Today was a HUGE day for Disney World!

Celebration of The Festival of The Lion King

When Disney World reopened last year, much of the live entertainment was suspended. But then we got the news that Festival of the Lion King would return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And today, the show returned for a soft reopening, and WE WERE THERE!

So amidst our happy tears, we started to note some of the changes to the show since we last saw it. We knew it would return in a modified format, and that the new show would be called “A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King.” But here’s how different the show is now. 

Group Sizes

Currently, seating inside the theater is limited, and you MUST have your whole group together when you enter the theater.

All parties must stay together

Lines

In line, only four people maximum can stand on a social distancing marker, so larger groups will be split up. There is also no eating or drinking allowed inside the theater.

We’re going in…

Seating

Every other row inside the theater is sectioned off to allow for social distancing.

Every other row is closed

There are also certain sections of benches closed off, too. Basically, each section seats four people. So your party will be split up if it’s bigger than that.

This section is blocked

The Show

The show itself is also a little different to account for new health and safety guidelines. The choreography is now slightly different as it allows performers to be more socially distant.

There’s more space between performers

The show also no longer encourages guests to singalong. Instead, they are encouraged to wave and clap.

Singing along is no longer encouraged

The part of the show that names each section of the audience a different animal is no longer in the show and it it’s no longer referenced. We also noticed that guests don’t come out for the little parade section. The tumble monkeys are also gone.

It’s still a great show!

Also, the birds no longer fly, but they dance their feathers off!

Dancing birds!

There’s no audience participation as far as singing and walking around goes, but you can still clap and wave along with the actors! Also, all the songs are still there. And the guy with fire — he’s pretty cool! All in all, it’s still one of THE best shows on Disney World property. So even in its modified format, this show is still on our Do Not Miss List! Although it’s soft opened for now, it officially opens on May 15th. 

See More Photos From A Celebration of The Festival of the Lion King

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Have you ever seen the show pre-closure? Let us know in the comments!

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