Festival of the Lion King moving to Africa

[Next Big Thing]

So is this theater expected to be an upgrade from what is currently there or is it basically going to be a replica of what is currently sitting in CMM?

 

[gocatsgo538]

Any pics of the walls up or cranes or anything?

I was in AK on Saturday and snapped one pic. The wall extends all the way back behind the Dawa bar and Tusker House.

https://twitter.com/GoRatsGo/status/312921338681626624

 

[danlb_2000]

So is this theater expected to be an upgrade from what is currently there or is it basically going to be a replica of what is currently sitting in CMM?

The plans show a building the same size and shape as the current one, but beyond that I haven't heard if there would be any changes.

 

[wdw71fan]

Actually.. once Festival has relocated to Africa, expect the entire Camp Minnie/Mickey area to be walled off from guests near Pizzafari, and removed from maps.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Actually.. once Festival has relocated to Africa, expect the entire Camp Minnie/Mickey area to be walled off from guests near Pizzafari, and removed from maps.

THat would make sense to me. there's no reason to keep the area open.. there'd be nothing back there.

 

[NoChesterHester]

THat would make sense to me. there's no reason to keep the area open.. there'd be nothing back there.

There's been nothing back there since opening in 1998.

 

[OFTeric]

I really hope that they build a suitable stage floor for the performers so that they aren't dancing on concrete any more. And while they are at it, they upgrade the show, and costumes a bit.

 

[djlaosc]

Actually.. once Festival has relocated to Africa, expect the entire Camp Minnie/Mickey area to be walled off from guests near Pizzafari, and removed from maps.

I thought that would happen - then it's just a question of if the area will ever open again...

 

[djkidkaz]

Any word on a timeframe for the CMM area to be walled off and the new area to open?

 

[Computer Magic]

I really hope that they build a suitable stage floor for the performers so that they aren't dancing on concrete any more. And while they are at it, they upgrade the show, and costumes a bit.

better seating besides a bench? Even a bench with a back would be better.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Wouldn't closing this area decrease the amount of people they can let in the park?

 

[danlb_2000]

Wouldn't closing this area decrease the amount of people they can let in the park?

Does AK ever reach capacity?

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Does AK ever reach capacity?

Touche!

 

[marni1971]

I really hope that they build a suitable stage floor for the performers so that they aren't dancing on concrete any more. And while they are at it, they upgrade the show, and costumes a bit.

(See Hong Kong)

 

[OFTeric]

(See Hong Kong)

That is what I am hoping for.

 

[twebber55]

Im wondering id they dont use the same building

 

[doctornick]

Wouldn't closing this area decrease the amount of people they can let in the park?

Well, the new theater would increase "guest" areas, so I'm not sure that overall capacity would change much.

 

[Hercules11]

The plans show a building the same size and shape as the current one, but beyond that I haven't heard if there would be any changes.

The plans I saw showed that the interior of the theater would be almost exactly the same as the current theater, the biggest difference being in how the wheelchair and special assistance seats are situated. There would be some additional wheelchair accessible seats up in the second tier of the giraffe section.

Most of the differences were outside the actual theater, with a dedicated Fastpass queue that wraps around the tech booth and enters the theater between the exit and the warthog section, and the path that brings guests up to the Timon door will now be a covered, wheelchair accessible ramp. The exterior will be themed to fit into Harambe.
Those were the drawings I saw back in January anyway, certainly things could still change.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else.

Courtesy of The Disney Blog - Construction Begins on New Festival of the Lion King

Construction walls have gone up in the area around Dawa Bar in the Harambe Village at Animal Kingdom.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Good luck to whom ever tries to get over the wall construction pics. Thanks for posting this here.