Disney’s ‘Lion King’ Show Disrupted by Fire, Rapid Response Initiated
The Festival of the Lion King show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park experienced an emergency response on Sunday morning after fire alarms sounded and sprinkler systems activated throughout the attraction’s queue, forcing the cancellation of multiple performances.
The incident unfolded around 10:30 a.m. on February 1, disrupting what was already an extraordinarily busy day at the fourth Disney park in Central Florida. Guests who came to say goodbye to DINOSAUR and DinoLand U.S.A. witnessed an unrelated emergency developing on the other side of the park.
Emergency Systems Activate During Performance
The 10:00 a.m. showing of Festival of the Lion King was already underway when the situation developed. Social media user @bmodealex captured the aftermath from just outside the attraction, posting images that revealed the scope of the response:
So I know everyone is focused on Dino but uhhhh folk has the fire alarm going off and this sprinkler is drenching the queue
So I know everyone is focused on Dino but uhhhh folk has the fire alarm going off and this sprinkler is drenching the queue pic.twitter.com/j4H9QUCTlH
— Alex (@BModeAlex) February 1, 2026
The photographs show water cascading from overhead sprinklers, saturating the queue area where guests would normally wait for entry. Disney cast members typically stationed throughout the queue line had been repositioned outside the affected zone. The presence of multiple Disney leaders—the company’s designation for management-level personnel—indicated this wasn’t a routine operational hiccup.
Fire alarms continued blaring as emergency protocols played out, with staff managing crowd control and preventing guests from entering the compromised area.
Hours-Long Shutdown of Festival of the Lion King
Festival of the Lion King performances came to a complete halt following the emergency. The My Disney Experience app reflected the disruption, showing the attraction closed until 2:00 p.m.—a four-hour window that wiped out three scheduled performances at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m.
Operations resumed at 2:00 p.m., with performances continuing through the 5:00 p.m. show time and the attraction maintaining its regular schedule thereafter.
A High-Stakes Show With Thorough Safety Checks
Festival of the Lion King isn’t your typical theme park show. The 30-minute production showcases Broadway-caliber talent performing complex choreography, aerial work on trapezes, trampoline acrobatics, puppetry, and—notably—fire juggling and knife throwing.
The show celebrates The Lion King through music, dance, and spectacle, bringing characters like Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa to life while honoring the African cultural influences that shaped the 1994 animated film. Performances typically occur on the hour, starting at 10:00 a.m., drawing substantial crowds due to the show’s reputation as one of Disney’s premier live entertainment offerings.
Given the pyrotechnic elements used in regular performances, any fire-related emergency requires an exhaustive investigation before the show can resume safely. Whether the incident stemmed from performance equipment, building systems, or another source remains unconfirmed.
Disney Remains Silent
Walt Disney World Resort has not issued a statement regarding Sunday’s emergency. The company maintains a pattern of not publicly discussing individual operational disruptions unless they affect broad swaths of the property or create ongoing guest impact.
By Sunday evening, Festival of the Lion King appeared to be functioning normally with no visible signs of continued problems. The attraction’s operating schedule showed no further interruptions.
Turbulent Day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
The fire emergency compounded an already complex operational situation at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Unseasonably cold temperatures—a rarity for Central Florida in any season—created infrastructure challenges across Walt Disney World Resort.
Kali River Rapids delayed its opening due to freezing conditions. Ice formed on fountains throughout the property. Yet guest attendance surged as people made final pilgrimages to DinoLand U.S.A. before its permanent closure.
DINOSAUR itself suffered technical malfunctions on Sunday, closing intermittently throughout the day and preventing many guests from experiencing the ride one last time before its scheduled permanent closure on Monday, February 1.
Restaurantosaurus and various Quick-Service food locations throughout DinoLand U.S.A. also close permanently on Monday. Other portions of the land, including Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama and The Boneyard, were already shuttered in phases throughout 2025.
Disney plans to demolish the entire area and construct Pueblo Esperanza, a Tropical Americas land featuring two Encanto (2021)-inspired attractions and an Indiana Jones retheme of the DINOSAUR ride system. Imagineers have emphasized that the experience will differentiate itself from Disneyland Resort’s Indiana Jones Adventure, despite using identical ride technology.
The new land targets a 2027 opening, though Disney hasn’t committed to specific timing within that year.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever seen at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
