Even though Walt Disney World reopened in 2020, many of the entertainment options have remained closed throughout the parks. Now Disney has announced that an updated version of the “Finding Nemo – The Musical” is coming to the Animal Kingdom in 2022 and we have everything you need to know.
In this post, we’ll cover everything we know about the new “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond” including when the show is debuting, what’s changing, and all the other changes with one of Disney World’s most popular shows.
The wait is almost over as Disney has recently announced that “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” will open on June 13, 2022. Let’s see the details…
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Table of Contents
Overview
New info has come out about the show recently, so we’ll give you what Disney has officially announced so far and our thoughts and expectations for the new show.
The new show is still taking place in the Theater in the Wild, the previous location of the old show. We don’t expect many physical changes to be visible in the theater, it will pretty much look the same as before.
The original “Finding Nemo – The Musical” show was an abbreviated version of the classic Pixar film “Finding Nemo.” Disney has described “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond” as a “reimagined show, based on the same beloved characters.”
The show takes place during the events of the film “Finding Dory” and it will be set inside the Marine Life Institute. That likely makes it a sequel to the original show.
One of the biggest changes is the show length. The new ‘Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond’ is only 25 minutes long, whereas the previous ‘Finding Nemo: The Musical’ was 40 minutes long. That’s 15 minutes wiped off the production.
The story starts out with the group of fish from Dr. P. Sherman’s office in “Finding Nemo,” who have made their way across the ocean to the Marine Life Institute and they proceed to tell Nemo’s story.
The “Big Blue and…Beyond” will incorporate live performers, and putters as before, and many of the previous songs and production numbers from the original show are sticking around for this new version. That means you’ll still be able to sing along to favorites such as “In the Big Blue World.”
Disney said: “the musical retelling of this underwater tale of family, friendship and kindness will feature new story material, as well as keep fan-favorite songs such as “In the Big Blue World” and “Go with the Flow.”
The show will feature new scenic set pieces and a new LED video wall designed to visually extend the world created by the physical sets on stage. Some of these pieces are very impressive in size including a 32-foot-long sunken submarine and a fish tank volcano standing nearly 15 feet tall!
The artists and designers in charge of the new production have been working closely with Pixar Animation Studios to come up with a new aesthetic for “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” inspired by layered, cut paper sculptures.
The result is prop pieces that look fresh and unique for this show, while at the same time staying true to the designs in the original film. Check out the video below for a sneak peek.
Here is a video with a first look at ‘Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond’:
Our Thoughts
All this news comes at an interesting time since there have been many rumors circulating the internet that “Finding Nemo – The Musical” was going away forever.
Like many other shows in the Walt Disney World parks, “Finding Nemo – The Musical” didn’t reopen with the parks. Entertainment budgets have been severely cut over the last couple of years and many of the most popular shows just haven’t come back.
This has been slowly changing, and we’ve had to update our list of open Disney World attractions on a constant basis to keep up with which ones come back.
That’s why we are happy to hear that the show that’s been a staple in Disney’s Animal Kingdom since 2007 is in fact coming back, or at least a newly reimagined version of it.
Thankfully, from what we can tell, they aren’t going to be just re-telling the same story from “Finding Dory,” but instead will create an entirely new story, unique to the Animal Kingdom show, a different interpretation of Nemo’s adventure likely. We like this idea much more than a scene-by-scene retelling of a film we’ve already seen hundreds of times.
Even though Disney has announced some bigger set pieces, from the pictures posted on the press release, it doesn’t look like the “oversized puppets-style” of the original musical show are changing and they will still either be the same or very similar. There will still be performers in costume walking around the stage with these props for the show.
Some guests like this style while others find it cheesy or distracting. We happen to really like it as it’s a very unique way of storytelling.
We’re also happy that some form of the “Finding Nemo – The Musical” is returning to the Animal Kingdom since entertainment options there are slim at the moment. For many years the Animal Kingdom was only a half-day park, but in recent years it had firmly moved into full-day park territory if you really wanted to experience all the exhibits, rides, and shows.
But now with Primeval Whirl and Rivers of Light closed forever, it’s clear the park desperately needs another guest-eating show to keep people occupied during the long, hot afternoons.
While more changes are still needed, getting a “Finding Nemo” show back in the park will be the first step in the right direction.
We’re definitely happy that all those rumors about “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond” being permanently closed were false and that the show is only being reimagined. Obviously, Disney needed to turn around the negative press and they have a promising show on the way.
When Is It Opening?
When will the new replacement for “Finding Nemo – The Musical” open at the Animal Kingdom?
At this time all we know is that the new show will debut in the Theater in the Wild at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Summer 2022.
It will be yet another addition to the parks during the Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration but we don’t know exactly when it will open up during that year-and-a-half window.
At this point in time, we aren’t sure if the show is in rehearsals yet, but they will probably begin doing so soon with potentially only 2-3 months left before it opens to guests.
Our guess at this point is that Disney would like the new show ready by June 2022. That would be ideal as the Summer crowds will be filling the parks and it would be useful for the Animal Kingdom to have some more attractions by that point in time.
That however is just a guess and we do not have any insider info about the estimated opening date at this time.
We just hope the new show lives up to the last one and that it will eventually be considered one of the best attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As long as the show doesn’t suffer from some of the company’s recent cost-cutting practices, it has a chance to be as special as the original show.
Either way, it will definitely be one of the most anticipated new attractions coming to Disney World in the next few years.
As soon as we have more info on the new show we will update you. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, if you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates on Walt Disney World as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about a reimagined “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond” coming to the Animal Kingdom in 2022…
- Are you excited about it?
- What changes in the show would you like to see?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Don
Thursday 27th of January 2022
As someone who loved the Finding Nemo show and loved watching a “retelling of a film we’ve already seen hundreds of times”, I am disappointed that it’s not returning. And I am very wary of anything Disney “reimagines” under Bob Cheapak. The Finding Nemo show was pared down once during its run to remove “surplus” cast members. My guess is the new show will be even further pared down, with fewer cast members and diminished magic. Disney has used Covid as an opportunity to destroy magic, cater to the elite, and actually raise prices on everyone while doing so. The “most magical place on earth” is really starting to feel like anything but.