Tumble Monkeys Return Date is Finally Confirmed!

Oh, we just can’t wait to…have the monkeys and birds back!

The Festival of the Lion King show at Walt Disney World is one of the most treasured and exciting entertainment options at the Lake Buena Vista Resort – but it’s been missing two of its greatest acts since its return after the pandemic.

We’ve already seen the modified returns of famous Disney shows like Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and the beloved Festival of Fantasy Parade, and now, we have the news we’ve all been waiting for!

The Festival of the Lion King show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is colorful, nostalgic, and definitely one of the Disney Park shows guaranteed to make Guests cry.

When the show returned back in May 2021, the performances were altered due to pandemic safety regulations. Cast Members and performers could not get close to each other, so the beautiful aerial bird dance, interactive dance-along, and gymnastic Tumble Monkeys were removed.

We found out back in March that the Tumble Monkeys and birds would be making their grand return this summer, and now we know the exact date! Twitter user @LandonProducer revealed that Disney will be bringing back the monkeys and birds on July 16:

Just in: #Disney says the tumble monkeys and acrobatic birds will be returning to the “Festival of the Lion King” on July 16. #WaltDisneyWorld #AnimalKingdom

Just in: #Disney says the tumble monkeys and acrobatic birds will be returning to the “Festival of the Lion King” on July 16. #WaltDisneyWorld #AnimalKingdom pic.twitter.com/1xTdJ8r7Vc

— Landon McReynolds (@LandonProducer) May 24, 2022

The Festival of the Lion King at Walt Disney World will be once again complete on July 16 with its live music, dancing, and now acrobatic stunt performers!

Guests have been enjoying the show since its opening date back on April 22, 1998, the same day as the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park (along with Kilimanjaro Safaris) itself.

The gorgeous show is a celebration with Simba and his friends, featuring stilt-walkers, puppeteers, dancers, hosts in traditional African dress. Each of the four hosts has a Swahili name: Kiume (meaning “masculine and strong”), Nakawa (“good-looking”), Kibibi (“princess”), and Zawadi (“the gift”).

The Lion King show celebrates the 1994 animated movie with the incredible songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, including Simba and Zazu’s “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” Scar’s “Be Prepared,”. and Simba and Nala’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”

Among the characters from the movie in the show are Simba, Pumbaa, and Timon, all joining in with the audience and performers for a rousing rendition of the ‘Circle of Life”.

And from July, the Tumble Monkeys and Aerial Birds will be joining the performance once again! We can’t wait to head to Africa and celebrate their big return.