It’s not an exact date, but we now know Festival of the Lion King will return to Animal Kingdom in May 2021. 

On Monday, April 19, Walt Disney World (WDW) Resort President Jeff Vahle shared the exciting news on Instagram that the highly-popular show will not only return sometime in “mid-May,” but that the cast is currently rehearsing!

If that isn’t enough, the show also has a modified name — and for good reason. Let’s discuss!

“A Celebration Of Festival Of The Lion King”

This summer at Animal Kingdom will definitely have guests singing “Hakuna Matata”! Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

First things first, Disney previously announced in January that Festival of the Lion King would be returning in summer 2021.

So, to know that the show is reopening in probably about a month or so is beyond exciting! Plus, to have more entertainment back at WDW is all-around fantastic for both guests and Cast Members.

When making the announcement, Vahle referred to the show as “A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King,” which seems to refer to how it will be modified upon its debut.

 

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A post shared by Jeff Vahle (@jeffvahle)

At the time of their January announcement, Disney made it clear that performances will be presented in a “modified format” due to health and safety protocols in relation to the ongoing pandemic.

Modifications will be made on stage (like with the choreography), behind-the-scenes, and to audience seating for social-distancing reasons.

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Other Entertainment

Courtesy of Disney

Unfortunately, there still isn’t a lot of entertainment at WDW, except for Hollywood Studios’ First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.

Hopefully more entertainment will follow in Festival of the Lion King and the Frozen Sing-Along’s footsteps.

Like Disney said in October 2020, “We look forward to the day when we can welcome back more live entertainment to our parks, and we will share more news about these announcements as we’re able to do so.”

Of course, there are so many other ways to enjoy the parks, including character cavalcades, EPCOT’s seasonal festivals, and the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration!

The magic is very much still there, but the day entertainment is back in full force will be a celebratory day indeed at the most magical place on earth.

Are you excited for the return of Festival of the Lion King? What other entertainment do you hope returns to the parks? Tell us in the comments on our Facebook page!

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