Festival of the Lion King

Tribal drums thunder. The animals call. Let the pageantry begin!

Animal heroes and villains immortalized in one of Disney's all-time favorite films come to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in "Festival of the Lion King," a live spectacle of music and dance performed several times daily.

A joyous celebration of "The Lion King," Disney's classic animated feature film, the high-energy attraction can be found, appropriately enough, in Adventureland.

Disney's "The Lion King," the most successful animated film of all time, tells the story of Simba, a naïve cub who yearns for the day he'll become king, the trials and tribulations he goes through -- and the lessons he learns -- on the way to eventually becoming King of his domain.

Another example of Disney storytelling brought triumphantly to the theme park stage, "Festival of the Lion King" transforms the octagonal, 2,250-seat Theater in the Wild into a fantastic setting, putting guests right in the middle of the spectacle as Simba's world comes to life.

The 28-minute Broadway-caliber musical is filled with spectacular costumes, energized dancing, performances by an aerialist and fire knife dancers, ballet, comedy and award-winning music from the movie.

Staged theater-in-the-round style in a showroom inspired by the great assembly halls of central and west Africa, "Festival of the Lion King" performs to amazed guests (queuing is in four sections -- each named for a jungle animal). Four giant rolling stages move in from two directions as costumed performers and colorful props sail through the air above the audience.

In one corner lords a larger-than-life Simba, sitting atop Pride Rock. The elephant, with its shifting trunk, anchors a second corner. Another stage is dominated by a swaying giraffe and the fourth is the jungle stage where Pumbaa and the meerkat Timon reside.

Animals and actors, acrobats and dancers are joined at one point by two Chinese monkeys who provide commentary in Cantonese (the rest of the show is in English).

An entirely new collection of costumes and performers, featuring Simba, Pumbaa and other life-sized African animal puppets, was created.

The elaborate production features a cast of 30 performers portraying tribal dancers, hyenas, gazelles, zebras and the stars from the animated motion picture.

Simba and singers in African tribal robes perform a rousing "I Just Can't Wait to be King." Other featured songs include "Be Prepared," "Hakuna Matata," the Oscar-winning "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," and "Circle of Life."

The climax comes in a fiery conflict between Simba and Scar, followed by a joyous "Circle of Life" finale.

About Theater in the Wild

"Festival of the Lion King" at Kong Hong Disneyland Resort is performed in Theater in the Wild, a spectacular, detail-rich Adventureland showplace crowned by a dramatically peaking roof at its center. Exterior of the roof peak is a thatched spire inspired by African ceremonial houses of Cameroon. Thrusting skyward from the peak of the spire is a series of branches that vaguely resemble animal heads. The rest of the roof is painted shingles with thatched eaves.

Consistent with its look of a great ceremonial hall, the exterior of the theater has the appearance of sticks and posts bound together with rope lashing and coated with a mudpack stamped in a corncob pattern. The exterior posts, beams and other wood accents are fashioned from New Zealand pine and oak and Balinese teak. Decorative panels at the entranceway are bordered with two large columns featuring patterns that might adorn a tribal chief's house.

Guests pass through the entrance into the mahogany-colored interior of the theater, designed to fade into the background so that the focus is on the show. Disney cast members in African-style caftans appear as villagers welcoming guests to their home.

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About this Attraction Location: Theater in the Wild, Adventureland Type: Theater presentation Duration: 30 minutes Fastpass: Yes Tips & Fun Facts Arrive 30 minutes before showtime for a good seat. Additional Information Guests may remain in their wheelchair/ECV to experience the attraction. Limited wheelchair locations. Inductive Loop Audio enhancement available at this location for Guests utilizing hearing devices. Reviews

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