We planned our trip at the last minute, so we weren't able to get tickets at a reasonable price for any of the newest shows. However, we had all heard that The Lion King was an interesting show, so we chose that. Our seats were about halfway back on the main floor, on the left side. We had an unobstructed view and paid $118 per seat. There were many children in the audience but all were quiet and well-behaved once the show began.

The show began slightly late, but started with performers coming down the aisles of both the floor and the balcony with puppets of various animals, singing the main title, "The Circle of Life". Most of the animal characters aside from the lions were portrayed by a combination of a human and a puppet. The humans behind the hyenas were a little distracting, but the rest were innovative and interesting to watch. The young actors portraying young Simba and Nala were incredibly professional and gifted. The scenery was simple but used in creative ways. The story is essentially the same as the movie, but some of the jokes had been changed. I found that odd and disconcerting because I know the movie well enough to tell when a line had been changed, and it seemed that the new punchlines were not an improvement. However, the new music that was added to the show fits well.

After the show, we spent about half an hour in the lobby. It is on the second floor of the building, and has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square. So, we were complete tourists snapping shots out of the windows of all the neon. Overall, we enjoyed the show and since we had time for only one Broadway experience, we are glad we did not take a chance on an unknown story.

FRONT ROW SEATS TO THE BEST MUSICAL I'VE EVER SEEN! I've seen Chicago, The Producers, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Movin Out... THIS WAS THE BEST! The costumes were amazing, the interaction with the crowd, the acting, the believability, the set design. It was worth the premium... never have I experienced something so great.

I absolutely love The Lion King. The show is definitely worth seeing and can be enjoyed by children as well. Excellent costumes that transform the actors into animals make the show stand out. The actors come down the aisles, so it's best to sit on the orchestra level so you'll have a better view. This is one of the few long-running shows that is worth the full ticket price. However, if you're on a budget, check theatermania.com or playbill.com to see if you can get discount tickets in advance. Or, go to the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show to see if tickets are available there. Tickets from TKTS are up to 50% off.

For me to even attempt to describe this play in words will do the Lion King an injustice, but I loved it so much that I’ll make an attempt. However, when you see it, don’t hold my lack of descriptive words against me,

Maybe I should start by explaining that I have wanted to see the Lion King on Broadway since it opened seven years ago. I had seen a traveling cast for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and I knew that The Lion King would far surpass even that extravaganza. And it did.

Tickets started at $100, which seems pricey, but I would have easily paid that and more just to see and hear the first 10 minutes. I started to get all teary-eyed as the character of Rafiki began to sing, and all of the “animals” came to the stage to pay homage to the newly born lion king, Simba. There were giraffes (puppets of course, but so magnificent that you were momentarily fooled), a cheetah (which was a costume that moved flawlessly with its wearer, attached not only on her arms and legs but also by wires to her head, which caused the cheetah’s head to move exactly as hers did), birds, hyenas, and yes, even a life-sized elephant. That’s right – I said LIFE-SIZED.

That was just literally, and figuratively, the beginning. The young Simba and Nala were so engaging, I couldn’t believe they were eight years old. The costumes for Scar and Mufasa were out of this world – at first, it just looked like the lions heads were something of a headdress, but the lions’ heads could easily become animated, falling in front of the actors’ faces to make them even more realistic. The set was also fantastic – even how it was demonstrated that Pride Rock’s water supply was drying up – just unbelievable.

It really is something you need to experience. Disney has done a great service for both the Amsterdam theater (renovated recently) and the 42nd Street area to revitalize and bring even more people than ever to NY City. Spend the money on the tickets – you won’t miss it, and you’ll see the play of a lifetime. As the marquis states, it’s the “eighth wonder of the world.”

As a side note, take time during the intermission to talk to the ushers – hear their stories and learn about the theater. The paintings in the Amsterdam Theater are all based on Shakespeare’s stories. The ushers are union and paid by Disney – probably with the strictest policies (they can’t sit during the show, etc.). The usher I spoke with was named Carla and she was very informative!

OK, I didn't want to go and see this show. I had no desire to see Disney on Broadway. I knew it was going to be huge and amazing . . . but it was really HUGE AND AMAZING! This and Beauty and the Beastand Aida are the best shows to take young children to on Broadway. This is the best one! In the first five minutes of the show, I was in tears. You will not believe your eyes: huge animals walking through the theater, a chorus like you wouldn't believe, and AMAZING SPECIAL EFFECTS!!! AMAZING!! Yes, they do keep to the movie script, but they added so much more. They added great new songs and African chants. You will be very glad you went to see this. But I must tell you, the chances on getting tickets to this are very, very slim. Get tickets in advance; don't wait for the day of the show, or forget about it! See you in the dark!