Legend of the Lion King Script

Legend of the Lion King was a Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. It opened on July 8, 1994, and closed on February 23, 2002. The show combined

puppetry, film, and live action to re-tell the story of Simba.

PRESHOW

The audience stands for the preshow, which consists of a live presentation by Rafiki, followed by a film sequence from "The Lion King."

African music plays, and the stage is lighted to reveal Rafiki, sleeping and snoring in his tree.

Rafiki: Zzzzzzzzzz ... <snort!> ... What? Oh. <notices the audience> Who are you? What are you doing here? <sniffs> Oh! I know that smell anywhere. Homo sapiens. <chuckles> Well, no matter! After all, nobody's perfect. Hmmmm ... Every one of us is connected in the

great circle of life. You ... me ... that guy over there with the funny hat. Oh, sorry ma'am. <laughs> So, welcome, cool off, rrrrrrrelax. It's a jungle out there. Now pay close

attention. Come, come, for old Rafiki has a tale to tell you. It is the story of Simba. You see, Simba was the brave little lion cub who was destined to become the lion king. His father,

King Mufasa, taught him well, to understand the balance of nature and to respect all creatures in the circle of life. But something terrible happened! Oh no, no, no, I'm getting

ahead of myself. Always do that. <chuckles> Let me start at the beginning. Ohhh, the winds of change. Ahhh, change is good. Asante sana, squash banana. We we nugu, mi mi apana! <translation: Thank you very much, squash banana. You're a baboon, and I'm not!

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> <laughs> It is time. <stage goes dark>

The entire opening sequence of "The Lion King" (the presentation of Simba) is now shown, complete with the song "The Circle of Life."

Song: From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun There's more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done There's far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found

But the sun rolling high Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the circle of life And it moves us all

Through despair and hope Through faith and love Til we find our place

On the path unwinding In the circle

The circle of life

It's the circle of life And it moves us all

Through despair and hope Through faith and love Til we find our place

On the path unwinding In the circle

The circle of life

MAIN SHOW

The audience is seated in a theater for the main show. The characters are all puppets, except for Rafiki, who appears live as he did in the preshow, and serves as narrator. All dialogue, except for Rafiki's narration, has been taken from the original film, although it

has been edited. The original voice talent is maintained.

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Mufasa and young Simba look over the Pridelands.

Mufasa: Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom.

Simba: <quietly, but with awe> Wow.

Mufasa: A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king.

Simba: And this'll all be mine?

Mufasa: Everything.

Simba: Dad? We'll always be together, right?

Mufasa: Simba, let me tell you something that my father told me. Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars.

Simba: Really?

Mufasa: Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you ... and so will I.

Scene ends, and a new scene begins, as young Simba and Nala play and laugh together, while Zazu looks on.

Zazu: Just look at you two. Little seeds of romance blossoming in the savanna. One day, you two are going to be married!

Nala: Eeew!

Simba: I can't marry her. She's my friend.

Nala: It'd be too weird.

Zazu: Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's a tradition going back generations.

Simba: Well, when I'm king, that'll be the first thing to go.

Simba sings: I'm gonna be a mighty king

So enemies beware!

Zazu: Well, I've never seen a king of beasts

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With quite so little hair

Simba: I'm gonna be the mane event

Like no king was before I'm brushing up on looking down

I'm working on my roar

Zazu: Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing

Simba: Oh, I just can't wait to be king!

Zazu: You've rather a long way to go, young master. If you think -

Simba: Everybody look left

Everybody look right Everywhere you look I'm Standing in the spotlight

Zazu: Not yet!

Chorus: Let every creature go for broke and sing Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing

It's gonna be King Simba's finest fling

Simba: Oh, I just can't wait to be king! Oh, I just can't wait to be king! Oh, I just can't wait to be king!

Scene ends.

Rafiki: Simba thought the future would be filled with only good things. <laughs> He believed it would be fun to be king! <laughs> Pretty naive, huh? For you see, whenever there is power, there is always someone who wants to take it away. Case in point: Uncle

Scar!

Scar appears on the left side of the stage.

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Scar: I was first in line ... until the little hairball was born.

Rafiki: But Scar wouldn't give up so easily, so he entered into an unholy alliance with the laughing stock of the kingdom, the hyenas!

The three hyenas (Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed) appear as steam erupts from the stage.

Scar: I know that your powers of retention Are as wet as a warthog's backside But thick as you are, pay attention

My words are a matter of pride

It's clear from your vacant expressions The lights are not all on upstairs

But we're talking kings and successions Even you can't be caught unawares

Be prepared!

Banzai: Yeah, be prepared. <laughs> We'll be prepared. For what?

Scar: For the death of the king.

Banzai: Why? Is he sick?

Scar: No, fool, we're gonna kill him. And Simba, too.

Banzai: Great idea! Who needs a king?

Three Hyenas: <chant> No king, no king, la la la la la la ...

Scar: Idiots! There will be a king!

Banzai: Hey, but you said -

Scar: I will be king! Stick with me, and you'll never go hungry again!

The hyenas cheer.

Scar: So prepare for the coup of the century

Be prepared for the murkiest scam Meticulous planning Tenacity spanning

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Decades of denial Is simply why I'll

Be king undisputed Respected, saluted

And seen for the wonder I am

Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared Be prepared! <laughs wickedly>

The scene changes to Scar and Simba alone in the gorge.

Scar: Now you wait here. Your father has a marvelous surprise for you.

Simba: Hey Uncle Scar, will I like the surprise?

Scar: Simba, it's to die for. Ooh, and just between us, you might want to work on that little roar of yours, hmm? <Scar leaves>

Simba: <scornfully> Little roar ... puh! <growls and then roars loudly>

The wildebeest begin stampeding over the cliff toward Simba. This, and much of the balance of this scene, up to Mufasa's death, is shown on a screen behind Simba, and is

taken directly from the film.

Scar: Mufasa! Quick! Stampede in the gorge. Simba's down there!

Mufasa: Simba?

Zazu: Your father is on the way! Hold on!

Simba: Hurry!

Mufasa: Scar! Brother, help me.

Scar: Long live the king. <pushes Mufasa off the edge of the cliff>

Simba: Noooooooooo! <coughs> Daaaaaad! <sees Mufasa's lifeless body> Dad? Dad? Dad, come on. Ya gotta get up. We gotta go home. <cries>

Scar: Simba, what've you done?

Simba: <tearfully>There were wildebeest, and - he tried to save me. It was an accident. I - I didn't mean for it to happen.

Scar: Oh, of course you didn't. No one ever means for these things to happen. But the

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king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive.

Simba: What am I gonna do?

Scar: Run away, Simba. Run away and never return.

Rafiki: So Simba ran far away, escaping from the past. But like I always say, you can run, but you can't hide ... from yourself.

The scene changes to show Timon and Pumbaa discovering Simba in the desert.

Timon: All righty. Whadda we got here? Jeez, it's a lion! Run, Pumbaa! Move it!

Pumbaa: He's so cute and all alone. Can we keep him?

Timon: Lions eat guys like us!

Pumbaa: But he's so little.

Timon: Who's the brains of this outfit?

Pumbaa: Uhhhhhh ...

Timon: My point exactly. Ya know, having a lion around might not be such a bad idea. <Simba stirs> You okay, kid?

Simba: I guess so.

Timon: Hey, where ya goin'?

Simba: Nowhere.

Timon: Gee, he looks blue.

Pumbaa: I'd say brownish-gold.

Timon: No, no, no. I mean he's depressed.

Pumbaa: Oh. Kid, what's eatin' ya?

Timon: Nothin'. He's at the top of the food chain. <laughs> The food chain! <laughs> Ahem! So, where ya from?

Pumbaa: Anything we can do?

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Simba: Not unless you can change the past.

Timon: Look, kid, bad things happen, and you can't do anything about it, right?

Simba: Right.

Timon: Wrong! When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world! Repeat after me. <clears throat> Hakuna Matata.

Simba: What?

Pumbaa: Ha-ku-na Ma-ta-ta. It means "no worries."

Timon: Hakuna Matata!

What a wonderful phrase

Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata!

Ain't no passing craze

Timon: It means no worries

For the rest of your days

Timon and Pumbaa: It's our problem-free philosophy

Timon: Hakuna Matata!

Pumbaa: <buuuuuuurp!> I'm starved!

Simba: I'm so hungry I could eat a whole zebra.

Timon: <nervously> Listen, kid, if you live with us, you have to eat like us. Hey, this looks like a good spot to rustle up some grub!

Simba: Eeeew! What's that.

Timon: A grub. What's it look like?

Simba: Eeeew, gross.

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Timon: <eating the grub> Mmmm, tastes like chicken.

Pumbaa: Slimy yet satisfying. You'll learn to love 'em!

Timon: I'm telling ya, kid, this is a great life. No rules, no responsibilities. Oooh! The little cream-filled kind. And best of all, no worries. Well, kid?

Simba: Oh well, Hakuna Matata.

Timon: That's it.

Simba: It means no worries

For the rest of your days

All: It's our problem-free philosophy!

Simba's age change is accomplished during this sequence, as he goes offstage as young Simba, and returns as adult Simba.

Simba: Hakuna Matata!

Pumbaa and Timon: Hakuna, hakuna, hakuna ...

Simba: Hakuna Matata!

Pumbaa and Timon: Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata ...

Simba: Hakuna Matata!

Ha-kuuuuuuu-na Matata!

Rafiki: Simba grew up in this happy bachelor life, eating bugs and grubs, until one day, his childhood friend Nala showed up. And then the sparks of romance began to fly. <laughs>

Nala: He's holding back, he's hiding

But what, I can't decide Why won't he be the king I know he is

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The king I see inside?

Chorus: Can you feel the love tonight?

You needn't look too far Stealing through the night's uncertainties

Love is where they are

Timon: And if he falls in love tonight

It can be assumed

Pumbaa: His carefree days with us are history

Timon and Pumbaa: In short, our pal is doomed <they cry loudly>

End of scene

Rafiki: Asante sana, squash banana. We we nugu mi mi apana!

Simba: Who are you?

Rafiki: The question is, whooooooo are you?

Simba: I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.

Rafiki: Well, I know who you are. You're Mufasa's boy.

Simba: You knew my father?

Rafiki: Correction. I know your father. He's alive! And I'll show him to you. Look down there. <points down to a pool of water>

Simba: <disappointed> That's not my father. It's just my reflection.

Rafiki: No. Look harder. You see, he lives in you.

Mufasa's image appears in the sky behind Simba.

Mufasa: Simba ...

Simba: Father?

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Mufasa: Simba, you have forgotten me.

Simba: No! How could I?

Mufasa: You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle

of life.

Simba: How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be.

Mufasa: Remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king. Remember who you are ... <the image begins to vanish>

Simba: No! Please! Don't leave me.

Mufasa: Remember ...

Simba: Father! Don't leave me.

Rafiki: So, Simba returned home, only to find the kingdom in ruins. And when he reached the border, he saw how bad things had gotten, for under Scar's tyranny, the circle of life

was thrown completely out of balance!

We see the ruined Pridelands and the battle between Simba and Scar onscreen.

Scar: And here's my little secret: I killed Mufasa!

Simba: Noooooo!

Simba triumphs over Scar.

Rafiki: It is time.

Mufasa's voice: Remember.

The final tableau shows the presentation of Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara, just as at the end of the film.

Chorus: Til we find our place

On the path unwinding In the circle

The circle of life!

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Disclaimer: I'd be lion if I didn't admit that the above attraction is the property of the Walt Disney Company.

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