Credit: DisneyDisney’s newest iteration of its classic “Splash Mountain”-style attraction will feature some exciting changes and upgrades.
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Part of what makes the Disney theme parks so exciting and fun is how often they change. Whether it be new rides, attractions, or menu updates, guests never really know what a day or night may bring at places like Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
This year is a big one for both resorts, as Disney is embarking on one of its largest theme park transformation projects the company has ever seen. Multiple locations and rides are set to close in the coming years as Disney makes room for some huge new expansions.
The same is true for Disney’s international resorts, especially Disneyland Paris.
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Disneyland Paris is currently undergoing a large-scale overhaul that will affect both the resort’s theme parks and its Disney Village shopping center. Over the years, guests can expect to see new rides, attractions, stores, restaurants, and other locations open, including a new area dedicated to Disney’s Frozen film franchise.
However, another franchise is getting its own attraction at the resort, The Lion King. This new experience will be a water log flume ride, the first of its kind for the resort. The attraction will also serve as the first true ride based on Disney’s The Lion King (1994).
While guests are still quite a ways away from setting foot into the new attraction, new details have recently been shared about the project.
According to DLP Report, Disneyland Paris’s new Lion King ride will feature a 13,755-square-meter show building. Pride Rock’s peak will be 37 meters. In total, guests can expect to see 19 different scenes and experience three drops.
One of the most interesting aspects of this attraction is that it will feature a dual platform load station, a stark departure from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaced Splash Mountain, Disney’s legendary log flume attraction, in 2024 at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Both versions of the ride feature a single load station, whereas Paris’ upcoming Lion King ride will have two.
This is a pretty big deal, as dual load stations are becoming more common inside theme parks, but are seen only a handful of times at Disney’s U.S. theme parks.
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The Lion King-themed attraction was first unveiled during The Walt Disney Company’s D23 conference in August 2024. This was an action-packed event, during which Disney revealed details on several projects, including major overhauls at its Florida and California theme parks.
These include Monstropolis, a new Monsters Inc.-themed area coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Piston Peak, a new Cars-inspired hub coming to Magic Kingdom.
Disneyland will also be getting a new land, one based on James Cameron’s Avatar franchise. Similar to Pandora—The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disneyland’s version of Pandora will feature immersive locations and experiences.
However, this new Lion King ride was one of the most surprising announcements of the night, not only because of its theming but also because it was a brand-new ride coming to Disneyland Paris.
Disney’s European resort has faced many issues over the years. Disneyland Paris Resort, originally called Euro Disney, failed to generate as much excitement as Disney and the French government expected when it first opened.
The resort struggled financially for years before getting back on the right track. As a result, many fans feel Disneyland Paris as a whole lacks quality compared to other parks like Magic Kingdom, Tokyo DisneySea, and the original Disneyland Park.
However, this is all changing, with Paris’ new Lion King ride being one part of a long puzzle currently being pieced together.
Are you excited about this new attraction?