Opening to The Lion King [1995 VHS]

How the heck did this blow up?!
Released in 1995 by Walt Disney Home Video.
Table of Contents:
1. Green Warnings
2. Walt Disney World Promo
3. Pocahontas Trailer
5. Coming Soon to Videocassette bumper
6. Cinderella Trailer
7. Angels in the Outfield Trailer
8. The Aristocats Trailer
9. "And now, our Feature Presentation."
10. Green Format Screen
11. "In Remembrance of Frank Wells"
12. 1990 Walt Disney Pictures Logo
13. "Walt Disney Pictures Presents"
All copyrights acknowledged.

[@benmarleor]

I was born in 1991...I remember these previews so well. The nostalgia...I'm actually in tears 😭

[@xakamaix]

I was also born in '91. Same exact feeling.

[@jasonl3154]

That makes 3 of us 🙏🏼

[@rickycarr4337]

I was born in 2000, I miss those Disney openings

[@madizzle90]

I was born in '90, and same.

[@kylehegedus5498]

Lord Marleor I was born in 92, and same.

[@mangestuhoshi4475]

I'm crying 😭 this is literally my childhood right here

[@elizavee7771]

Happy the magic of friendship.

[@AR-rb8jr]

I'm 31 I am too

[@sierracook3343]

Same here!

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

Same here

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

I'm turning 33 i am to 😥😥😥😥😥😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@slashtitan1035]

Damn, I miss my childhood. This takes me right back to 1999 when I was 3 years old and would sit in front of the TV all day watching The Lion King back to back without a single care or worry in the world. The first opening was my favorite because it would always give me that magical Disney feeling.

[@evanopedal]

I was the same age as well. I watched this VHS a million times till it wore out as a result of watching it too many times.

[@YusufYusuf-ti2rz]

You two guys were too young to remember the 90s and late 80s now I remember very well in the early 90s and late 80s I was born in 1986 and believe me I remember the magic of those times

[@campjinx]

Thank you so much. It’s 5am and my roommate and I started talking about the intro to Lion King and it’s crazy how much we remembered about this!!! What a trip down memory lane!

[@DarthDimadome]

This opening always felt different from the other Disney VHS openings. This movie always felt different from other Disney movies. It was a good kind of different in both cases.

[@jakemetzgar]

Brandon Silbor that’s one of the many reasons why it was the best selling vhs of all time

[@kalgarc]

Different how?

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

@@kalgarc it just is 🤷‍♀️ I feel like an Apple Jacks commercial lol It’s like Frozen and Encanto, this was ours LOL it captivated everyone!!

[@welldoopwelldoop]

@@kalgarc there is no reason because it's an entirely subjective statement. He feels it's different because he watched it a lot as a child and is biased lmao

[@vivir339]

I actually kinda get what you mean. There’s something about this opening that felt a little more special (even if they were all just ads lol). I think it’s the fact that it was just longer than usual. Playing an entire scene from Pocahontas was also great. It gave off a completely different tone that probably wouldn’t have worked with a normal trailer.

[@ALadyGemMusic]

I still have all of my Disney VHS tapes simply because the openings are so nostalgic!!

[@livingwithautism3789]

I still have all of my Disney VHS tapes simply because the openings are so nostalgic!!

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

I love the old Disney blue screen it’s so simple…the new one with the park and castle is so sensory overwhelming!

[@livingwithautism3789]

I love the old Disney blue screen it’s so simple…the new one with the park and castle is so sensory overwhelming!

[@SkilesHasFun]

The Lion King VHS is the reason I know the words to Colors of the Wind.

[@alalahoward1299]

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon.

[@redchojnowski7159]

@@alalahoward1299 Or ask the Bobcat why he grins.

[@alalahoward1299]

@@redchojnowski7159 Disney's Bonkers reference.

[@deepdirt]

You can own the Earth and still, all you’ll own is earth until, you paint with all the colors of theeee winddddd

[@alalahoward1299]

@@deepdirt I'm John Smith, what's your name?

[@youthchildofgod7381]

My childhood has come back from the dead

[@chaivang4786]

:Rolly Raccoon.🦝 Trying the panda twins, sisters & brothers new world is my little taller. :Peppa Pig.🐷 It's a time to go home masterpieces equestria girls_ rainbow rocks!

[@thebeeper1861]

I remember watching this on my brothers TV while they were at school and I was too little to go, they taught me how to work a VCR so I can watch a movie whenever I wanted. Good times...good times...

[@stefan61899]

This brought back memories omg I appreciate this

[@davidbennett5894]

The Aristocats is a #1 film filled with excitement, romance, and music you'll be dancing to all night long.

[@joshmontemayor1212]

Speaking of The Aristocats, March 1995 to April 1996 must've been a pretty long wait for the movie to be released on VHS.

[@thewaywardpoet]

I know it isn't at all historically accurate, but man, if that preview for "Pocahontas" didn't get me intrigued and excited for the movie! It was gorgeously drawn and animated, and that song really sweeps you up.

[@xakamaix]

Thank you so much for posting this!! I watched The Lion King VHS so much that the tape got stuck in the VCR and ruined around 20 years ago. Seeing this for the first time in years brought back so many memories. :')

[@ellylynn7143]

These are the only trailers I don’t mind watching! 😭❤️

[@OurMagicalJourneyFL]

Just wanna say, thank you for uploading this. At 28yrs old, its nice to travel back in time to me sitting in front of my grandparents tv.

[@CG-jq5vu]

I was born in 1992 and I remember watching this before the movie started, now I’m going to go watch the Lion King 2019 on June 18. This is crazy.

[@PowerRangersLostGalaxyFanFilm]

Same.

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

My sister was born in 1992 to I'm guessing you are the same age and she is now engaged

[@alalahoward1299]

@@johnnyboy-ws3we Your sibling is 29 years old?

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

@@alalahoward1299 yes she is and she will be 30 next year

[@mediamaniaable]

I was born in 1995. Having grown up with VHS all my life, these particular previews sure bring back some wonderful memories, especially the Pocahontas trailer with the song Colors Of The Wind (I’ll never forget the first time I saw that trailer). At times, I still imagine my 5-year-old self from 20 years ago watching The Lion King on VHS in its entirety.

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

Wow i have a little brother who was born in 1995 to

[@alalahoward1299]

@@johnnyboy-ws3we He's almost 27!

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

@@alalahoward1299 he's going on 27

[@thewaywardpoet]

I read someone's comment on here saying that the opening of this VHS felt different from the others. I felt that too and, after watching it a couple times, I realized what it was that made it feel that way: the "Pocahontas" trailer. Putting a full song (the best song in "Pocahontas," in my opinion) into the trailer, the choice of scenes they chose to incorporate and the way they wove it all together spoke of something grand and magnificent. It was a fitting and worthy trailer given the overall tone of "The Lion King," which is why I think they chose to include the entire song for it. But I do distinctly remember thinking as a child that the feel of this opening was far different from all the rest.

[@bee-here]

I think I'm even more nostalgic about these commercials than I am about the actual movie.

[@lefou_mma]

The Disney World commercial was probably the only thing I remember from this VHS 😭

[@cristyrodas]

0:24 I just noticed that the piano music in the background is playing A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes!!!🎶

[@jerelminter]

Ah yes, these were the days before digital movie streaming services, DVD's and Blu-Ray's were a thing. I miss the good old fashioned VHS tape (which you had to have the actual copy of, no downloading) that you inserted into your VCR in order to watch the movies you wanted to watch. I threw out my VCR years ago because it was broken, but I would love to own one again just to relive these memories of watching home videos the old fashioned way.

[@flaccidusminimus2170]

I still have two VCRs, but no tapes. Converted them all to disc to conserve space, but I kept all the previews at the beginning. Still, the clamshell cases just hit differently.

[@toonkid5196]

Stuff like this makes me want to shed a tear.

[@spyreofthewolves8125]

You mean to tell me they stuck the ENTIRE VERSION of Colors of the Wind into ONE preview?

[@jish55]

Yep, Disney made their vhs previews a form of art.

[@quinnbrown8347]

Thats what I'm saying!!!

[@dangurney1042]

Well except the opening part where Pocahontas sings about John Smith thinking she's an ignorant savage.

[@jakemetzgar]

Andrew Reid oh yes! I remember watching this trailer on my grandpas big tv when I was a kid and I was like “I want to see that!”

[@Lycon721995]

Thats the best damn preview i've ever seen, i forgot the song all together since i was born in 1995

[@jacksondune327]

I never thought I would actually miss movie advertisements in my VHS tapes.

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

I was born in 1989 man i really loved watching these previews as a kid and I used to watch the lion king all the time man what memories I had as a kid

[@alalahoward1299]

You're 32 years old?

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

@@alalahoward1299 not yeat i will be 32 on 23rd of September how about you were you also born in 1989 like me

[@justsomeguy4206]

Wow this takes me back. I remember watching this movie on VHS when I was little. Born in 1994

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

wow me to my birth year is 1989

[@AlexAceves1994]

Same year I was born.

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

​@@AlexAceves1994witch on one 1989 like me or 1994

[@ambergonzalez4993]

This is amazing thank you for the memories ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@flaccidusminimus2170]

Interesting trivia: this was the best-selling VHS tape in this history of home video. Over 32 million tapes sold in the U.S. alone. Finding Nemo eventually sold more, but on DVD.

[@alalahoward1299]

8 years?

[@patrickblake123]

This brings back memories...

[@TravisjackDreaverattigabandone]

Yes me too

[@blazerider99]

I mean... i literally started tearing up, how can people think there is no God. Look at such a beautiful masterpiece in all the infinite nature of the universe. So proud to be a 90s kid. 🥰💙

[@ama-ri_vox]

R.I.P. Frank Wells 10:40

[@kevinabraham06]

B.1932-D.1994

[@davidbennett5894]

Cinderella had her heart to guide her, she had her friends to help her, and she had a Fairy Godmother to make her dreams come true.

[@hyperdrivepics]

I may legitimately have to play this on my tv before every viewing of my Lion King Blu Ray to make it an authentic experience.

[@davidbennett5894]

On June 23rd, 1995 Walt Disney Pictures brings an American legend to life.

[@TropicsAndFood]

That aged poorly

[@brianshrode72]

"And now, our feature presentation." Oh how that brings me back to my childhood

[@phillipbookout6889]

I was born in 1995. I grew up watching these on VCR tapes. I watched the lion King my whole life.

[@alalahoward1299]

You're 26 years old?

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

your my brother's age now

[@brandonmccarver6800]

Whenever I see Joseph Gordon Levitt I still refer to him as "that kid from Angels in the Outfield" 😅

[@deepdirt]

Man those kids with the suitcase made me wanna go to Disney World sooo bad as a kid. But alas my family was too poor.

[@redchojnowski7159]

My Dearest Mother did not care for The Lion King, or Pocahontas, because she was a religious Catholic. But I'm going to be honest: I actually feel her presence in The Lion King and Pocahontas. My Dearest Mother went to the Spirits in 2012, and I hope she knows how much I love her. Because I love her very much. Everytime I listen to The Circle of Life, and Mufasa explaining to Simba about how his time will set on the Kingdom, and Simba's reign will dawn, and when I listen to Colors of the Wind, and You Will Understand, I always feel my Dearest Mother's presence. I love you, Dearest Mother.

[@alalahoward1299]

Did you just saw Disney has Native and African cultural themes?

[@zerogranger]

I was born in 92 and I remember the Disney World preview on here always made me want to go to Disney World so badly. Luckily I was able to go when I was 8 and it was such a great time. Goofy definitely was huge

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

My sister was born in 1992 also

[@petergresh516]

I went to Disney world in 2000 and 2017

[@alalahoward1299]

@@johnnyboy-ws3we She's 30?

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

@@alalahoward1299 she's turning 30 in 3 months in july

[@samizayed6010]

Am 30 too

[@lonewanderer5529]

3:02 Yes! I can paint with all the colors of the wind!

[@nickchristensen1819]

That aristocats trailer, wow that memory was buried real deep

[@alexwells9948]

The Lion King is the story of a young cub named Simba, who is destined to become King of the Jungle

[@aireallp]

I know the words to all of these previews and the movie 💙💙💙. I’m 30 and still put Lion King on if I can’t fall asleep

[@jazsminp1362]

These Disney movie trailers before lion king comes on are my best childhood!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😊😊😊😊

[@Actors317]

I remember watching this tape...like it was yesterday.

[@josem.castorena4853]

VHS days were the BEST!!! They were my childhood.

[@Musicradio77Network]

I still have this VHS, and I saw this on Freeform last week or so, but sadly, this film when it was on Freeform has the 2006 WDP logo instead of the 1990 WDP and the 2003 “Flashlight” logo, that’s an example of what they called logo plastering. I used to have the “Platinum Edition” DVD and has the 2003 “Flashlight” logo plastered over this one, and the “Diamond Edition” has the 2006 logo plastered over this one, same goes with the “Signature Edition” and the digital copy of this movie that I downloaded recently. Logo plastering sucks when I saw this last night on Freeform where the 2006 logo was shown.

[@billnumber3324]

I remember watching this my first came out, and being especially excited to see the trailer for the Cinderella VHS, since I had missed owning it the first time around.

[@garrettmiles3644]

The K Lion King was the first VHS movie we had that I gravitated towards when I was a kid. I watched it literally all the time, so I remember seeing these trailers very well. Especially the very first one. I was thinking the other day how I wish I could find this and see what was on there. This took me right back to my childhood. Very nostalgic for me.

[@jesseherrera6970]

The K Lion King was the first VHS movie we had that l gravitated towards when l was a kid . I watched it trailer very well . Especially the very first one . I was thinking the other day how l wish

[@cmvogt5951]

I remember this Previews when I was a Little Kid, My God this took me back for my Childhood.

[@dinahkyle3196]

*after seeing trailer for Pocahontas* We're gonna be RICH

[@jessicaortegon50]

1:24 Pocahontas Trailer Taken From The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure 1994 VHS (Disney)

[@alessioatria4574]

This VHS was my intro to Pocahontas and what a good introduction it was.

[@alalahoward1299]

Have you heard she sings "Blue corn moon"?

[@GabrielD2002]

The tape I used to have contains the angels in the outfield preview, but in a different variant.

[@arikhartnett9834]

Timon: Where's the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection logo, Pumbaa? Pumbaa: Gone. due to Disney not re-releasing Pinocchio, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Fox and the Hound into the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection, because of the IMAX re-releases. However, The WDMC logo made it's last appearance on early DVD releases of Pinocchio, some prints of The Fox and the Hound and UK prints of The Rescuers Down Under.

[@elizavee7771]

🐴🐘

[@J-RS21]

Brings back memories

[@Buzzkillington11]

I’m crying in the club right now.

[@christianvelez5608]

Hit em with a mf RIP

[@Hacker-yc5st]

There no crying in the club!!!

[@alexglass2927]

I enjoy The Lion King!!! It's a childhood of mine!!! I also enjoy other Disney movies that are as great as The Lion King like the Aristocats, Beauty and the Beast, Fox and the hound, and Lilo and Stitch!!!

[@alalahoward1299]

You saw this for 28 years?

[@alexglass2927]

@@alalahoward1299 Yep though I've seen it in my youth in the 2000s so I've seen it for like 21 years now!!! I was born in 2000!!!

[@alalahoward1299]

@@alexglass2927 How old are you?

[@ares9618]

8:30 That sky background reminds me of 1996 Warner Home Video logo background!

[@Zane536]

Even though you can't see us.. we're always watch.

[@riftshredder5438]

If only the Blu-ray had all this stuff

[@collinmartin2566]

Dude i remember it so well, i remember we literally had boxes and boxes of vhs tapes of tons of movies

[@mo6live]

The angels in the outfield was that extended on my tape

[@BazookaJoe7565]

0:24 such a classic Disney preview🙂

[@raylizana5799]

“And now, our Feature Presentation.”

[@alalahoward1299]

(GREAT OVATION PLAYS)

[@raylizana5799]

That’s scared me 😱

[@KeenanRohlman8323]

Just realized that the kid is Joseph Gordon Levitt in Angles in the Outfield

[@SanAndreas2628]

I still have this tape and my VCR still works

[@futuremovieactor]

Has to be one of the most classic video openings of all-time. At least Top 5.

[@inaritenko]

I think this was the first vhs I owned

[@jeffreylong3963]

9:07 - "You're not a lady. You're nothing but a sister!"

[@SolarFarle]

9:50 QUIET!

[@brandonhaygood5286]

I remember hating those kids because they got to go to Disneyland and had such a nice house.

[@thelast_dinonugget]

I was just jealous that they got to have a house with stairs lmao

[@brandonhaygood5286]

@@thelast_dinonugget lol same

[@billnumber3324]

It was Disney World, but yes, totally jealous.

[@jeffreylong3963]

9:49 - "Quiet!"

[@ParkerRognrud]

Petition to bring Mark Elliott and Brian Cummings back to VO Disney+ ads? Maybe bring back WHDV bumpers before playing your selection?

[@superjackster0165]

That can’t happen. Mark Elliot died

[@ParkerRognrud]

@@superjackster0165 I saw. Very sad news. I wonder if anyone has found out how. Regardless, Brian Cummings would still be great.

[@joshmontemayor1212]

​​@@ParkerRognrud, Mark Elliott passed away due to a heart attack. He will always be remember as the voice of Disney.

[@deesimonds9591]

I guess with the trailer for The Aristocats appearing on the Lion King VHS, I assume that film was originally going to be released onto VHS for its 25th anniversary in 1995, but for some reason was pushed back to April 24, 1996. A similar trailer appears on the Pocahontas VHS.

[@joshmontemayor1212]

I've heard that The Aristocats is not that good.

[@TropicsAndFood]

@@joshmontemayor1212idk why they delay it. I’d say aristocrats is at best decent b ur at worst mediocre

[@davidbennett5894]

Danny Glover, Tony Danza, and Christopher Lloyd appear in Angels in the Outfield.

[@alalahoward1299]

7:15 Roger Murtaugh, Tony Micelli, and Doc Brown see Cameron James playing baseball.

[@MissBarker93]

So many memories. ❤

[@Yellowlightning1996]

I never saw this in theaters, but who saw the movie in 1994?

[@AlexAceves1994]

I wasn't even born until September.

[@tonyparra8459]

I wasn't even around yet, I was born a year later in 1995, a month before Pocahontas came out.

[@madizzle90]

I have vague memories of it. I was 4.

[@johnnyboy-ws3we]

i was 4 going on 5 in 1994

[@JayGamerShow]

Brings an American Legend to Life....sort of..

[@jish55]

I wish Disney would do this again for Disney+ (like make it an option to have a bunch of coming features before the movie plays). Like seriously, this was legit art.

[@Lolakitten78]

I miss DVDs with previews

[@Musicradio77Network]

I still have the same VHS, and it’s going to run on Freeform during the “30 Days of Disney” starting this September, and you will not be seeing the 1990 WDP logo, and it will be showing either the 2006 WDP logo, or the 2010 Disney logo where it will be plastering over the old logo. The VHS had the 1990 logo intact before it got plastered. The 2003 “Platinum Edition” DVD did have the 2001 WDP “Orange Flashlight” logo which was the first film to get plastered. I did not see the live action remake yet, but I hope it will be coming out on digital downloads sometime this year.

[@jameslisle7775]

My childhood in one video!

[@rainbowrunner1550]

RIP James Earl Jones (1931-2024) You and the great kings of the past are looking down on us. Nobody could be a better Mufasa than you.

[@garrettlh9482]

i'm saddened that the newer releases of the OG Lion King on blu-ray doesn't use the classic bird chirp sounds when the VHS first came out that time during the opening to the movie

[@ashleybrown9996]

I remember owning this vhs as a kid

[@alalahoward1299]

How old are you?

[@jaredruff9823]

Me too.

[@sueladd8147]

Opening To The Lion King 1995 VHS

[@austinthevhsvideogamelover5265]

i got this exact same tape 5/25/19 on ebay along with snow white and the seven dwarfs and melody time.

[@jacksonbutterfly2964]

I remember watching angels in the outfield trailer over and over again.

[@alalahoward1299]

Did you just saw this boy from "10 Things I Hate About You"?

[@sketchygetchey8299]

Imagine if they did the same thing with Mulan or Frozen by having one of their songs be their trailer (you know which song you’re thinking).

[@TropicsAndFood]

I love this movie because it is thematic and timeless

[@zpushy633sora]

This was Uploaded on my Birthday.

[@gamezvideos2]

11:12 NAAAAAAAAAAANTS INGONYAAAAAAAAAAAMA BAGITHI BABAA!

[@LiLTailormade]

LMAO 😆 😂🤣🤣🤣💀 OMG IM CRYING!!!

[@kaylalezabeth7175]

Childhood...RELIVED......REBORN.

[@Matt__96]

NOSTALGIA

[@JuniorfanTheEnlightment]

This hits like a ton of nostalgia bricks!

[@ryanbearse8831]

Me too!

[@lenardmayfield5351]

This brings back my childhood