Hello, and welcome to Dateline Disney World! This week, we’re heading to Animal Kingdom to celebrate the Lion King and check out the latest news! Ready to roar . . .

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Welcome to Animal Kingdom!
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The park is celebrating the Lion King, which times up nicely with the release of the Jon Favreau “Live Action” remake this summer. But if you’ve seen the trailer, it’s all CGI . . . so isn’t that still animation?

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Here’s the trailer . . . what do you think?

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Lion King photo op in the park’s Discovery Island section.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Beautiful day in the park.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Discovery Island Tree of Life trails are currently closed.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Hakuna Matata Time over near Flame Tree BBQ.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Donad’s Dino Bash is still going on.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Scrooge!

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Some of the hidden details of Dino-Rama.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Beautiful flowers in bloom and many of the trees are bursting into bloom as well.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Kali River Rapids is currently closed for annual refurbishment.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The exit is walled off as well.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The new waterfront seating area at the Coca-Cola stand is now open.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The old Jungle Book meet and greet location is now stroller parking for the Up bird show.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
New stage near Up as well.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
We’d love to see more of these quick service locations open during the day.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Lots of Lion King merchandise in the park currently.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
These railings were up as the iridescent ground in Pandora is repainted so it will once again glow at night.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Always nice when you get a FastPass for Flight of Passage and don’t have to wait in a long line.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
And, uh, fly.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The banshee experience is now a free for all, no longer a line and picking one out with a Cast Member.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The menu options have decreased at Satuli Canteen, notably the cheeseburger bao buns are no longer there.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Animal exhibits closed off near the Tree of Life.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The other side of the closed Discovery Island trails.
Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
The back trail is still open and offers beautiful views.

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar

Animal Kingdom, Dateline Disney World – Animal Kingdom Ready to Roar
Time to head out.

That does it for this week’s column. Do you like the changes being made? Will you be checking out the remake of the Lion King? Let us know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

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Cory Disbrow
Cory likes Walt Disney World so much, he recently packed his bags and moved to Orlando. Cory is a photographer and writes MiceChat's Dateline Disney World columns every Friday.