Changes in Walt Disney World Leadership May Lead to New Projects

Avatarland?  Cars Land?  Are these projects on their way to Walt Disney World?

Rumors are flying as Walt Disney Imagineering executive Vice President in charge of Cars Land project in Disneyland, Kathy Mangum, is changing positions to become Executive Producer for Walt Disney World and will be in charge of all projects at the resort.  This, combined with the previous announcement of an Avatar themed land already in the works with George Lucas leads us to believe that the area currently known as Camp Minnie Mickey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be the location for Avatarland.  Space will be tight at this location.  There’s actually more room between “Africa” and “Asia” at Walt Disney World’s largest theme park, Animal Kingdom.

Disney Research also published information about an interactive plant environment—Botanicus Interacticus—“a technology for designing highly expressive interactive plants-both living and artificial.”  Click here to read more.

Botanicus Interacticus along with the “sightline balloons” seen flying at various elevations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom before park opening lead speculators to believe that Avatarland is coming soon.  Camp Minnie Mickey is currently the home to Festival of the Lion King which is rumored to close and move in January, 2013.  Another big clue. 

Cars Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?  With Mangum’s move to Walt Disney World just after opening the popular Cars Land in Disneyland, the rumors and speculation are even more rampant.  This may be more of wish than anything, but hey, Disney is in the business of turning wishes your heart makes into dreams come true.

It is evident that Walt Disney World is on the move.  Fantasyland Expansion, Test Track refurbishment, more interactive experiences for guests, Next Generation technology for ticket media and Fastpass distribution, Wi-Fi availability, and the addition of DVC accommodations at the Grand Floridian are all evidence that Walt Disney World is not resting on its laurels and continues to lead in the theme park and vacation destination realm.  Just more reasons that keep us coming back!

Festival of the Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom

 Who hasn't hummed a tune for Disney’s The Lion King at one time or another?  But after you experience Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the songs will be going through your head for . . . awhile!

For us, Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a “must do” for any visit.  You can find the theater in the round located in Camp Minnie Mickey, across from the character greeting trails.  Know that there are specific times for the Festival of the Lion King shows throughout the day.  Check your Times Guide for specific times.

Since we went to Animal Kingdom on a day with Extra Magic Hours in the morning, we were in the park an hour early, along with other Disney Resort guests who took advantage of Extra Magic Hours.  So, we were able to catch the first showing of the day of Festival of the Lion King.

We arrived at the outdoor queue about 30 minutes prior to show time and were some of the first in line.  This is a great time to have a snack and a drink—either have one with you or grab one on the way.  You are welcome to have your snack while waiting in line, but no food or drink are allowed inside the theater.  We had packed snacks and water and I had grabbed a cold Diet Coke on the way to the line.

We ended up in the lion section of the theater, as each of the four sides represents one animal.  You’ll find out what I mean when you see the show!

When the show begins, a guest is selected from each section to help demonstrate the animal for that section.  Guess who was picked?  You got it!  The boy!

Now, he has seen this show a few times and knows what is going to happen.  He was even sitting in a row ahead of us, to get a better view, etc.  So, when the Cast Member/Performer began to look for a volunteer, the boy was at the ready.  No hesitation.  He was thrilled!

We enjoyed the rest of the show, humming, singing, clapping, swaying, and smiling.  The music is joyful!

There’s another opportunity for guests to join the show towards the end for the finale.  Again, the boy was at the ready and jumped at the chance.  He was able to parade around the theater shaking a maraca and being a part of the show.

Experiencing the performance can make your heart sing.  Being a part of the show just makes it sweeter.  It is all a part of Disney magic that makes your Disney vacations even more memorable, even more special, and it finds you when you least expect it.

This isn’t the first time the boy has been a part of the Festival of the Lion King.  Click here to read more.

And, the next time you find yourself at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, be sure to catch a performance of Festival of the Lion King!

Festival of The Lion King--Animal Kingdom

For me, Festival of The Lion King is worth the ticket price to Animal Kingdom. The show is phenomenal! Where else will you get fantastic singing, gymnastics, dancing on land and in air, stilt walkers, large animatronic puppets, fire, water falls, audience participation, and a story all in one show? Of course, all the favorite Lion King songs are included in the show while Timon and Pumba host the festivities.

The theater is located in Camp Minnie Mickey in Animal Kingdom and there are several shows throughout the day. Check the park map and Times Guide to plan which performance you will see while at Animal Kingdom. The show is performed in the "round" so there is seating on all four sides of the theater. The view is good from any seat in the house! The only difference will be what animal your portion of the theater represents. I won't tell you any more about that and let it be a surprise.

After being immersed in Festival of the Lion King the first time, I figured out why the Walt Disney World Resort hosts so many high school gymnastic, dance, band, and cheerleading competitions throughout the year. Disney is searching for performers to add to their payroll--many of whom may end up in Festival of the Lion King. Disney is the largest on-site entertainment employer in the world! And a former Festival of the Lion King performer was just nominated for a Tony Award on Broadway. That's the caliber of performers we're talking about here.

We try to hit the first performance of the day. The boy has been selected to parade and play an instrument in the show's finale twice. See photo above and last photo in the post.

The elephant is one of the large animatronic puppets. Find him during the show and watch the water fall.

Here are some of the dancers/singers. Check out the fantastic costumes. They each represent an animal from the savanah.

Pumba makes plenty of comments from his perch. His best line comes when the show is over and it is time to leave. I won't say any more than that--just let it be a funny surprise. And, don't be surprised if your child continues to repeat what Pumba says throughout the rest of the day!

The boy is pictured above during his debut in Festival of the Lion King. There is lots of audience participation throughout the show. And, I just can't stop myself from swaying, clapping, smiling, and singing along during the show.

Festival of the Lion King gets six thumbs up from the Williams Family. I hope you get a chance to catch the show the next time you are at Disney Animal Kingdom.