Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond!
Disney's Animal Kingdom · Theater in the Wild
Overview
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! replaced Finding Nemo – The Musical in 2022 at the same Theater in the Wild venue that had run the earlier show since 2006, folding Finding Dory's cast in alongside the original film's characters. The puppetry carries most of the show's weight — Crush, Marlin, and Dory are all realized as large-scale puppets operated by visible performers, an unusually theatrical choice for a theme-park show rather than costumed characters or screens.
ParksLog Verdict
The air conditioning is as much a reason to schedule this on a hot day as the show itself — the puppet work is genuinely impressive, even if it doesn't reach Festival of the Lion King's scale. Go in expecting a solid park-format musical, not Broadway, and it lands better.
About this experience
Live stage musical with large-scale puppets and performers in an underwater world inspired by Finding Nemo and Finding Dory.
Best For
- Families with young children
- Finding Nemo and Finding Dory fans
- Guests seeking indoor climate-controlled entertainment
- All ages
Tips
- The theater is fully indoor and air-conditioned — an excellent midday refuge during hot Florida summers
- Shows fill quickly — check times and aim to arrive 15 minutes before showtime
- Seating positions closer to the stage offer the best view of the puppet work details and facial expressiveness
Details
History
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! opened in 2022, replacing Finding Nemo – The Musical, which had run at the same Theater in the Wild venue from 2006 to 2020. The new production updated the story framework and incorporated characters from Finding Dory (2016) alongside the original film's cast.
- Finding Nemo – The Musical (2006–2020) — Original Theater in the Wild production before the current version.
Fun Facts
- The current show replaced Finding Nemo – The Musical in 2022, which had run at the same Theater in the Wild location since 2006
- The Theater in the Wild was purpose-built for large-scale animal-themed live productions and seats several hundred guests per showing
- Finding Nemo (2003) was Pixar's fifth feature film and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature