The Legend of the Lion King

The Legend of The Lion King is the name of former attractions hosted at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park (Paris). Although both shows were inspired by the hit Disney film The Lion King they took on two different performance styles.

The show at Magic Kingdom was a stage performance retelling the story of the film using life size puppets, while the show at Disneyland Paris was a Broadway inspired performance that used human actors and featured popular songs from the movie.

Magic Kingdom version
The show debuted in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on July 8, 1994; taking place in the same theater that is currently being used for Mickey's PhilharMagic show in Fantasyland. The Legend of The Lion King replaced the 3-D movie Magic Journeys, which was shown in the Fantasyland Theater for 6 years from December 1987 through December 1993. This show featured what Disney describes as “Disney Humanimals” which are “larger-than-life figures that look just like their animated film counterparts”. The Mufasa Disney Humanimal measured seven feet long from tail to tip, six feet tall, and was perched upon an 18-foot Pride Rock that rose from below the stage. The stage for show was 125-feet wide and was bigger than the seating area in order to permit the use of giant sets. The attraction closed on February 23, 2002, to be replaced by Mickey's PhilharMagic.

Like the Mickey Mouse Revue, it had a preshow, but it was hosted by Rafiki who told the guests the story of Simba, utilizing puppets and animation from the film, similar to Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

When the show closed, some of the puppets were sent to the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris for usage in the show Animagique. Others are now on display at Disney's Hollywood Studios park amongst the numerous film and theme park props in the Studio Backlot Tour area.

Disneyland Paris version
The Legend of The Lion King at Disneyland Paris ran from 2004 to 2009 and played at the Videopolis Theater located in Discoveryland. This Broadway-style show was similar to the musical and the Festival of the Lion King at the Disney's Animal Kingdom Park with its elaborate costumes and dance numbers. The show ran for 30 minutes and had performances in both English and French.