Disney has revealed substantial new details about the first immersive Lion King coming to Disneyland Paris's Adventure World, and the numbers on the flagship ride reveal this is one of the most ambitious things Disneyland Paris has attempted.
The new ride, the latest interpretation of a Splash Mountain-style water plunge, follows Disney World's relaunch of Tiana's Bayou Adventure in June 2024.
In Paris, the new Lion King-themed water ride will plunge guests deep into the heart of the Pride Lands, after a tour that comes complete with iconic songs from the 1994 film.
Once open, it will rank among the largest attractions anywhere at the resort.
The ride
The Lion King water ride at Disney Adventure World is expected to carry guests aboard boats through a full retelling of Simba's journey from cub to king, ending in his confrontation with Scar.
Guests enter through caves beneath a Pride Rock standing 120 feet high, a structure that will dominate the skyline of the second park in the way few Disneyland Paris landmarks currently do. From there, you take your place in the Circle of Life aboard a boat for what Disney describes as a sensational and musical adventure.
The ride is a full retelling of Simba's journey from cub to king, moving through a variety of memorable scenes from the film and pointedly covering both the happy times and, as Disney puts it, the not-so-happy times that stood in the way of the future king of Pride Rock.
The journey builds to Simba's final confrontation with Scar, and Audio-Animatronics figures, special effects and three slopes carry the story throughout.
The largest of the drops will measure 52 feet, delivered via a new flume system built especially for the attraction.
The land
The Lion King land at Disney Adventure World is anticipated as a fully themed world of savannah pathways, waterfalls and thatched structures gathered around the Pride Rock formation, with dining, shopping and character meets woven through it.
The water ride is expected to anchor an entire immersive world dedicated exclusively to the characters and stories of The Lion King, the first time the IP has had a ride at any Disney park.
Concept art shows thatched structures, waterfalls and open savannah pathways clustered around the Pride Rock formation, with dining, shopping and character meet opportunities woven throughout.
Construction began following the debut of Disney Adventure World earlier this year.
The project overall will be the next major piece of the creative vision behind the ongoing transformation of Paris resort's second park, a multi-year overhaul that has already seen the Walt Disney Studios Park transformed into Adventure World, with the opening of the Arendelle expansion, the Frozen Ever ride and the Adventure Bay lake.
What we still don't know
The Lion King attraction and Lion King themed land at Disney Adventure World remain both unnamed and opening undated, with Disney still holding back several key details, despite the latest reveals at D23.
Neither has Disney detailed which specific songs from the Lion King film will actually feature; so far, the steer from Imagineers is that they will be "classic songs".
With Lion King's 'Pride Rock' landmark, the new ride, and the themed area at its centre, Disneyland Paris is in the middle of its busiest development slates in its history.
Also announced for Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris also confirmed two further projects: a Jules Verne-themed reworking of Space Mountain arriving after a refurbishment that begins at the end of 2027, and the resort's first new daytime parade at Disneyland Park since 2017.
Space Mountain is going back to the Moon. Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain closes at the end of 2027 for a refurbishment lasting several months, reopening as Space Mountain – De la Terre à la Lune. The 1995 Jules Verne premise returns, reframed around an idealised era of the first voyages to the Moon in Discoveryland's steampunk style.
Expect reworked indoor sets, an enhanced queue where guests can once again watch the trains in motion, new effects on the Columbiad Cannon blast sequence — and Steve Bramson's original score, fully remastered. It's billed as a milestone in the resort's 'New Magic' programme.
A brand-new daytime parade arrives in 2028. The first new daytime procession at Disneyland Park since 2017, created uniquely for the resort. Mickey Mouse and pals lead, joined by the Genie and Jasmine from Aladdin, Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel from Tangled and Miguel from Coco.
Dana Harrel, VP Entertainment, said the parade raises the bar; it has taken more than 10,000 hours of research and technical development and nearly 225 costume, wig and makeup sketches.
The rest of D23 2026
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World's D23 2026 announcements reach all four theme parks, led by the naming and storyline reveal of Villains Land at Magic Kingdom.
Villains Land at Magic Kingdom has an official name and an original storyline — a corrupted Wishing Well leaking poisoned magic through a dark forest, with villains conjuring fortresses from what power remains. Two headliners: a coaster through Maleficent's enchanted briars that Imagineers say will attempt elements never tried before, and a Magic Mirror dark ride into his Mirror Realm. Scale compared to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
Carousel of Progress returns in late spring 2027 with Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston as Sarah and John, four new decades (1969, 1985, 1999 and a far future) and the previously announced Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic opening the show.
Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom is nearly fully revealed: Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto, with the returning voice cast and more than 50 Colombian animal species; Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent, featuring an Audio-Animatronic modelled on Harrison Ford himself; and El Carrusel de los Animalitos, a carousel of 22 hand-carved Disney and Pixar animals.
The Expedition Everest Yeti is coming back to life, confirmed from the main stage and marked with a Gloria Gaynor performance of "I Will Survive."
Spaceship Earth is being reimagined for the first time in nearly two decades, broadening its story from human communication to human connection.
Dreamfinder and Figment are returning to EPCOT together for the first time since 1998. Piston Peak gets Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along. And Monstropolis opens at Hollywood Studios in 2027 with a Mike and Sulley theatre show, Harryhausen's, Archie's Scare Pig Pizza and an original Randy Newman song.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is adding the Disney Believe in 2027 and an entirely new class of ships in 2029.
The Disney Believe sets sail in 2027. Moana greets guests in the Grand Hall, Tinker Bell adorns the bow, and Buzz and Woody take the stern. An entirely new class of ships arrives in 2029, sitting between Disney's classic and newest vessels in size and opening the door to new destinations.
Everywhere else
Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort each picked up major additions, ranging from a doubled Avengers Campus in California to the first Disney Parks land dedicated entirely to Spider-Man in Shanghai.
Disneyland Resort: Avengers Campus doubles in size, with Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab both opening in 2028 — Iman Vellani, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. and Brie Larson all reprising roles.
The first-ever Coco ride at California Adventure picks up a year after the film, boarding boats through Miguel's memories of the Land of the Dead. Tomorrowland at Disneyland park is being reimagined. And three beloved entertainment offerings return in 2027: "Remember… Dreams Come True" and an updated original "World of Color" in February, and the "Magic Happens" parade by summer.
Tokyo Disneyland: Space Mountain: Earthrise launches as part of a reimagined Tomorrowland, turning the view back toward Earth. Sugar Rush: Sweet Rescue brings Wreck-It Ralph to the park.
Hong Kong Disneyland: a new Avengers Pavilion housing Avengers Research Testing Labs, using 120-plus feet of storytelling technology, with a Quinjet landing platform alongside.
Shanghai Disney Resort: the first Disney Parks land dedicated entirely to Spider-Man, complete with a new coaster, Spider-Bots and more than 20 murals by local artists.
