Disney Teases Its Adventurous New Lion King and Up Rides

Disney is reimagining the Walt Disney Studios portion of its Disneyland Paris park into Disney Adventure World, and that means fresh new attractions. Two of them will be themed around the 1994 Lion King movie and 2009’s Up, with both getting their first big theme park attractions to celebrate their respective 30th and 15th anniversaries in 2024.

On Saturday, Disney revealed construction on Lion King’s previously announced (and currently unnamed) ride will begin in the fall. Parkgoers will go on a log flume ride that takes them on the caves beneath the 120-foot Pride Rock, followed by a 52-foot-high descent as they experience the film’s biggest moments and Simba’s journey from lion cub to the true ruler of the kingdom. Concept art below shows audio animatronics of young Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa, and just how tall the ride itself is when you enter. Disney is promising this to be one of Adventure World’s biggest draws, and it’ll have “plenty of dining, shopping and opportunities to meet some favorite characters.”

Also coming to Adventure World is the family-friendly Up ride that’ll be part of Adventure Way. The carousel, located directly across from Raiponce Tangled Spin, features Russell and Doug on the artwork (and a ton of balloons up top) and provides parkgoers “a bird’s-eye view of the park’s stunning scenery.” Carousel construction is expected to start by the end of 2025, and both the Lion King and Up rides are expected to be finished in time for Disney Adventure World’s opening in 2026. You can read about other changes, including the “finishing touches” on fellow park opener World of Frozen, here.

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