Somehow, in nearly 30 years of operation, Disney Cruise Line has managed to avoid featuring one of Disney’s most popular and enduring franchises – The Lion King. That oversight ends this month, with the debut of a Lion King-themed dining experience on the new Disney Destiny.
Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King takes over the rotational dining spot held by Frozen and Coco on the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, respectively. But fans coming to Pride Lands expecting a Lion King dinner theater show may leave disappointed, for Disney has created a different experience on the Destiny.
Pride Lands offers a Lion King-themed concert in the round rather than another production starring the 1994 movie’s beloved characters. There are no puppets here. No animatronics. Not even a story theater retelling of the narrative, as Disney fans saw in recent years at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
Instead, Disney Cruise Line diners get what might be called “Impressions de Simba.” Led by an amazing team of percussionists, Pride Lands offers a concert of Lion King songs performed with a distinctive African beat rather than Broadway sass. There’s even an original composition, “Serengeti Rain,” that accompanies a riveting performance by the show’s dancer.
It all happens in the fifth deck, aft space that previous DCL guests will know from the other Wish class ships. Here, Disney’s Imagineers have reimagined the space as an African boma – or family gathering place – which is appropriate given the DCL clientele.
But the space retains its weakness as a dinner theater space. It’s a flat, one-story space that makes seeing the central stage difficult for those seated on the perimeter. The relatively small, low stage further obscures the Pride Land performers from those on the edges of the room.
And yet, save for that one dance number, this is not a visual experience the way that the Arendelle or Plaza de Coco shows are. Pride Land is an audio experience to be enjoyed while you dine on African-inspired cuisine. The “windows” and lighting in the room shift to match the mood of the music, but it’s all vibe, with a narrative to be appreciated only on the meta level. The Lion King is all about family. And so is your meal with family or friends on the Destiny.
As for that meal, get the Pan-seared Berbere Spiced Roasted Chicken. Served with tomato-red pepper rice, this dish earned deserved recommendations from all the serving and kitchen staff I spoke with on the ship. It delivers flavor without overwhelming heat, offering diners something novel that matches the space’s theme.
For those looking for a vegetarian alternative, I enjoyed the Baked Mushroom and Lentil “Bobotie,” a delightful lentil stew with mushrooms that amplified its umami.
Here are the food and drink menus.
Pride Lands offers a lovely experience, if you come into it willing to accept it for what it is and have a taste for African flavors. But for the DCL’s many Lion King fans, it might just leave them hungry for a more immersive experience that finally brings the characters of The Lion King to life on the cruise line.
For more on Disney Destiny, on which we are sailing this week for Disney's hosted media preview cruise, please see Everything you need to know about Disney’s new cruise ship.
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