For nearly 20 years, sea turtles, clownfish, and one very forgetful blue tang have been swimming through Theater in the Wild at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Now, a new filing suggests the venue is due for some attention.
The show’s history goes back to 2007. That year, Finding Nemo – The Musical replaced Tarzan Rocks! and turned the Pixar film into a stage show built around large-scale puppetry. Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez wrote its original songs. That was long before their work on 2013’s Frozen made them two of Disney’s best-known songwriters.
Like everything else at Walt Disney World, the musical went dark in 2020, and it didn’t come back the same way. In 2022, it reopened as Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! The new production was shorter but kept the puppets and much of the music.
That’s the show playing today. On October 27, 2026, Walt Disney World filed a construction permit for the theater that hosts it. The permit was shared by WDWNT. It lists the address as 681 Marina Aly, names MLC Theming, Inc. as the contractor, and describes the scope of work as “General Construction.” It expires one year after filing, on October 27, 2027.
Here’s what we don’t know. Disney hasn’t shared why the permit was filed. There’s been no announcement of a refurbishment, replacement, or closure for the show. The filing doesn’t say whether the work involves the production, the building, or the area around it. Shows are still running as of this writing. What the permit does tell us is that some kind of change is coming to the location within the next 12 months.
The neighborhood is already changing. DinoLand U.S.A. closed in February 2026 to make way for Tropical Americas. The new land will bring attractions inspired by Encanto (2021) and the Indiana Jones franchise, and construction is underway across the old DinoLand space.
That closure has also given Santa a new address. In previous years, he greeted guests in DinoLand U.S.A. Starting in November, he’ll be at Santa’s Holiday Grove, a new spot close to Theater in the Wild. That means more holiday foot traffic near the theater right as the construction paperwork appears.
For anyone planning a trip, Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! is still on its regular schedule, so there’s time to catch it. The permit doesn’t confirm that the show is closing or that Theater in the Wild is being replaced. It only shows that general construction is approved, with a window running through October 2027. With the theater, Santa’s new home, and the Tropical Americas built all in the same vicinity, this area is one to watch.
What do you hope Disney has in store for Theater in the Wild? Let us know in the comments.
