darklordoftech said:

All of Disney's alterations are either results of branching or in response to a claim that something is offensive/sexual/copyright-infringing, etc. Never has a non-branching "original version" had updated special effects.

The Lion King Blu-ray still has the IMAX release reanimated bits at the beginning (new crocodiles, etc). That had nothing to do with politically correct stuff like editing out the dust that said either "SEX" or "SFX" (depending on who you believe), it was change just for the sake of change... and it wouldn't even be THAT bad if either it looked better than the original animation or if they didn't claim it was how it was originally shown theatrically.