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A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King Post-Covid Performance 2022

The Festival of the Lion King has been a must-see experience at Disneyโ€™s Animal Kingdom since it debuted in 1998. This high-energy, Broadway-style show features songs, acrobatics, and audience participation that celebrates the spirit of The Lion King. In 2014, the show relocated from Camp Minnie-Mickey to a brand-new indoor theater in the Africa section of the park, making space for Pandoraโ€”The World of Avatar.

A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show
A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show

A celebration, not a retelling

This isnโ€™t a direct retelling of the movie. Instead, the show celebrates the music and themes of The Lion King through dance, puppetry, and song. It includes fan-favorite numbers like โ€œHakuna Matata,โ€ โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonight,โ€ and โ€œCircle of Life.โ€

A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show
A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show

The pandemic-era version

After the pandemic shutdown, Disney returned a modified version titled A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King. This temporary version included changes to choreography and backstage operations to allow for physical distancing.  Most notably, the Tumble Monkeys and some aerial elements were paused.  Even with the changes, the show kept its energy and emotional impact. The performanceโ€™s costumes, music, and spirit remained as powerful as ever.

A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show
A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King | Walt Disney World | Animal Kingdom | 2022 | Full Show

The full version returns

Disney announced the full return of Festival of the Lion King in summer 2022. That includes the return of the Tumble Monkeys, aerial artists, and the original choreography. This blogโ€™s featured video shows the transitional versionโ€”an essential moment in the showโ€™s history and a sign of Disneyโ€™s resilience.

 

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