When the Walt Disney World Resort closed in 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic, many live performers were laid off in the uncertain times. This has caused a slow reopening of the beloved live entertainment the resort has to offer. This included Finding Nemo – The Musical at Animal Kingdom which never reopened with the rest of the resort. Disney then announced a replacement show, which is now finally debuting 2 years later.
On June 13th, 2022, Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond will open for guests at Animal Kingdom. Disney posted a TikTok to announce one of the final live shows to return to the resort.
The original Finding Nemo – The Musical was a fan favorite at the park. It featured a 40 minute performance filled with original songs, masterful puppeteering, and, most of all, a nice air conditioned building to rest in. However, Disney announced they wanted to take the show in a different direction with a new story and shorter runtime. According to Disney, the new show takes place from the perspective of the Tank Gang after they escaped Dr. P Sherman’s office in the original Finding Nemo. The new show will also implement a new background screen and projection mapping technology to enhance the performance.
Live entertainment is slowly making a full return to the Disney Parks worldwide. Nighttime shows Fantasmic! and World of Color recently returned to the Disneyland resort and the full Festival of the Lion King show will soon make a return to Animal Kingdom.
