Disney Parks broadcasts Lion King experience for Disneyland Paris

A brand-new Lion King attraction is coming to Disneyland Paris, the leisure large has introduced.

Visitors will go “on a journey through the African savanna” alongside iconic characters from Mufasa and Simba to Timon and Pumbaa, theme parks chief Josh D’Amaro mentioned on Saturday.

Mock-ups of the expertise, introduced to Disney followers on the D23 conference on Saturday, confirmed a log flume plummeting down Pride Rock as Rafiki the monkey watches on.

The information comes simply three days after Disney reported weaker-than-expected theme park outcomes for the quarter that led to June.

A Lion King expertise has been rumoured for Disneyland Paris since 2022.

Disney introduced final yr that it deliberate to spend $60 billion (£47 billion) over the subsequent decade to increase its theme park and cruise companies, double the quantity spent over the earlier decade, prompting pleasure from followers.

Bosses have now confirmed that the Lion King-themed land will observe World of Frozen, a themed space primarily based on the Frozen franchise that is because of launch in 2026 in Paris.

The new areas are within the Walt Disney Studios Park, which shall be renamed Disney Adventure World to sign its new providing.

For the Lion King attraction, Disney’s artistic division – dubbed “Imagineering” – has promised to “bring to life the majestic Pride Rock”.

It will function “the gateway to an adventure-filled water attraction that will plunge guests beneath the rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king”, the corporate mentioned.

Meanwhile, at Walt Disney World in Florida, the flagship Magic Kingdom park will bear the most important enlargement in its 53-year historical past, with one new land dedicated to traditional Disney villains and one other space targeted on Pixar’s Cars motion pictures.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios park, a long-rumoured Monsters Inc rollercoaster themed across the 2003 movie’s well-known “flying door” scene was confirmed.

And at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, extra particulars for Encanto and Indiana Jones-themed rides had been introduced.

On the US West Coast, the unique Disneyland Resort in California will add two superhero-themed rides, a water-based Avatar attraction and the corporate’s first Coco experience.

At Hong Kong Disneyland, a brand new Spiderman attraction shall be opened as a part of an immersive Marvel-themed space.

Disney additionally introduced 4 new cruise ships – on prime of 4 others it had beforehand introduced – nearly trebling the dimensions of its present fleet by 2031.

“Everything that we’re going to share with you tonight is in active development,” Mr D’Amaro mentioned on Saturday.

“This means that plans are drawn. This means that dirt is moving. I just want to be clear with all the fans out there. This isn’t blue sky.”

Disney’s flurry of bulletins comes after a turbulent few years behind the scenes.

Earlier this yr, Disney gained a boardroom battle in opposition to critics who accused the media large of “losing its creative spark”.

Activist traders, together with Nelson Peltz of Trian Management, had sought seats on the corporate’s board of administrators, which they mentioned was too near Disney’s management.

“All we want is for Disney to get back to making great content and delighting consumers and for Disney to create sustainable long-term value for shareholders,” Mr Peltz mentioned at a shareholder assembly.

Just 31% of votes solid supported Mr Peltz for a seat, based on a supply aware of the outcomes.

But the battle raised questions on struggles at Disney.

Last yr, the corporate introduced it was scrapping plans to construct a brand new workplace campus in central Florida following a year-long dispute with Governor Ron DeSantis.

Mr DeSantis attacked the corporate after it opposed a state legislation banning classroom classes on sexual orientation and gender id in early years.

Disney filed a First Amendment lawsuit in opposition to Mr DeSantis and different officers.

The firm had deliberate to construct the campus round 20 miles (30km) from the enormous Walt Disney World theme park resort and relocate 2,000 staff from Southern California.

Mr D’Amaro mentioned in a memo to staff that “new leadership and changing business conditions” prompted the corporate to desert these plans.

This yr, the runaway success of Disney’s Inside Out 2 has helped enhance the leisure large’s income.

But working revenue declined 3% to $2.2 billion (£1.72 billion) with the corporate blaming a “moderation of consumer demand” that “exceeded previous expectations”, together with larger working prices.

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris had been partly blamed for the drop in its theme park takings, which make up over half Disney’s revenue.

However, its parks – among the many most visited sights on the planet – have remained a dependable revenue engine, serving to cushion the impression of declines in conventional tv and losses in Disney’s video streaming enterprise.

The experiences unit, which incorporates parks, cruise ships and shopper merchandise, contributed 60% of the corporate’s working revenue in the latest quarter – up from 30% only a decade in the past.

On Friday, particulars of recent movies together with the title of the third instalment of Avatar, an addition to the Star Wars franchise and a sequel to Freaky Friday had been introduced at D23, held close to Disneyland in Anaheim.