Disney Announces Return of ‘Finding Nemo the Musical’

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Rumors have been swirling that “Finding Nemo – The Musical” would be closing permanently at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The show has not returned since Disney’s Animal Kingdom reopened in July 2020, due to the pandemic. Thankfully, Disney confirmed that the show will return!

From a Disney Cast Member;

When my twin boys were little, “Nemo” was one of their first words. They loved the movie, and seeing it come to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom would always put grins on th

eir faces and a tear in my eye. “Finding Nemo — The Musical” has been delighting our guests since 2007, and I’m excited to tell you a reimagined show, based on the same beloved characters, will debut in 2022.

Although our Disney Live Entertainment team is still in the early stages of development for the show, the musical retelling of this underwater tale of family, friendship and kindness will feature new story material, as well as fan-favorite songs such as “In the Big Blue World” and “Go with the Flow.”

Disney Fab 50 Character Collection Revealed, First Sculptures Unveiled at Magic Kingdom Park

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

Via Disney Destinations;

We’re excited to announce that the first Disney Fab 50 Character Collection sculptures are in their place to share in the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration. Guests can now visit the Magic Kingdom and find some of their favorite characters in their new home for the next 18 months of the celebration.

These 50 characters represent the stories that have moved us to dream bigger, follow our passions and believe in the power of magic. Each character shares in Walt Disney World Resort’s legacy of hope and optimism, where “two tiny wings” become a source of imagination, where sidekicks become heroes and where unlikely duos become the best of friends.

Over the past two months, partners have gathered from across The Walt Disney Company to unveil these fan-favorite characters. Friends from Disney+, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lucasfilm, Disney Channel, ESPN, shopDisney, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Publishing, D23, Disney Movie Insiders, National Geographic, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line and more have shared in the celebration by announcing these sculptures.

Our “Disney Fab 50” sculptures pay homage to the past 50 years of Walt Disney World while ushering us into the next 50 years and beyond. As Guests continue to pass through our gates to hunt for their favorite characters, these sculptures will further immerse them into a world of fantasy and tomorrow, where laughter, joy, and that intangible pixie dust will bring a lifetime of memories to all who visit The Most Magical Place on Earth.

Enjoy this special message from the storytellers, entertainers, leaders and cast members who have lent their voices, talent and individual spark of magic to bring these characters to life.

Stay tuned in the coming days as more of our fab-ulous 50 friends arrive at all four Parks to help us kick off “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” for the next 18 months.

Everest Is Closing In 2022 For Renovations

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Disney has been undergoing lots of upgrades lately, and the next attraction in line for an upgrade involves the Mount Everest-themed roller coaster. The popular “Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain” ride in the Animal Kingdom Disney park is closing from January 4th of this coming year to mid-April for refurbishment. The renovations will be focused on ride control operations, so Disney Guests who love the roller coaster don’t have to worry about any big changes to the attraction or its signature Yeti. The official closure date of the ride is January 4th, and a reopening date obviously cannot be confirmed until repairs have begun and the Disney engineers have some information with which to estimate a proper date.

Several Disney fans, like Scott Gustin, were actually hoping that the repairs would involve updates to the Yeti.

Gustin also expressed his disappointment in the news by sharing one of his old Tweets from 2020, in which he had also referenced Walt Disney World visitors’ hope that the Yeti would be repaired and upgraded.

Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is typically known for its fast-paced roller coaster, high-altitude thrills, and the exquisite details in the Himalayan ski lodge that houses the queue. If you love Expedition Everest and can get to Disney World before January 4th, now may be a good time to visit!

Expedition Everest

Disney fans are accustomed to Walt Disney World refurbishments and the ride closures that follow (such as the current changes that are occurring on Splash Mountain), but Everest’s grand scale and the prospect of months without access to the ride will be a challenge for some avid fans of the Animal Kingdom. For a similar experience (albeit a wetter one) Disney visitors might want to head to the Kali River Rapids, or perhaps Space Mountain! Is Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain one of your favorite rides? 

Bambi and Thumper Joining Disney Fab 50

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Bambi and Thumper will be part of the Disney Fab 50 Character Collection in honor of Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary.

Roy Conli, producer at Disney Animation and Disneynature, announced their gold statue on social media today.

Bambi and Thumper will be on display in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Disney Releases New Details on ‘Disney KiteTails’ – New Show Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

A new daytime show is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Disney has released more details on the show, and we’re super excited to see it! 

From a Disney Cast Member;

Beginning Oct. 1 as part of the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration, “Disney KiteTails” will take the magic of nature and Disney storytelling to new heights, immersing everyone in a gala performance of color and movement at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

It’s all set to happen several times daily at the Discovery River Theater, near DinoLand U.S.A. As you make your way into the space, you’re joined by a team of performers bringing with them a colorful collection of oversized props and kites adorned with Disney animal friends from “The Little Mermaid,” “a bug’s life” and “Finding Nemo.” Original, worldbeat arrangements of favorite Disney tunes fill the air, and the excitement builds toward the launch of an impressive show of kites over the lagoon.

Watercraft zoom into view, pulling with them dynamic kite trains and enormous, three-dimensional kites depicting familiar characters from “The Lion King” or “The Jungle Book.” From one performance to another, you may see Baloo the bear dancing in the sky or Zazu the red-billed hornbill chasing after Simba. These remarkable kites, some as large as 30 feet in length, are inflated by moving through the air, allowing characters like King Louie or Timon and Pumbaa to soar like never before!

The team behind “Disney KiteTails” has been hard at work getting everything ready to open Oct. 1.