Disneyland Paris expansion to include Lion King and Frozen experiences

The Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris is getting a huge expansion with new rides and experiences based on The Lion King and Frozen set to open within the next few years.

Announced at Disney's D23 fan event in California in August 2024, the off-shoot park — which originally opened in 2002 — is being rebranded as Disney Adventure World, and will be the home of World of Frozen and Pride Lands alongside the Marvel Avengers Campus, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story Playland, Worlds of Pixar, and Toon Studio.

The World of Frozen is set to open up its gates to visitors in 2026, and will boast a version of the Frozen Ever After ride currently found in Disney World's Epcot centre in Florida, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Tokyo DisneySea. The recreation on Arendelle will also have "immersive shopping and dining experiences" and the opportunity to Anna and Elsa "in person during a royal encounter". Originally slated to open in 2023, the Frozen expansion was delayed by Covid, but will now be ready in two years time.

Also coming to Disney Adventure World is Pride Lands, the first Disney experience of its kind inspired by The Lion King. The concept art and models on display at D23 make the area look like a smaller version of Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Florida with a huge tree of life at its centre.

"Disney Imagineers will bring to life the majestic Pride Rock, which will serve as the gateway to an adventure-filled water attraction that will plunge guests beneath the rock to follow Simba on his journey from cub to king, in a retelling of the story from the classic animated feature film," the press release explains.

"When visiting the Pride Lands in Disney Adventure World, guests will be immersed in the world of The Lion King with Disney character greetings, themed dining, and shopping opportunities, which promises an unforgettable experience for guests of all ages."

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A huge new lake show is also coming to Disney Adventure World that looks set to rival the park's legendary castle light show thanks to its innovative use of water and drones to deliver a spectacular experience.

The Disneyland Paris expansion was just a small part of Disney's upcoming announcements for its many parks, cruises and beyond

"Disney Experiences is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation," said Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro. "With so many great Disney stories to tell, we’re excited to bring an unprecedented number of new projects to life in the near future, whether it be in our theme parks, on our cruise ships or through our partnership with Epic Games in the digital space."

Some fans may be disappointed to learn that a Star Wars land expansion, originally mooted for Disneyland Paris back in 2018, has quietly been taken off the roadmap for the European Disney park. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was opened to much fanfare in Disneyland California and Walt Disney World Florida in 2019, and fans hoped it would come to Paris soon, but that seems to no longer be the plan.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, the immersive hotel experience in Florida, closed its doors after just 18 months hinting that visitor numbers didn't live up to expectations.