Disneyland Paris has unveiled a new area inspired by The Lion King (1994), and announced an opening year for its new Frozen-themed land.
The new World of Frozen is part of a €2 billion expansion plan for Walt Disney Studios Park, which will become Disney Adventure World when the land opens in 2026.
As revealed at Disney’s D23 fan event over the weekend, the new area based on The Lion King will come to life after the opening of World of Frozen.
In this zone, guests will travel through the African savanna and immerse themselves in the adventures of characters like Simba, Pumbaa and Timon. Also in the new area will be character greetings, and themed dining and retail.
Disney Imagineers will bring to life the film’s Pride Rock, which will serve as the entrance to a water attraction – Disney’s first-ever ride-through attraction themed to The Lion King.
Disneyland Paris said the ride “will plunge guests beneath the rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king, in a retelling of the story from the classic animated feature film”.
“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,” said Natacha Rafalski, présidente of Disneyland Paris.
“This new area – which is inspired by the unforgettable story that has enchanted several generations of viewers – exists nowhere else in the world. It will make it possible for guests of all ages to make one of their wildest dreams come true: exploring the Pride Lands alongside all their favorite characters.”
New experiences revealed at D23
Construction on the theme park‘s new area is set to start next year, and Imagineers are now designing innovative experiences for it, including state-of-the-art audio-animatronics for the water experience.
“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,” said Michel Den Dulk, portfolio creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering.
“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.”
Images courtesy of Disneyland Paris
