LAS VEGAS, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney's THE LION
KING at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas welcomed its one-millionth guest
this weekend during "Fan Appreciation Month" as part of its
two-year anniversary celebration. THE LION KING's run in Las Vegas
marks the production's longest sit-down engagement off Broadway in
North America.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110524/LA08345)
The Welch family of Las Vegas
was named the lucky winner and received an ultimate summer getaway.
The family – comprised of parents Robert and Shaneka, and daughters
Rachael, 7, and Kaitlynn, 6 – saw THE LION KING for the first time
as their Mother's Day gift to
Shaneka. The 16-year Vegas residents' prize package includes an
all-expenses-paid trip to New York
City where they will enjoy Disney's Mary Poppins and THE LION KING on Broadway.
Before jetting off to the Big Apple, the family will celebrate with
a relaxing two-night staycation at Mandalay Bay in a luxurious
suite.
"I saw THE LION KING for the first time [today], and it was
fantastic," said winner Robert
Welch. "It's unbelievable [to be the millionth guest]; I'm
shocked and amazed; I can't believe it. Shaneka added, "The stage,
the settings, the costumes - everything was just so beautiful and
beyond what I would've imagined at all. It was great how they
transformed you into the world, and the music was beautiful; it was
an amazing show."
Thomas Schumacher, producer of
THE LION KING and president of Disney Theatrical Group said, "We'd
like to thank the Las Vegas locals
and tourists who've embraced THE LION KING at Mandalay Bay, helping
us to reach this significant milestone."
Mandalay Bay's production of THE LION KING is virtually
identical to the other companies seen around the globe and is
staged with all of the same spectacular music, sets and costumes
that have made it a worldwide phenomenon. The Las Vegas production features an international
cast of performers who have won acclaim in productions of THE LION
KING around the world including Broadway, Taipei, South
Africa, London,
Los Angeles, Australia, Toronto, Shanghai, Paris and Holland. Within nine weeks of its Las Vegas debut, Disney's THE LION KING broke
the Mandalay Bay box office record and continued to break its own
record four more times within two years.
The smash hit has been seen by more than 55 million people in 18
different productions worldwide since its 1997 premiere. THE LION
KING productions have grossed more than $4.3
billion to date and have cumulatively run 83 years.
Newsweek calls the Tony® Award-winning sensation "a landmark
event in entertainment" and The New York
Times says, "You will gasp again and again at the visual
majesty of the show…There is simply nothing else like it."
About THE LION KING
Mandalay Bay's production of THE LION KING continues to reign as
a landmark musical event, winning audiences over with extraordinary
musical score, breathtaking costumes and a heartfelt story, while
earning record-breaking numbers at the Mandalay Bay Theatre. The
show is performed Monday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday shows at
4 p.m. and 8 p.m. THE LION KING
Las Vegas will perform its final show Dec.
30, 2011. For additional information, visit
www.lionkinglasvegas.com.
ABOUT MANDALAY BAY RESORT & CASINO
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is a AAA Four Diamond
Award-winning destination resort set on 60 lush acres and offers
3,635 newly remodeled rooms and suites, including 424
accommodations managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Mandalay
Bay Beach, an 11-acre tropical
pool environment, features real California sand, a wave pool and the only
climate-controlled poolside gaming in the city. The property also
features the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center, award-winning
restaurants, Shark Reef Aquarium and the 1.5-million-square-foot
Mandalay Bay Convention Center – the largest convention center on
the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay Bay's brands include THEhotel, an
all-suite hotel featuring 1,117 luxurious one-bedroom suites, the
BATHHOUSE Spa, and Mandalay Place, a collection of unique boutiques
and restaurants. Mandalay Bay is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM
Resorts International™ (NYSE: MGM). For more information and
reservations, visit the website at www.mandalaybay.com or call toll
free at (877) 632-7000.
SOURCE THE LION KING