Disney is building a Lion King water ride at Disney Adventure World, and construction is already underway. Disney shared the new details on Saturday, August 15, 2026, confirming a full immersive land themed to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Lion King at the Disneyland Paris park. The ride itself sits under a 120-foot-high Pride Rock, and guests board in the caves beneath it.
Disney says the finished attraction will be one of the largest at the resort, running on a new flume system with three slopes built into the layout.
What happens on the Lion King ride?
The ride retells Simba’s journey from cub to king. You pass through memorable scenes from the 1994 film, including Simba’s final confrontation with Scar, while classic songs from the movie play. Disney describes it as covering the happy times and the not-so-happy times standing between Simba and Pride Rock.
Audio-Animatronics figures and special effects carry the story through the Pride Lands.
What else is coming to the new land?
The attraction anchors an entire area dedicated to the characters and stories from the film. Disney says the land will include dining, shopping, and character meets alongside the ride, so it’s a full district rather than a single attraction with a gift shop attached.
Construction began after the debut of Disney Adventure World earlier this year. The new land is a major piece of the ongoing transformation of the second park at Disneyland Paris, which has been rolling out in stages.
It’s not the only project in motion there. Disney pointed to new updates coming soon to Space Mountain, part of the wider D23 lineup for the resort.
When does the Lion King ride open?
Construction is the milestone here, and that’s the honest state of it: dirt is moving, the drop height is locked, and the calendar isn’t.
For anyone planning a Disneyland Paris trip in the near term, that means this one’s a future visit, not a current one. The park is open and operating through the construction, and the rest of the transformation of the second park continues around it.
What to know
The headline numbers are worth holding onto: a 120-foot Pride Rock, a 52-foot drop, and one of the biggest attractions Disneyland Paris will have. That’s a serious water ride, not a gentle boat tour through the savanna. If you’re the kind of guest who checks drop heights before committing, you now know what you’re signing up for.
Source: Disney Parks Blog
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