Disneyland Paris is getting its first-ever Lion King ride, plus a major Space Mountain change

Disneyland Paris has revealed new details about its Lion King attraction, while a much-loved version of Space Mountain is making a comeback.

The Walt Disney Company

Published: August 16, 2026 at 7:46 PM

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If Disneyland Paris is on your family's holiday wish list, there are some pretty big changes on the way, including a Disney first.

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Disney has revealed more about the huge Lion King attraction coming to Disney Adventure World, confirming that families will journey through the Pride Lands as Simba grows from cub to king. It will be the first-ever attraction based on The Lion King at any Disney park.

And there's another significant change for Disneyland Paris regulars. Hyperspace Mountain is set to make way for a reimagined version of the original, Jules Verne-inspired Space Mountain, complete with the attraction's original musical score.

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Disneyland Paris is getting the world's first Lion King attraction

The new Lion King attraction will be part of the Lion King-themed area coming to Disney Adventure World, formerly known as Walt Disney Studios Park.

Disney has now revealed a little more about what families can expect from its headline attraction.

Guests will travel through the Pride Lands alongside Simba, following his journey from a curious cub to becoming king.

Most significantly, Disney says this will be the first-ever attraction based on The Lion King at one of its parks.

Disney has previously revealed that the wider Lion King area will recreate the African savanna, with the instantly recognisable Pride Rock at its centre.

An opening date wasn't announced during the August 2026 presentation, however, so families hoping to experience it shouldn't plan a Disneyland Paris trip around the new attraction just yet.

Space Mountain is going back to its roots

Space-Mountain-De-la-Terre-a-la-Lune-D23-1024x574

The Walt Disney Company

The Lion King wasn't the only major Disneyland Paris announcement at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in California.

Disney also confirmed that Hyperspace Mountain will make way for Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, a reimagined experience inspired by the Jules Verne story that originally influenced the Disneyland Paris attraction.

The change will see the ride return to its iconic Space Mountain name and bring back its original musical score, alongside what Disney describes as a "refreshed experience".

It's likely to be particularly interesting news for parents who visited Disneyland Paris themselves when they were younger.

The original Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune opened at Disneyland Paris in 1995. The attraction underwent subsequent transformations before becoming the Star Wars-themed Hyperspace Mountain.

Disney hasn't provided a date for the new version's debut in the information released at D23.

Disney is making major changes to its parks

Both announcements formed part of the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase on Saturday 15 August, where Disney shared updates about attractions being developed across its resorts.

Thomas Mazloum, Chairman of Disney Experiences for The Walt Disney Company, said fans were central to the company's plans.

As we continue expanding and evolving Disney Experiences around the world, our fans remain at the heart of everything we do

Thomas Mazloum, Chairman of Disney Experiences for The Walt Disney Company

For UK families, the Disneyland Paris announcements are arguably the most immediately relevant, but Disney also revealed developments at its parks in Florida, California, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

These include new Encanto, Cars, Coco, Monsters, Inc. and Avengers experiences, alongside entirely new areas based around Spider-Man and Disney Villains.

There's more Disney news beyond the parks

D23 also brought a handful of announcements families can enjoy without booking a flight.

A second season of The Imagineering Story is now in production for Disney+. The documentary series, which goes behind the scenes of the creation of Disney's parks and attractions, is due to return in 2027.

Disney also announced that preschool favourite Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends has been renewed for a seventh season on Disney Jr. and Disney+. Disney says the programme has now been streamed for nearly 1.3 billion hours globally on Disney+.

Meanwhile, LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian, a new animated special inspired by The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, will arrive exclusively on Disney+ on 2 September 2026.

When are the new Disneyland Paris attractions opening?

That's the detail families will need to wait a little longer for.

Disney hasn't announced opening dates for either the Lion King attraction or Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune in the information released at D23.

For now, the announcements give families a clearer idea of how Disneyland Paris is changing, with something genuinely new for little Lion King fans and a hefty dose of nostalgia for parents who remember blasting off on the original Space Mountain.

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Ruairidh PritchardDigital Growth Lead

Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.

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