Characters from the Disney animated film The Lion King come to life in this action-packed 30-minute stage presentation. The Festival of the Lion King has been described as "big-as-Broadway," and "combines the pageantry of a parade with an African tribal celebration."
Festival of the Lion King is performed in Disney's World Resort Animal Kingdom located in Orlando, Florida. The show takes place inside an enclosed air conditioned theater within Camp Minnie-Mickey, a nice break from the Florida summer heat.
Guests sit in the Warthog, Elephant, Giraffe, or Lion sections of the theater, and asked to make noises corresponding to their animal location. Occasionally, children are pulled out of the audience to join the dancing on stage.
The Festival of the Lion King does not follow the animated film The Lion King. Instead, the show is an interpretation revue, featuring the award-winning music from the movie written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
The show not only presents the audience with songs but also dance, puppetry and visual effects, all giving the illusion of an African savanna filled with all kinds of animals—lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes.
The Festival of the Lion King is hosted by Kiume, Nakawa, Kibibi, and Zawadi—performers outfitted in costumes inspired by traditional African attire.
The Tumble Monkeys, acrobats in orange monkey suits, dazzle the audience with their aerobatic feats, as Disney characters Timon, Simba, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, Mufasa and others "tell the tale of a lion cub who can't wait to be king."
The cast of the Festival of the Lion King also performs for the annual Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade, which is filmed at the Magic Kingdom and aired on ABC Christmas Day.
However, why wait for Christmas Day and why subject yourself to just watching the presentation on television when you can purchase tickets and see the show live? This is exciting, smartly staged in-the-round production pageantry you just can't miss—a high energy spectacle embracing African celebratory themes. |
