Lion King musical - what's it like?

[EpcotMatt]

Has anyone had the chance to see the Lion King musical? It's in Philly now & I'm able to get a discount on the seats & was thinking of going. I'm not a theater guy but a huge Disney fan, so perhaps I'll give it a shot. What exactly would I be in for? Does it resemble the Animal Kingdom show much? Thanks all.

 

[te2077]

If your talking about the broadway musical. no its not like the show at AKL. It was playing here a few months ago and was sold out for most of the nights. I dont go to the theater too often either, however this was definately worth seeing. The costumes etc are amazing. We all loved it and will see it when it comes back.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I work for Disney Theatrical..if you have any questions about the show, please PM me and I'll give you all the info you'd like.

 

[BlindTyldak]

It is INCREDIBLE!!! I was lucky enough to get front row seats for New York (didn't start out that way, but another couple wanted something further back in the theater so we switched!). I can't even really put it into words other than don't worry about not being a theater nut, this goes beyond theater. it's like saying Soarin' is "a movie". By all means, GO.

 

[Michelle2]

It is awesome!! DH and I saw it on Broadway Dec. 2001, and I would take my kids (or just myself if I didn't have any kids) to it if it were in our area in a heartbeat. It is totally different than Festival of the Lion King. The effects they have are truly amazing!

 

[dalton30720]

If you are getting a discount, I would definitely go. We've seen this show on tour, and my son just saw it again last night in NY. The costumes and sets are amazing. Extra music was written for the Broadway show, including "The Morning Report,'" which was added to the recent re-release of Lion King on DVD. Some of the characters are represented as puppets, such as Timon and Pumba, which are operated and voiced by actors. The opening number and wildabeast stampede are particularly impressive. You will really enjoy it, even if you are not much into theatre.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

It is INCREDIBLE!!! I was lucky enough to get front row seats for New York (didn't start out that way, but another couple wanted something further back in the theater so we switched!). I can't even really put it into words other than don't worry about not being a theater nut, this goes beyond theater. it's like saying Soarin' is "a movie". By all means, GO.

How was it in the front row? We're going the Philly show on Sunday and have 2nd row seats. At the rime it seemed like a great idea, but now I'm wondering if we're going to be too close. All of us are going so i figured the kids would be more into if we were closer. I hope I made the right decision.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

It's a great show, and well wroth seeing. FOTLK is tiny compared to this one. There's about a dozen new songs, plus all the old ones. The costumes are amazing. I agree with what all the above posters said.

 

[bcinohio]

Great Show!! We saw it in Cleveland, Ohio a few years ago and loved it. We didn't take the kids because it was a surprise for my DH's birthday. We really enjoyed the show. I think you would have a great time.

 

[BlindTyldak]

How was it in the front row? We're going the Philly show on Sunday and have 2nd row seats. At the rime it seemed like a great idea, but now I'm wondering if we're going to be too close. All of us are going so i figured the kids would be more into if we were closer. I hope I made the right decision.

There were good points and bad points. The bad points are it's difficult to see some of the action very close to actual stage itself, but being able to see the amazing details of the costumes and the small nuances of the characters is great, there's definite perks to being close, I'll tell you that! But it's hard to say how much you or the children might miss at the very back of the stage because I've never seen the theater in Philly or how high the stage is, or deep.

The best tip I can give is if you are at your seats and the stage is higher than your shoulders, try to find an all-adult party to switch with to move back a little, maybe to row 10. I'm 5'2, the stage was at my shoulders at the amsterdam, and I could see everything if I craned my neck at certain points only, probably 90% of the show was just fine. If the stage was any higher though I would have missed a lot.

 

[TinkerTracy]

I saw it on Broadway a while ago (about a year) and it was absolutely amazing.
I went with my theater class and it was pretty last minute...so our seats weren't great but I still loved every minute of it. The songs are done fantastically, and there is so much energy. The stage pieces and sceneary are so breathtaking. It was just awesome.
I recomend it!

 

[jackdis]

I also saw it on Broadway. Amazing!!!

 

[polypixie_01]

Aloha, all! I have seen both the broadway production and been to AK, but the two clash. The one on broadway is basically a live version of the first Lion King movie and story. If you're into that kind of thing, definately go. If you're looking for something like the Festival of the Lion King, this is not what you want. But, it doesn't skip a beat when it comes to Disney magic! It is really cool! Don't miss it!

 

[01Sweetpea]

Saw it in NY on Broadway... would go see it again in a second. Would love to take the kids but @ $100 a ticket... can get pricey for a family of 6!

 

[nickeymouse]

It's outstanding!!! The music is wonderful, it interacts with the kids and it even gets your grandparents singing and dancing!!! This is a have to see show. It also teaches you about animals. If you want your kid to be in it, get first on line or/and sit in the first or second row. Hope this will convince you to see the Lion King show.

 

[ryanmilla]

We took our DD to see it on broadway for her 3rd b-day a couple of years back and everyone loved it. It even was able to capture the attention of a VERY ACTIVE 3 yr old girl. She normally is the type that is all over the place, but she stayed glued to her seat the entire performance. My DW and I are still amazed about that. I think that was the only time that has ever happened.

Needless to say, it was a great show. I would highly recommend seeing it.

 

[MelanieC]

We have front row aisle seats for the 7/23/06 Lion King show in Philadelphia! I'm so excited to see it. Plus as an added bonus we leave for WDW the Thursday after the show. The Lion King show is like the icing on my cake-sort of a pre-trip show!

 

[BlindTyldak]

We have front row aisle seats for the 7/23/06 Lion King show in Philadelphia! I'm so excited to see it. Plus as an added bonus we leave for WDW the Thursday after the show. The Lion King show is like the icing on my cake-sort of a pre-trip show!

Aisle seats will be very special!

 

[jackdis]

Yes, I was in the orchestra...aisle too. It was spectacular. I got the goosebumps!!!!

 

[badhairday]

The show is awesome! The music and characters are fantastic. Just saw it at the Academy of Music last Thursday. We saw it in NYC, but wanted to go again since it was local.

FYI - Make sure that your tickets are not up too close. I would say you want to be in at least row 15 or even back further to enjoy the stage and effects. We were in the front row, and visibility was not the greatest. They have a platform on top of the stage, and huge speakers on either side. It is built up higher than normal, and the orchestra is as well. When we purchased, we purchased Premium seats, and were really disappointed since we could not see too well at all. Even if you were up in the mezzanine, the view would be beautiful.

Disney is actually giving us tickets for another show due to the obstructed view.

I think you will really, really enjoy the show! Have FUN!