Step inside Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, the all-new Disney Destiny restaurant that blends dining, theater, and Imagineering magic into one unforgettable experience inspired by the animated classic and Broadway hit.

The Disney Destiny (the third Wish-class ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet) is setting sail, and WDW Magazine had the exclusive opportunity along with our friends at Mammoth Club to get the very first look inside its highly anticipated Lion King restaurant.

Billed as a dinner show celebrating Simba’s journey from cub to king, we couldn’t wait to discover all the details great and small that Walt Disney Imagineers hid in plain sight to surprise and delight guests.

Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King is one of the rotational dining restaurants on the Disney Destiny. Photo by Danny Shuster

We toured the space with Jay Abruzzese, Principal Production Designer acting as Creative Director, to find out what Lion King fans will love most about Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King.

Keep reading to get a glimpse inside the first Lion King restaurant at sea, and check out all of our Disney Destiny coverage here.

The long entrance hallway slowly immerses guests in the story of The Lion King. Photo by Danny Shuster

Setting the Stage at Pride Lands: Feast Of The Lion King

Imagineers waste no time in transitioning guests to the savanna from the regal theming on Deck 5 (including a Black Panther-inspired Grand Hall with its statue of Wakandan King T’challa — and Cafe Merida, themed to the Scottish royal family in the Pixar film Brave). Stepping through the entrance to Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, the background music of the ship’s common spaces gracefully fades into a peaceful yet energetic instrumental loop incorporating African instruments and rhythms, along with a few savanna animal sound effects layered in to bring guests into the story. 

Clever fans will recognize some of the songs from Adventureland, and if the wainscotting looks familiar, you might have seen those lions and baboons looking down at you from the lobby balcony railings at Animal Kingdom Lodge. (If you want to learn more about this resort, my favorite, check out our Power of Nature issue!).

Look closely at the wainscotting to see figures tht resemble Rafiki, Mufasa and Simba. Photo by Danny Shuster

Bright yellow walls with a natural texture lead down a long hallway dotted with portholes decorated with lions’ paws, ornamental grasses, woven baskets, and beautiful wood carvings depicting landscapes from the 1994 Disney animated classic (including the gorge… RIP Mufasa, and my childhood innocence).

It’s a subtle reminder that the Disney Destiny’s overarching theme is one of heroes and villains — and The Lion King has its share of both.

The theming at Pride Lands even extends to the bathrooms. Photo by Danny Shuster

Fun fact: Even the bathrooms here are on theme!

As you approach the end of the entry hall, the space opens up into a ramp leading into the boma, a gathering space that contains the dining room and performance areas, leading past props from The Lion King on Broadway. It’s especially poignant as entering the space feels akin to entering a theatre, with house lighting and music to set the mood before the fun really begins.

Pride Lands includes references to the hit Broadway miusical. Photo by Danny Shuster

Inside Pride Lands: Feast Of The Lion King

Once inside the Lion King restaurant, a massive space seating roughly 700 diners feels vast yet intimate. Along the far aft wall is a panel of windows covered in acacia tree cutouts, hiding lighting effects that will shift the mood of the restaurant through the evening — from bright yellows and reds to serene purples and blues.

The central stage where the performers — called Storytellers — will gather rises organically from the audience. This design was the result of a collaboration between Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment, in order to tell the story in the way that would be most impactful.

In a departure from other Disney Cruise Line dinner shows, Pride Lands is less about literal character dining and more about sharing Simba’s story with the audience through the use of props, music, and interpretive dance.

The Pride Lands stage ensures all guests will have a view. Photo by Danny Shuster

Woven and carved artwork on the walls ground the space in reality, while magical windows onto the savanna will open and close to reveal animals, including some familiar friends from the movie. Textile-covered ceilings play off the woven placemats on each table, while golden cutlery and beautiful tableware set the tone for an elegant meal. 

“I hope our guests, when they walk in, they go, ‘oh wow, this is really different. This feels really fun. This feels really energetic’… and then as soon as that music starts, you immediately feel different again. You immediately get taken into it and you get the little goosebumps going into you and you just get super excited,” Abruzzese shared. “I hope our guests come in here and feel energized and feel part of our family and really enjoy the entire show.”

Dine in the middle of the savanna at Pride Lands. Photo by Danny Shuster

The performance will feature all-new versions of “Circle of Life,” “Hakuna Matata,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and “He Lives in You,” along with a particularly unique mash-up of “Can’t Wait to be King” and “Be Prepared” that highlight the hero and villain dynamic.

How to Dine at Pride Lands: Feast Of The Lion King

Only guests aboard the Disney Destiny will be able to enjoy this particular Lion King restaurant, which has African-inspired dishes that will remind guests of Disney World restaurants like Boma, Sanaa, and Tusker House. Even the drinks menu is on theme with everything from silly mocktails like the cherry lime jello-laden Slimy Yet Satisfying or an elegant South African Wine Tour flight.

Something special about Pride Lands is that it offers two menus, though most guests will only be able to enjoy one.

Keep a lookout for familiar friends in Pride Lands. Photo by Danny Shuster

As part of Disney’s signature rotational dining main restaurants on the Disney Destiny, dinner at Pride Lands is included in your cruise fare, and based on similar experiences at Plaza de Coco on the Disney Treasure and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure on the Disney Wish, we expect that fans will dress up for the experience (get some outfit inspiration here).

Our November issue is live now online and in our app with our exclusive sneak peek at the Destiny while it was under construction in Germany — and you can read it now when you sign up for a digital membership.

Thank you to Disney for hosting us during a preview sailing of the Disney Disney.