Be prepared! A new Lion King attraction is coming to Disney Adventure World and brand new details were revealed at the 2026 D23 Expo. This post shares the announcement before adding our own commentary. Let’s get to the news!

Lion King Ride to Feature Iconic Songs and Scenes 

A brand new area in Disney Adventure World dedicated exclusively to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Lion King is coming soon! Guests will be able to experience an all-new water attraction that will plunge deep into the heart of the Pride Lands, complete with iconic songs from the 1994 masterpiece. 

After making your way to the caves beneath the 120-foot-high Pride Rock, you will take your own place in the Circle of Life when you embark on a sensational and musical adventure, listening to classic songs and passing through a variety of memorable scenes from the film, including Simba’s final confrontation with Scar. The new ride is a full retelling of Simba’s journey from cub to king, detailing the happy times… and the not-so-happy times that stood in the way of the future king of Pride Rock. 

Once the attractions roars to life, it will be one of the largest attractions at the resort, featuring a new flume system and a thrilling 52-foot drop. The new ride will be featured in an all-new immersive world dedicated to the characters and stories from the film, with plenty of dining, shopping, and opportunities to meet some favorite characters. 

Construction has already begun following the debut of Disney Adventure World earlier this year, and this new attraction and area of the park will be a major piece of the creative vision included in the ongoing transformation of the second park at Disneyland Paris. 

Commentary

This Lion King ride was first announced at the 2024 D23 Expo and, as the news says, is well under way in construction. The details given here don’t offer an opening date but I would expect 2028 with a very small chance of 2027 sneaking in.

As for what was said, I’m fully onboard. This year’s D23 park announcements were heavy on detailed updates and there’s plenty to really sink your teeth into. That includes the announcement of this final battle sequence between Simba and Scar, a thrilling cinematic moment that will be replicated in the attraction.

Having this moment be in the ride seems like a no-brainer but Disney Parks have been risk averse on having mega villains and conflicts in some recent attractions. We don’t have to look any farther than a recent flume ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, to see that. I don’t especially like that trend and am happy to see Scar having a prominent place here.

I’m also excited to see how this sequence will play out. Since this will be a book report style attraction, will the final battle happen right before the big drop? If so, does that mean guests are falling off of Pride Rock with Scar? That’s pretty dark but I wouldn’t be upset about it.

The other way to play it is that the ramp up to the drop is like Simba’s ascension to the throne. No matter how they play it, the story and score should push the ride into greatness.

With riders being the audience to the story and not active participants in the ride, I’m hopeful that Imagineering takes a few cues from the brilliant Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey in Tokyo DisneySea. No boat ride, or maybe any ride in general, is as thoughtful as that one when it comes to treating the rider as a camera for the story playing out. Every angle is thought of and the transitions between scenes is masterful. If this Lion King attraction can pull that off, the ride will be an instant classic.

I think it’s fair to wonder how a flume ride, especially one that looks to be more of a thrill, will integrate with the Lion King story. While I don’t typically endorse a book report style attraction, having the familiar beats of the story should work well here. Most people have seen Lion King, so floating by at a somewhat fast speed shouldn’t be a big deal. Even so, that’s my biggest question mark with the ride.

I’m optimistic about the ride and land in general. Part of that comes from my love of Lion King. The movie has always been my favorite Disney animated feature. Finally getting an attraction based on it 30+ years after it was released will be a thrill and should propel Disney Adventure World forward.

Earlier this year, the World of Frozen opened at the park. This was paired with an entire rebranding of Disneyland Paris’ second park. Formerly known as Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney Adventure World is much improved but still needs a lot of work. I was hopeful that there’d be an announcement of what’s coming after Lion King but we’ll have to wait for that one.

For now, the park will take a massive step forward with what looks to be an intriguing new ride. It’s hard to overstate just how much a quality area and ride impacts Disney Adventure World. The park needs it and this looks to be up to the task!

Are you excited for the Lion King to come to Disney Adventure World? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help get you there! Here’s a link to discount tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney please subscribe to the blog via email or WordPress and like our social media pages. You can find all of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you very much for reading, we appreciate it!