From a Disney press release:

"Legend of The Lion King" Stage Show Roars to Life At Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Disney's hit animated motion picture musical, "The Lion King," has been transformed for Walt Disney World guests into a spectacular, three-dimensional live-theater experience using a new kind of living animation.

"Legend of The Lion King," featuring the music of Elton John and Tim Rice from the film classic, is performed daily on a giant stage in the Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Theater with a cast of Disney Humanimals portraying the movie roles.

Larger than life figures that look just like their animated film counterparts, Disney Humanimals are manipulated, not by electronics, but by human "animateers" hidden from audience view. They are larger and more life-like than any puppets. Mufasa the Lion King, for instance, is seven feet long -- tip to tail -- and six feet tall.

The legend is narrated by Rafiki, the wise shaman baboon, high priest to the court of Mufasa. Mufasa's son, Simba, is destined to inherit his father's throne, but first he must overcome the deadly schemes of his wicked uncle Scar and his own self-indulgence with a troupe of happy-go-lucky jungle dropouts.

The story is filled with heart-pounding drama and uproarious humor in action and music.

With the help of Rafiki's narration, memorable moments and music from the motion picture become a spectacular Magic Kingdom theatrical experience. The dramatic "Circle of Life" overture of the Disney film is used to introduce the presentation before guests enter the 500-seat theater where they are engulfed in an African fantasy environment beneath giant acacia trees at sunset.

The 125-foot-wide stage is actually bigger than the seating area, permitting the use of giant-size sets in keeping with the scope of the story -- the rocky "Pride lands" of Africa, deep jungle, moonlit watering holes and the Serengeti grasslands that seem to be alive.

The performers at times seem near enough to touch from front-row seats.

And just as the appearances of the animal stars in the "cels" created by Disney animators reflect the personalities of the talented actors who provide their voices, the colorful Disney Humanimals on stage are an extension of the live actors below stage level providing a myriad of movements and expression for each performer -- smiles and frowns, winking eyes, expressive shrugs, furtive walks and dancing steps.

"It's hard to believe they are not live performers," says show director Fran Soeder. "It's like watching a ‘cel' from the film come to life."

"Humanimals provide an exciting new way to translate an animated feature into a Disney stage show," says Soeder, who also directed the tremendously popular "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" at Disney-MGM Studios.

"Every element of this show seems to live and breathe, including Africa, where the story takes place. The grass sways in the breeze, light filters through the leaves on the trees . . . Each and every part of this show interacts with the others, making the audience feel they are in the heart of the film."

During the story, Simba grows from a two-and-a-half-foot cuddly cub . . . to a seven-foot full-grown lion. The transition is smoothed by stage sets which move in magically from every direction -- including an 18-foot pride rock that rises from below the stage.

Some effects are achieved through sophisticated technology, such as special visual effects created on a fog which drifts across the stage.

The most thrilling and dramatic moment comes when Uncle Scar succeeds in luring Mufasa into the path of a huge stampede to "save Simba." Thousands of wildebeests come racing out of the distance. The deafening roar of their hoof beats passes over the heads of the audience, then dies in the distance, leaving the little cub, Simba, beside the body of his royal father.

Simba blames himself for Mufasa's death and escapes to a faraway jungle to try and forget everything in a thoughtless, carefree life. Years later he is reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Nala, and discovers that Mufasa is not dead but lives within the heart of the rightful lion king, Simba himself.

The show features the songs from the film, including: "The Circle of Life"; Simba's happy solo, "I Can't Wait to Be King"; the wicked Uncle's boastful "Be Prepared"; and the national anthem of Simba's thoughtless jungle mischief-maker playmates, "Hakuna Matata" (No Worries).

Rock-and-roll legend Elton John and Academy Award-winning lyricist Tim Rice teamed up to create the original score for the film which is also the heart of the stage presentation. Robert Guillaume expands his role as Rafiki to provide the narration for the Walt Disney World presentation.

The cast also includes Zazu, a hornbill who serves as Mufasa's majordomo; Pumbaa, the warthog; Timon the meerkat; and Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, the laughing hyenas.

The show is performed up to three times per hour each day. There is a cast of 10 for each performance. In one scene, it takes five of the "animateers" to create the movements of one large figure.