It looked like opening night of a Broadway hit — hundreds of people wrapped around the block waiting their turn at the box office.

        Only it wasn't Broadway; it was Broadway in Cincinnati. And it wasn't night, but pre-dawn.

IF YOU GO

The Lion King will play Tuesdays through Sundays, March 21 to May 18, at the Aronoff Center's Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St., downtown.    Tickets, $20-$75, are available 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today at the Aronoff Center box office. Starting Monday, tickets will be available at the Aronoff and Music Hall, 1243 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, and the Broadway in Cincinnati office at the Mercantile Center, 414 Walnut St. For information, call 241-2345.    To order tickets by phone, call (513) 241-7469 or go online at ticketmaster.com.

        Broadway smash The Lion King won't roar into town until March 21, but by 5:30 a.m. Saturday, hundreds of people were eagerly awaiting the 6 a.m. opening of the Aronoff Center box office. The line had curled around Walnut Street north to the corner of Seventh and Main.

        Cincinnati fans “are the largest crowd so far” for the national tour's first-day sales, now in its sixth month, said Lion King spokesman Scott Hemerling. Over its eight-week run here —through May 18 — the show will play to almost 200,000.

        By day's end, Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati expected to have sold $1 million in tickets, breaking previous records.

        First in line were Becky Stone and friends, who arrived at 7:15 p.m. Friday. Ms. Stone of Westwood and her friends all work at Playhouse in the Park's costume shop. They came equipped with tarp, folding table, cards, food, a jug of water and Scrabble.

        Lion King is the winner of six Tony Awards, most for design and director Julie Taymor for the musical's exotic puppetry, costumes and dance, which personify the African veldt.

        The Mays family of Eastgate camped overnight. Youngsters Jerry, Josh and Justin picked up souvenir paw prints from the sidewalk leading to the box office. Not far behind was Barbara Gerla of Blue Ash — on crutches.

        Despite heavy fog and intermittent misting rain, the line lengthened as dawn broke.

        The Lion King is also looking like a boycott-buster.

        Several African-American ticket buyers commented that they had to think long and hard, but ultimately the Disney blockbuster held the day.

        Deborah Brooks of Paddock Hills said, “I've been supporting the boycott, but I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

        Laura Anderson of Evendale said, “I respect the boycott, but let's be real. I'm coming (to this show).”

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