Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… And Beyond! is coming to Walt Disney World!

After the Disney Parks’ closure and subsequent reopening during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the doors stayed shut at Finding Nemo: The Musical.  Construction on Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Theatre in the Wild began last year, leaving fans wondering what Disney had in store for the bright, underwater show.

While some details about the new reimagined show were revealed last fall, Disney just released some new information to reporters today before the show’s opening this summer.

Nexstar theme park reporter Scott Gustin writes:

“Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” takes place after Finding Dory. The new story is told through the eyes of the “Tank Gang.” I guess they survived the bags. The show theater will be themed to the Marine Life Institute, including a “LED video wall designed to visually extend the world created by the physical sets on stage – such as a 32-foot-long sunken submarine and a 15-foot-tall fish tank volcano.”

“Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” takes place after Finding Dory. The new story is told through the eyes of the “Tank Gang.” I guess they survived the bags. pic.twitter.com/s3hr4ONZRV

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 4, 2022

LED walls will be a significant upgrade from the simple painted walls and projections fans have come to know at Theatre in the Wild, tucked between two Disney’s Animal Kingdom lands: Dinoland and Asia.

You can even watch the first look at Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! here on the Disney Parks YouTube channel!

Disney previously announced changes to the Walt Disney World Resort’s Finding Nemo: The Musical in April, with a post on the Disney Parks Blog. They wrote:

Climb aboard explorers and hold on tight, because it’s time to take a deep dive into the creation of the freshly reimagined show, “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” – opening this summer at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park!

Stepping inside the Theater in the Wild, we’ll catch up 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. The fish tell Nemo’s story in this fully updated, 25-minute show, incorporating live performers and puppets, along with many of the beloved songs and production numbers from the original “Finding Nemo: The Musical” – which is great news if you’re like me and have had “In the Big Blue World” stuck in your head since 2007. 

Since the new musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom takes place after Finding Dory, make sure to brush up on the film to get the full experience of the show. Check out Pixar’s website for stills and clips from the movie. They write:

Forgetful blue tang Dory is living happily in the reef with Marlin and Nemo. When Dory suddenly remembers that she has a family out there who may be looking for her, the trio takes off on a life-changing adventure across the ocean to California’s prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium. In an effort to find her mom and dad, Dory enlists the help of three of the MLI’s most intriguing residents: Hank, a cantankerous “septopus” who frequently gives employees the slip; Bailey, a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; and Destiny, a nearsighted whale shark. Deftly navigating the complex inner workings of the MLI, Dory and her friends discover the magic within their flaws, friendships and family.

Are you excited for Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… And Beyond!? Let us know in the comments. 

If you want to visit Walt Disney World on your next family vacation to experience any of the four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — but aren’t sure where to begin planning, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our friends over at the Authorized Disney Vacation Planners at Academy Travel for a free quote.