Disney to open first ever Lion King theme park land with new giant water ride and meet-and-greets

The Sun

21 hours ago

DISNEYLAND Paris has revealed plans for a new Lion King themed area centered on the film's African savanna.
Named 'Project Sun' according to several blogs, the European theme park's new land is set to feature a Lion King covered attraction, shop and food kiosk.
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The main feature of the land will be a water-based attraction, that appears to be a log flume, that drops from the film's iconic Pride Rock.
Pride Rock will tower 37 metres into the sky, acting as a "gateway" to an "adventure-filled water attraction", according to Disneyland Paris News, that appears to be a log flume that descends from 16 metres.
The ride will allow guests to follow Simba on his journey from cubhood to king, similar to the film's story, which will also celebrate its 30th anniversary this year.
And inside Pride Rock, guests will be able to explore a number of caves featuring iconic scenes and songs from the 1994 animated movie, reports The Daily Mail.
The main building, which will also be in Pride Rock, will sprawl across 13,755 square metres, making it the biggest show building at the resort.
In addition to the main ride, the land will have an outdoor character meet-and-greet area so fans can snap a picture with Simba, Pumbaa and Timon, alongside other characters from the film.
Blueprints circulating on several blogs and social media reveal that the land will span across 30,000 square metres, with paths made of patterned concrete, rock sculptures and sloped plant beds to evoke the savanna.
According to Disneyland Paris News, the area will also feature audio-animatronic technology - robots with sound to create lifelike, moving characters.
The land will be the park's first-ever immersive area dedicated to the movie, with construction rumoured to begin in autumn of this year.
And in relation to the rest of the park, it will be located next to the Avengers Campus, with its main entrance on Adventure Bay.
Michel Den Dulk, portfolio creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, said: "Our goal as Imagineers is to translate the emotional core of the film into this exciting project and have you relive that feeling all over again as you experience this unique attraction," reports Disneyland Paris News.
Natacha Rafalski, présidente of Disneyland Paris added: "This new area, which is inspired by the unforgettable story that has enchanted several generations of viewers, exists nowhere else in the world.
"It will make it possible for guests of all ages to make one of their wildest dreams come true: exploring the Pride Lands alongside all their favorite characters."
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This isn't the only new land set for the theme park, as Disneyland Paris is also opening The World of Frozen next year.
Guests will be able to meet iconic characters from the film, such as Olaf, Elsa and Anna, in the Kingdom of Arendelle.
There will also be themed dining experiences and shops, as well as a new nighttime water show with lights and fireworks, on Adventure Bay's central lake.
Construction has already started on The World of Frozen, which includes Elsa's palace on the North Mountain.
There is also a real-life town that Disneyland Paris built – with Italian-copycat homes and no rubbish on the streets.
Plus, one woman went behind the scenes of Disneyland Paris' huge park expansion.
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