King universe and Simba, its emblematic character.
The Lion King and Jungle Festival runs from 30th June to 22nd September 2019, timed perfectly for the release of the new live action-CGI retelling of the “Circle of Life” classic by Jon Favreau.