Overview
- At the D23 expo in mid‑August, Disney showed concept art and an animatronic Scar for a new Lion King land and said construction is under way but gave no opening date.
- Disneyland Paris says the Lion King expansion will span roughly 30,000 square metres and include attractions, shops, restaurants and character interactions designed around practical show elements such as audio‑animatronics and effects.
- Disney confirmed Space Mountain will be rethemed to its 1995 Jules Verne 'De la Terre à la Lune' concept for a 2028 relaunch and that the ride will close toward the end of 2027 to allow the work and a full remaster of the original score.
- Several outlets and a fan site report the Lion King centerpiece will be a water‑ride with three drops including a 52‑foot (16‑metre) descent, but those technical specifics have not been confirmed by Disney.
- The announcements are part of a multi‑year, phased parks strategy that mixes new IP‑led lands with nostalgia restorations and will likely mean staged openings and intermittent ride closures that affect guest access over the coming years.