Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicAfter bringing joy to guests of all ages, a popular Disneyland attraction will shut down permanently this weekend. Learn which one here.
Sadly, one of Disneyland Park’s most popular live entertainment offerings is scheduled to close permanently this weekend after filling the young and young at heart with joy for a long season.
Theme park officials recently revealed that the live musical Tale of the Lion King will have its final performances this weekend at the Fantasyland Theatre, inviting guests to celebrate the cast for their amazing run during its last shows.
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While it was announced in October 2023 that the live musical would come to an end this year, no official date for the popular show’s end had been revealed until now.
The official Disneyland Resort Ambassador Instagram account (@disneylandambassador) confirmed the sad news through a story on the social media platform, stating: “‘Tale of the Lion King’ will have its final show this weekend. Check show times on the Disneyland app & come celebrate the cast for their amazing run!”
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Disneyland Resort’s website lists four performances of the live musical for this Saturday, January 6, at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:15 p.m.
On Sunday, January 7, The Tale of the Lion King is scheduled to have four performances: at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and the musical’s final performance at 4:15 p.m.
While no official events have been announced for this weekend to celebrate the end of the entertainment offering, this weekend’s performances will surely be highly attended and extremely emotional for guests of all ages and cast members who participated in the fantastic live musical.
By the time of publication of this article, Disneyland had not announced any official plans on what would replace Tale of the Lion King at the Fantasyland Theatre, leaving the location vacant indefinitely.
However, Disney Imagineers, cast members, and other teams are surely working on an all-new live entertainment offering (possibly another musical inspired by one of Disney’s timeless stories) to occupy the location. Inside the Magic will update you as soon as more information becomes available.
Originally performing at Disney California Adventure, Tale of the Lion King tells the story of how the now-famous lion cub, Simba, became a king through “dialogue, song, dance, and percussion.” Tale of the Lion King found a new home at the Fantasyland Theatre as the show returned on May 28 after the park’s closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This popular show had a short hiatus in 2022 after several cast members tested positive for COVID-19. As an abundance of caution, Disneyland officials decided to temporarily stop presentations of this show from June 2 through June 10, resuming the show’s schedule on June 11.
The official Disneyland website describes this stunning show as follows:
Celebrate The Lion King with an uplifting live show that features storytelling, music and dance.
A Roaring Adaptation
Rediscover Simba’s journey—from timid cub to mighty king—as you have never experienced it before.
Narrated by the Storytellers of the Pride Lands, Simba’s rise to royalty is presented in a unique, theatrical style—with live music and dance inspired by the cultural roots of this timeless story. The stirring tale of Simba, Nala, Mufasa, Scar, Timon and Pumbaa features new arrangements of treasured songs, including “Circle of Life,” “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”With all-new staging at the Fantasyland Theatre, it’s heartfelt entertainment for the whole family!
This tale will transport Guests to the Pride Lands and honor aspects of Black culture interwoven into the story and music of Disney’s The Lion King (1994).
Were you able to enjoy Disneyland’s Tale of the Lion King? Will you miss the live musical at the park? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!