Credit: DisneyDisneyland Paris Resort has finally received government approval for the construction of a land inspired by The Lion King (1994). The project, first announced at D23 Expo 2024, will eventually be part of Disney Adventure World, the reimagined version of Walt Disney Studios Park.
On April 14, 2025, Disneyland Paris Resort filed government permits for what it called “Project SUN:” the Lion King land at Disney Adventure World (currently known as Walt Disney Studios Park). Exactly four months later, on August 14, authorities approved Disneyland Paris Resort’s plans.
On August 18, @DLPWorks shared the details of the permit on X (formerly known as Twitter). The documents reveal a ton of new information about what’s planned for the land, which will span nearly 327,000 square feet.
[News] 🚨⚠️ Lion King land Permit granted, revealing exciting details of the future #WDS2 expansion!!
➡️ Named “Project SUN”, the permit filed on April 14 was approved by the authorities on August 14, 2025 (precisely 4 months later). The land will feature:
➖ The Lion King covered attraction
➖ A retail store (inside the attraction building)
➖ A food kiosk with covered seating
➖ Guests restrooms
➖ An outdoor character meet-and-greet area!
➡️ Project area: 30,368.64 m², with a Gross Floor Area of 11,392 m²
➡️ With more than 297 trees to be planted (heights ranging from 1.5 m to 10 m), landscaping will play a major role. Details:
➖ Guest paths will be made of stamped concrete designed to evoke the savannah (total guest paving: 3,664 m²)
➖ Sculpted rock motifs with planted slopes; berms and screening to reduce visual and sound impact
➖ Planters along paths, contributing to a total green space of 5,396 m²
➡️ Utilities & Infrastructure:
➖ Electricity supplied from existing park loops; no additional power required!
➖ Extension of potable water network
➖ Creation of a basin to store attraction water, with stormwater collection via infiltration drains (located below the show building).
➡️ A new backstage area will be created, including a new parking. From the land, there will be several Cast Member entrances, as well as access for emergency and service vehicles via new car-accessible paths. Emergency exits will connect to service zones.
➡️ The permit also specifies that the surplus capacity generated by this land will be maintained within existing #DisneylandParis guest parking lots.
The main attraction of the Lion King land will be a log flume ride similar to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park (the former Splash Mountain). The two-story attraction building will tower up to 121 feet and be concealed in a structure that looks like Pride Rock.
The attraction building will include four distinct areas: the ride itself, an area for Disney cast members, an exterior queue with themed thatched canopies, and a merchandise location (gift shop). Its entrances will use resin, wood, and other materials to mimic natural caves and other rock structures.
The permits also reveal Disney’s plans to plant nearly 300 trees around the land and use a stamped concrete design on the ground to mimic a natural savannah. Sculpted rocks, planters, and other foliage will insulate the area and reduce visual noise from different parts of Disney Adventure World.
Other plans for the area include an outdoor character meet-and-greet, guest restrooms, and a Quick Service food kiosk with outdoor covered seating. The land will be served by existing electrical infrastructure, but Disneyland Paris Resort will construct a water basin to hold overflow from the log flume attraction.
Disneyland Paris Resort plans to build more parking and other backstage structures for cast members, but says its current guest parking areas should be able to contain the anticipated increased traffic from the Lion King land and other expansions at Disney Adventure World.
The World of Frozen is already taking shape beyond the boundaries of Walt Disney Studios Park. The newly renamed Disney Adventure World will reopen alongside the Frozen (2013) land sometime next year, but the Lion King area is expected to debut later. Follow Inside the Magic for updates on this and other Disney Parks projects around the globe!
Should Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort build similar Lion King lands? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments!