How to Spend Your Time - The Easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit 2015 - page 106

Festival of the Lion King
RANKING Major attraction. EMH No. FP+ Yes. Low priority. FastPass+ users enter the theat-
er before standby if they arrive 20+ minutes early and have their choice of seats. TYPE
Musical theater show. REQUIREMENTS None.
WHAT TO EXPECT Lion King reopened in a new theater on June 1, 2014, though few things
changed from its original run in Camp Minnie-Mickey. The show reprises songs and char-
acters from the movie and features acrobatics, Animatronics, singing, dancing, fire, theater,
and the most elaborate costumes and sets you'll find at Disney World. With more than 50
performers, there is almost too much to take in. SCARY FACTOR Low, the theater is dark and
sometimes loud, but there is little to frighten youngsters.
WHEN TO GO First and last shows are least crowded. EXPECT TO WAIT Arrive 10 to 20
minutes early. LENGTH 30 minutes. WHERE TO SIT The section you choose isn't as important
as the row you select. Higher than the eighth row provides a better view of the various
floats and sets.

Jim's Gems
by Jim Korkis
Festival of the Lion King was meant to be a temporary show at the park when it first
opened April 22, 1998, but became so popular that it continues to be performed. The
impressive floats that serve as intriguing set pieces are actually recycled from The
Lion King Celebration parade that ran at Disneyland from 1994-1997. They were
modified and updated for Walt Disney World. The changes include removing Simba's
sweetheart, Nala, and Mufasa's face in an overhead spinning sun design from the Lion
float. While the Disneyland parade featured six floats, only four floats are used in the
beloved musical show.

Kilimanjaro Safaris
RANKING Don't miss.

EMH Morning. FP+ Yes.

High priority.

TYPE Safari

ride.

REQUIREMENTS None.
WHAT TO EXPECT Riders board a 32-passenger open-air safari truck and take a mildly
bumpy, fully narrated trip through the 100-acre Harambe Wildlife Reserve. It's basically a
simulated, shortened safari through lifelike savannas populated with rare animals, includ-
ing black and white rhinoceroses, cheetahs, flamingos, lions, giraffes, warthogs, zebras,
wildebeests, ostriches, crocodiles, antelopes, and more. The animals aren't always “out”
and your viewing may be limited by the time of day and simple luck of the draw. SCARY
FACTOR None. CAN WE HANDLE IT? Mild jostling. If you have back or neck problems, re-
quest a front row where it's less bumpy.
WHEN TO GO Immediately after park open, in the final hour of operation, or with FastPass+.
Safaris closes before dusk. Check for the “last safari” time—you need to be in line before