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Harambe Theatre joins the Circle of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Entrance to the Harambe Village expansion

Entrance to the Harambe Village expansion

One of the most fantastic parts of Disney’s Animal Kingdom has always been how nature and the man made interacts throughout the park. Disney’s Imagineers carefully crafted buildings down to the tiniest crack to make it look like there is a battle between construction and nature and that nature has the edge. No where is this more evident than Harambe Village.

In my opinion Harambe Village is Disney’s most fully realized creation in Orlando. Now, with the opening of the Harambe Theatre, it’s almost like the village has doubled in size. In fact, putting aside a few unfinished bits of landscaping, the themeing is so wonderful, the theater looks like it’s always been a part of the village.

Harambe Theatre, of course, is home to the relocated Festival of The Lion King show. It is back with only a few very minor changes. Once you’re inside the theater itself, you have to look close to tell we’re no longer in Camp Minnie Mickey.

There is one change that is worth noting–a much longer Fastpass+ line. The old location did have Fastpass, but it was only a few dozen people a show. The new location fills about 1/3rd the theater with Fastpass+ holders. Therefore, if a seat close to the floor is important to you, make sure you are holding a Fastpass+ for your show. Once the rabble is allowed in, all the remaining seating is in the back.

A gallery with images from the area is below the jump in case you can’t watch the video above:

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Festival of The Lion King Harambe Theatre Construction Update

harambe-theatre-exterior

Good news for fans of Walt Disney World’s best rated show, “Festival of the Lion King.” The Harambe Theatre looks nearly completed in its home in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When the theater opens in June, the story of The Lion King will once again be celebrated by the immensely talented cast and crew. But first, the cast and crew has to get used to their new home. Disney has provided this video showing their first look at their new theater, both onstage and backstage.

We just learned that Festival of The Lion King will return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in June 2014 in the newly built Harambe Theatre. Below is some video from the end of April looking at the construction of the theater. The video is taken from the bridge to Asia and then from Africa by the Dawa Bar.

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Walt Disney World Resort – What’s New Announcements

A few big announcement at the presentation formerly known as What’s New, What’s Next, now called “Around Our World.” Among the recap of recent changes at the resort including DCL, DVC, and Adventures by Disney, a sprinkling of new news was released. First news from… Read More »Walt Disney World Resort – What’s New Announcements

Construction Update for Festival of The Lion King

Things are finally getting serious for the Avatarland expansion coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Last week Disney installed the portable offices for Imagineering and their contractors in a space over behind Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. But in order for construction of Avatarland to begin, Festival… Read More »Construction Update for Festival of The Lion King

Festival of The Lion King decamping to Africa in 2014

Disney once famously refused to acknowledge that they were building a new Disney Vacation Club resort next to The Contemporary even-though the blueprints had leaked months prior and everyone who flew by on the monorail every day could plainly see a multi-story building going up,… Read More »Festival of The Lion King decamping to Africa in 2014

Construction Begins on new Festival of the Lion King Location

Construction walls have appeared in the corner of Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where the show building and facilities for the park’s popular show Festival of the Lion King will be moving. In January, we reported on leaked plans for the move, but saw little… Read More »Construction Begins on new Festival of the Lion King Location