Based on the recent popular film this daytime only parade began on Friday, July 1, 1994. It featured characters from the Lion King. This parade was quite popular and played for three years. This is the first parade to include an Animatronic character of Simba on a moving float! For the first time Audio Animatronic like figures were used on the floats and remote controlled crocodiles and large African bugs followed them down the street.There was even a waterfall on a float and rain coming down from the jungle canopy. At intervals the parade would stop and the performers would put on a brief street show for the guests featuring Circle Of Life.
Lion King Celebration was designed to tell the story of Simba as if it was a tale that had been told for generations. It featured six different floats and a host of audio-animatronics, "Puppetronics", costumed characters, and live dancers, all carefully designed to accurately display and portray African artwork, tribal designs, and dances. There were over 75 people involved with each parade.
The floats were separated by lively groups of dancers and performers, all of whom were costumed to look like various species of African animals. Eventually, the parade procession would stop, and Mufasa's voice could be heard telling Simba to take his place in the Circle of Life. The song "Circle of Life" would begin to play as Simba roared and symbolic white doves were released from one of the floats, thus marking the end of the parade.