Finding Nemo: The Musical is reportedly permanently closed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Its last performance was in March 2020, just before Walt Disney World temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but sources indicate there are no plans for the show to return. Performers have also been notified of the show’s closing.
The musical version of the 2003 Disney Pixar movie opened at the Theater in the Wild in January of 2006, replacing Tarzan Rocks! It featured 14 original songs composed by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the team behind “Frozen.” It also marked the first time a musical had been made for a non-musical Disney movie.
The musical featured larger-than-life puppets operated by the performers. Both the puppets and stage dressings have reportedly been removed (and even destroyed) from the Theater in the Wild already.
Update: On September 14, 2021, Disney announced that a new musical inspired by “Finding Nemo” will debut in 2022.
Watch our full video from a 2007 performance of Finding Nemo: The Musical below.
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Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect the announcement by Disney made on 9/14/2021.
This makes me so sad! I love this more than festival if the lion king. But I’ll be excited to see what they put in there.
My adult children are going to be freaking mad. I didn’t like it because it was long and the benches were uncomfortable.
Thank Triton, this show was terrible. the 40 minutes of this show felt like 240 minutes.
:(
man, Disney REALLY needs to bring back ALL shows, parades and nighttime spectacular really soon.
I’m not surprised at all, the show was meh at best. The actors performances were very mediocre, over acting at times. Singing was over the top almost screaming like. Of all the Disney parks shows this was the least favorite. Though I wonder what becomes of the space, new show or demolition for a newer attraction
This is a shame. It was an example of an extremely well-executed musical adaptation.
I do we hope we find Nemo again sometime in the future.
I know cast members who swear this isn’t true — that the Nemo show is in fact returning, just not right away. Can you share your source for this?
No, that’s not really how this works lol
Oh no, it’s our favorite musical show in all Disney parks! This is very sad.
Sorry to hear this. The show was imaginative and sweet – and got you out of the heat! Hope a new musical takes its place.
This was an amazing show! Really felt like you were watching a professional Broadway musical. Lack of live entertainment offerings at Disney at the moment is really putting me off wanting to book a holiday. It’s what makes Disney different to other theme parks.
This makes me more and more glad we went to WDW in 2019, it feels like the height of WDW’s former glory. Going back next year, but seems like so much is going to be different. I’m sure we’ll have a blast again, but the era of Fast passes and Magic Express is now over, along with some of the fun shows. End of an era, start of a new one.
I’m genuinely bummed out about this. While certainly no E Ticket attraction this was always a great place to cool off and rest for a while and watch an enjoyable show.😢
Wow. That’s awful. That was always a must do for us in animal kingdom. For a park that doesn’t have a lot of attractions or restaurants, it doesn’t make sense.
This isn’t a huge loss for our family. We found ourselves always skipping over this attraction after seeing it less than 10 times…to put that in perspective, we have seen The Festival of the Lion King at least 50 times. I look forward to seeing what show replaces Nemo.
I find it abhorrent that this article was published before the people associated with this stage were informed by the company. Are you so interested in a “scoop” that you forget there are people involved? There lives have been devastated and they find out from some blog?!?
Disgusting
In what world is it ok for a company to decide to can a show, not tell the staff for months after deciding, and then someone being honest with the public is the one vilified? Also it was confirmed today that several people who worked on the show WERE told weeks ago, so let’s drop the fake outrage.
It is awful that they weren’t told and my heart goes out to them, but the outlet being honest with you isn’t the villain, direct your anger somewhere it belongs please.
he must be a dis twitter nut who cheered at the disappearance of your twitter for those few short hours
Many of my friends work there so I have seen the cost of this little article. And most of them feel as I do. So my outrage is directed EXACTLY where it belongs.
And trust me there is plenty of outrage to go around. But this belongs to you.
I’m sorry you feel that way.
Thats terrible. That show was pretty awesome. I’m not a fan of Memo but that show made up for it.
So disappointing. This was my absolute favorite show! I liked it much better than Lion King. Disney is so disappointing lately and I am no longer a life fan. Will stop going after we complete this trip we couldn’t get a refund on. I’m loathing Disney at this point.
So sad… this show was a master piece! I love it ♡ hope they bring it back some way…
Very disappointing. Well-done show. So uplifting. We are big Nemo fans. Sad to see it go.
Another idiot move by the Disney parks.
This is terrible news to wake up to. This was my favorite shows in all of the parks, after the Lion King.
This is sad, I hope Disney is not changing to all rides, fewer shows, like other parks. It’s expensive, Disney better think things out, if the big shows don’t come back, why would
I want to go to the expense.
Looking for these “sources” that seemed reliable enough to publish this false article. But like many of your articles there was no source to be found.
Where are these sources?
The source is the email sent to cast that the show ended. It’s a new show. You should read the Disney piece again.
This is heartbreaking. We love this show- even have the soundtrack. Singing ‘Go With the Flow” and “That’s my Dad” are staples in our household. Memories of the first time your kid realized there are jellyfish running around the auditorium and gasps in excitement….good times.