Finding Nemo: The Musical Reader Reviews

Theresa, February 17, 2007: I really liked the puppets and the scenery, but I like the music from Festival of the Lion King better.I would see it again, but if I only had time to see one of the shows, I would choose Festival of the Lion King.

Vincent K Eng, February 1, 2007 The 30-min or so show was excellent. Very much the Broadway show The Lion King. A Must See.However, after saying that . . . The logistics were terrible. I attended the 3PM show on Feb 1, which is the last show of the day. Cast Members just the guests flowing-in. It was standing room only, and Cast Members were forcing sitting guests to pack-in on benches, clearly meant for 8-9 persons to accommodate 10-12 persons. It was so uncomfortable that the guests already sitting got up and left. Clearly, some Cast Members were provoking a confrontation, by their unreasonable requests to pack-in tighter and tighter. Since the show is new, suggest getting there half-hour before show time (we got on line about 15 mins before show, there were very few seats left by then). However, there is no guarantee that Cast Members will not request you to pack-in like "sardines." Cast Members just let guests flow-in. Guests were standing in the back, when clearly there were no more seats to be had.

Becca, January 29, 2007: Was not impressed at all. Found it weird to be able to see the puppeteers–wasn't sure if I should watch them or the puppets. Also, I think they are over killing the Nemo theme between AK & Epcot. There are so many Disney movies not represented that could take the place of one or more of the Nemo attractions. I think taking away the rock and roll and extreme sports of the Tarzan show was a bad idea. Now boys and older kids don't have a show to interest them.

Ashley Atkins, January 1, 2007: We loved Nemo's Musical. I have a 3 year old and a 6 year old they both loved also me and my husband loved it.

Kathy Wicks, January 2007: Not surprisingly it was very crowded and the staff tried to fit as many people as possible into the auditorium. Unfortunately this meant that many families had to separate to get seats. We ended up in the very last bank of seats in the front row, which meant we were at the same height as the seats in front of us. We could only see the top half of the stage…I felt bad for the little kids in our row who could not see anything! We stuck it out, craning our necks to see what was going on on the stage, without much success. My best advice is…we got to the show 30 minutes prior to start…I suggest earlier than that! From what I saw, the show is full of creative energy with great songs and beautiful costumes and effects. One other bad note…our show was canceled early…Squirt got stuck suspended from the ceiling and the backstage people had to get him down manually. OOPS!

Donna, January 2007: We were quite disappointed. We liked the Tarzan rocks entertainment much better. I think if they tried to hide the faces of the actors more the show would be better. We will not see it again.

Mimi Slater, January 2007: I must be the only person who doesn't care for the new Nemo musical at AK. The show is visually great. The costumes are lovely, however I found myself looking more at the puppeteers than the puppets. The storyline was too compressed. It didn't flow. It seems they were more concerned with hurrying the story to fit in all the songs which might be fine if the songs were great, but they're not. I'd call them average. I much prefer Festival of the Lion King, which doesn't try to follow the Lion King story. I won't attend the Nemo musical again.

Pam Albrecht, January 2007: We took in the Finding Nemo: The Musical and loved it. The minute we left the theater my son Age 27 said "this could be on Broadway". You forgot that the people were there and that Nemo and friends were somehow attached to sticks. It was also nice to see that so many people could see this at one time. Again we loved it.

Larry Betzelberger, January 2007: The FINDING NEMO show was stunning. We live in Illinois, so leading the list of "Things to Do" are the Disney Shows. We're relative newcomers to WDW starting in 1991 with regular visits and membership in DVC. We thought 'Beauty and The Beast was terrific. But then came the sadly short-lived "Pochontas" show, followed by "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" then "Tarzan Rocks", but we were amazed at the quality, creativity, choreography and just plain fun that "Finding Nemo" show gave to it's audience. The new enclosed theater makes the complex staging possible. The production values are Broadway quality. Superlatives aside, "Finding Nemo" is fantastic. Tip. Go to the first show of the day. Get in line early. Sit in the first row of the second tier of seats to get the panoramic view. Don't miss it.

Debbie, December 27, 2006: My family and I went to see "Finding Nemo-The Musical". I have to say, BRING BACK TARZAN!! We did not like the show at all. We had a variety of ages represented from 10 years old to 78 years old. It was very boring. I was very disappointed. Why did Tarzan have to leave (sigh)?

Chris Freeman, December 2006: The show was great. Very entertaining. Lines are incredibly long!! Don't want to give away details about the show, but it is a Must-see. HOWEVER, be warned…. because the show is staged in the old Tarzan amphitheater, there are backstage water problems when it rains. If there is a heavy rain (imagine that in Central Florida) they stop the show immediately.

Jason Cooper, December, 2006: First off, let me say it is great to see Animal Kingdom get so much attention. It is also great to see the park get a production of such proportions. The costumes were excellent and the set really made me feel in the ocean blue. Being a musical theater major, I am critical on everything, but I just admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the score. The songs "Big Blue World" and "My Dad" were fantastic, but that's about the extent of amazing songs. The others could easily be forgotten. If you have to really think hard about how a chorus went in one of the songs, then the tune did not stick with you. "Big Blue World" would not get out of my head. As far as character's go, Nemo and Marlin were perfect. Great job Disney casting! Dori on the hand, lacked the calm stupidity that she was known for in the movie. In the musical, she seemed loud and obnoxious. It got to a point where I didn't even care to hear from her character any more. Now I had a mixed reaction on Crush. His song was not bad but the character seemed to 60's to me. Isn't Crush suppose to represent a California surfer? Instead, Crush is shown as more of hippie, a sharp contrast if you just got off the ride at EPCOT (which is great by the way). But besides that, it is a good show. I'm not too sure if I'd see it again anytime soon but I'd recommend it to any travelers out there.

Kelsey Williams, December 2006: I loved Finding Nemo the musical sooooo much! I loved it so much I went back the next day and saw it two more times. I love everything about it, the performers, the puppets, and the songs. I have to say that my more favorite part is go with the flow, the man that plays crush has the most amazing voice I have ever herd in my life!!!

Michelle Price, December 16, 2006 : We got to see the Finding Nemo show twice, both times the show was GREAT! I think this will become a classic! You truly feel immersed into the ocean and hardly even notice the puppeteers – except when they want you to notice them. That said, two concerns about the show. 1) They OVERCROWD the theater – at both performances we attended (A Saturday morning and a Thursday morning) they used standing room behind the second and third level of seats. We had purposely gone to the very back row of the theater because it was so full so we could stand if we needed to – we needed to, but couldn't because of the people behind us. If you arrive early, it shouldn't be a problem- you can easily scope out good seats. Also, because of the extra bodies, it was HOT in the theater. 2) The sound still isn't balanced right yet. Especially disappointing was Crush's big number – by the end, he was overpowered by the chorus. Such a shame – he has a fantastic voice and the song is very cool. Please don't let my concerns scare you away – this show is a winner!

Elaine Jackson, December 2006: The Nemo Show in Animal Kingdom is a delightful version of the movie and especially enjoyed the interaction of the puppets. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially children.

Kent Holden, December 2006: All 4 adults in our group agreed, this was the best show we saw in 4 days at all 4 different parks; all 7 kids (ages 2-12) in our group were still, quiet and attentive during the entire show. Tip: line up early, at least 30 min. prior to show, as the line extends well into/past DinoLand

Nicole Wettstein , December 2006: I was so thoroughly impressed with the new show that I wanted to jump out of my seat and join them on stage! My 18 month old son absolutely loved the music and all of the bright and vivid colors! You definitely will receive a hefty dose of Disney Magic when viewing this wonderful addition to the Animal Kingdom!

Diane Collins, December 13, 2006: The show started about 5 minutes late and they had to stop about half way during the show as the large doors did not seem to be opening. We sat in the middle in the higher section and could hear and see great. I never saw the Tarzan show, but my mother and I loved the Nemo show. We also spoke to a couple waiting to go on the Yuletide Fantasy tour the next day and they told us how much they also enjoyed the show.

Joanne, December 9, 2006: Finding Nemo the Musical was a Broadway caliber production. In fact, we hope they will expand the show and bring it to Broadway. Our 5 year olds loved it as did their parents and grandparents (all of whom are seasoned Broadway theater goers). The music was wonderful and covered a wide range of styles (loved the Beach Boys style sea turtle number). The entire show is visually stunning. Don't be discouraged by loooong lines–we got on line past the tall dinosaur in Dinoland and still had terrific seats.

Michael, 12/6/2006: I thought it was incredible!! TO be 100% honest I enjoyed more than the Lion King Show… Very creative and entertaining… This show is a must see for all Disney Fans. I am positive Disney and AK has another hit on their hands with this attraction!

Beth, 12/5/2006: The Musical was a spectacular show. I saw it with my Mom, sisters and friend during one of our Moms only Disney trips. The performance given by the cast was of "Broadway" (NYC) caliber along with the costumes and set. The arena was filled to capacity and the crowd laughed and clapped throughout giving a standing ovation.

Jeff Strunk, December 2006: The new Nemo show in the Animal Kingdom is very good. The actors do a terrific job and the music is terrific. The line to enter the theater looks long but inside the theater is the same as before and it sits a lot of people. I suggest everyone going to see it.

Amy, December 2006: It was great. My husband, 4 year old daughter, and myself all loved it. I would recommend not sitting too close to the stage as there is alot that goes on and it would be hard to see it all from the front rows. It is very entertaining, really creative and a great musical–leave it to Disney to turn an animated movie without any music into a fabulous musical experience. The wait to get in was long and the line extended very far. Everyone was able to fit into the theater, it was quite huge, but they had to keep making the 'Please move down in your row toward your right' announcements in order to fit everyone in. We will be going back in February and will definitely see this show again.

Ashley McCoy, 12/1/2006: I loved it! I think it is a nice respite from such traditional shows as Beauty& the Beast and The Little Mermaid. It is perfectly fitting for the Animal Kingdom, and I think that lots of people will love it if they go into it with an open mind. It is a bit longer than other shows, but it is well worth it- it keeps you from going too park commando. I thought the time flew by, and the costuming and effects were just great. I can't wait to take my mom to see it in October!

The Zieglers, November 2006: It was AWESOME! It is definitely a must see for all ages. The puppetry and music and costumes are all fantastic. You can watch Nemo swim in the glass "bubbles" on either side of the stage while you wait for the show to begin. Even our 3 year old enjoyed it!

Susan Miltimore, 11/30/06: I saw the show last week and it was awesome. The stage show is one of the best I have seen at the Animal Kingdom….music, puppets, props etc were just great!

Jenny Ackers, 11/28/2006: Just returned from best place on planet, lucky enough to see Nemo the musical 3 times!!!!!!!! Brilliant and worth the wait each time. Saw 2 different Dory's and one was much better than the other. Tears in my eyes during various parts of the show, only disappointment was not being able to video to be able to enjoy again and again at home. During Thanksgiving week the show times were listed on the schedule. Can't wait to go again next year.

Jennifer Berrong, November 2006: My family and I got to see the new Nemo show on November 27. We were lucky to just walk into the first show. Only about 1/2 the seats were taken. They were very strict about the "no pictures or camcorder" rule. The show was awesome! The actors were great, and the costumes! It looked more like a Broadway play than an amusement park show. I really liked how we could see the actors and the puppets where just near them. My 13month old daughter loved it. It was probably the only thing she liked! My twin 5 year old boys were glued and amazed. On our way out, the line was back up past the Dinoland entrance! So if you go, go to the first show. I do miss the Tarzan show, but this was a good replacement.

Melissa, 11/23/2006: My husband and I couldn't stop talking about how great the show was. I can't wait to see it again. The costumes, props, stage design, acting, singing, puppetry, etc. were FANTASTIC! People are truly lucky to be able to see such an innovative piece of theater at a theme park. It was top notch! Kudos to everyone involved!

Holly, 11/16/2006: We loved it! My 2 girls ages 4 & 2 were amazed. Everything was so colorful and entertaining. We have seen many shows over the years and rate this one as one of the best we have seen. A definite must see!!

Dawn Dobson, 11/15/2006: My daughters and I (10 & 8) attended a preview. The show was long, 45 minutes, plus the time waiting in the line and for the theater to "load", so about an hour and 20 minutes from our day. We found the human puppets to be quite distracting. My daughters said the voices were too different and were difficult to "get into it". Several preschoolers and younger left with parents in tow, particularly after the shark scene. The rest of the afternoon, the topic of conversation was the "important" parts that were left out. It was too long to be a summary, and too short to be complete. My daughters and I who all LOVE Finding Nemo declared it an "eh" and a "BTDT, don't need to do it again".

Kerry Tedford-Coles, 11/15/2006: This is not to be missed. The hour or so of standing in line with small children was worth it. This is like nothing else Disney has provided. I don't dare give away any details. It is a pure joy to watch the expressions on the puppet and actor's faces simultaneously. I'll be interested to see the changes that have been made on future trips.

Paul, 11/13/2006: Nemo the musical was great!! Quality of a Broadway show. We saw a dry run on November 13th and it seamed to be flawless. A must see!!

Barbara Z, 11/12/2006: I have to say that it was the best show that I saw at any of the parks. My son was not too thrilled with going, but after the show he was glad he did. He really liked the show. I highly recommend this show. If you don't have a lot of time to spend in the Animal Kingdom, make sure this is something you definitely see.

Sue coppola, 11/14/2006: I just want to tell you all how fabulous the new Nemo show is at Animal Kingdom. We were great fans of Tarzan and were very sorry to see it go but Nemo is great and we could feel how excited the cast was during dress rehearsals last week. The costumes are wonderful and the cast is very talented. It was thanks to AllEarsNet.com that we even knew about it!

Diane Hill, 11/13/2006: We saw the show on November 8th and again on the 13th. Both performances were great. The costuming and performing were definitely up to Disney standards. I also recommend sitting in the upper portion of the theater as you do a bit of neck turning sitting down front for a few scenes. I recognized a couple of "Four For a Dollar" (Beauty and the Beast opening act) performers in the musical.

Shari Kern, 11/12/2006: We really wanted to see this show but when we checked the information station, there were no showings for November 11. Went back on Sunday November 12 and they had three shows scheduled for the day. We attended the first (11:15) and thought is was phenomenal. I wasn't sure how I liked the puppet and the puppeteer alongside each other at first, but after getting used to is, I really liked it. See the facial expressions of the puppeteer alongside the puppet added to the experience. I thought the music was great, but my friend thought they still needed to work on some of the musical presentations. Many of the voices sounded like the voices from the movie. It's a fairly long show, but it kept the kids entertained the whole time. My six year old said it was her favorite show from our four days at the parks.

Kim Lotierzo 11/12/2006: comments: My family and I just returned from a wonderful week at Walt Disney World and wanted to let you in on the NEW Finding NEMO the musical show. We were able to see it the other day. If you are lucky enough to be going in the next couple of weeks, try to catch it, it is going to be a wonderful musical. The directors were sitting in on the show we watched to see about making changes to make the show perfect for its release. Let me tell you that it is much different than the other shows at Disney and has a wonderful touch. Another Great Job well done by Disney.

Christine Anderson: 11/9/2006: I was able to preview the newest show at Animal Kingdom, the Finding Nemo musical. Wow what a show! They are still working out the kinks but the show was amazing and I would say a "must see" attraction while at the world. The show started about 20 min late due to technical difficulties but proceeded throughout the show with no stops or glitches. What can I say about this show: Well it is amazing. It is a live yet animated production with movie clips inserted. The human counterparts are wearing colorful costumes that match their puppets and appear to be part of the ocean. The puppets are wonderfully done and the show is breathtaking. The cast members were wonderful in their renditions of the voices and singing. The stage and set were truly magical. It does appear that the stage and runways are the ones they used in Tarzan. The show is wonderful and I would tell everyone to go and see it.

Craig, 11/9/2006: I was "lucky" enough to attend a preview performance of Finding Nemo: The Musical. Unfortunately, I came away extremely disappointed. The performers, as always, were great. What they had to work with was not. I felt the songs were pretty forgetful. The costumes, set, and props (which were built up to be on par with The Lion King on Broadway) were far from the clever and amazing pieces I've seen Disney produce elsewhere. Worse, the story was hard to follow. I've seen the movie, and still found it hard to keep up with what was going on. We seemed to be in the minority, however. There was a thunderous standing ovation at the end of the show. My friend and I wondered, in the 90 minute (!) line, if the cast of Festival of the Lion King were worried about this new kid on the block at their park. In our opinion, they have nothing to worry about.

John Russo, 11/9/2006: This is the best stage show at any of the Disney parks. We had a group of 10 ranging from 62 to 3 and everyone loved it!

Kelli Rose, 11/6/2006: New NEMO Show is fantastic – we saw the 10am special showing with technicians and directors amongst us in the audience to view the dress rehearsal. Sound needs to be improved just slightly but the show is right out of Broadway!! Must see for Animal Kingdom!

Denise, 11/6/2006: We were lucky enough to go to the 12:30 show. It was great. Very magical and entertaining. If you have seen the movie, great; if not, you will not be lost. Good job, again, Disney

Michelle, 11/6/2006: We saw the new Nemo musical (thanks to the tip from AllEars) It was beautiful, funny, and exciting. I loved it. My 13 year old son loved it and my husband liked the puppets. We all thought it was great to be among the first groups to see the show. The jellyfish!! I want one!!

Lizmargaretmary: My 12 year old daughter and I saw "Finding Nemo" the week of November 5th. I was surprised by the people holding the puppets for the first few minutes but before the end of the show I thought I was watching a Broadway production. The singing and the visual were beautiful. I was very touched. My daughter isn't into shows and doesn't care if she sees it again.

Krissie Sclavunos, 11/5/2006: It was spectacular, even with the two glitches they had. I don't want to give away too much, but it is highly entertaining, interactive and the musical numbers are great. Bruce was I think my favorite! My son just turned 3 and he is autistic. He LOVED it! It was wonderful to see his eyes light up the way they did and by the end of the show, my husband and I were bawling our eyes out because of the magic it brought to my son's eyes. It was worth the 17 hour drive, cost of staying at POR and a 17 hour drive home to see just that! Bravo Disney!

Ann M. Carr, 11/5/2006: We liked it a great deal. The performers were very enthusiastic and the staging was fantastic. A little problem with the sound, but it was minor. I would highly recommend it.

Charlotte, 11/5/2006: It was excellent!! We had seats in the middle section right in front of the team who created the show. When someone in another section would hoop and hollar (because they saw something, I will not spoil, before other sections did) the whole "team" would turn and look and you could feel their excitement that the show was a success. It was great to be able to turn to them after the show and tell them how much we liked it and have them ask my kids what their favorite parts were. A Disney moment we will never forget. I just wish I knew that so many AllEarsNet.com folks were there I would have looked for you to tell you how much I love your site. Thanks for letting us know that this was coming.

Nathan Jones, 11/5/2006: A friend and I got in line at about 9:30 for the first show. Word had apparently spread fast, and there was already quite a line. They have not quite figured out the queue system yet. We ended up in the middle of the walkway between Dinoland and Everest waiting in line. We were allowed in about 15 mins before show, and we found a good seat in the center section. The theater was not full for the first show, but it was full for the second (we barely made it back in). Initially, the stage is blocked from view by giant sliding panels (like pocket doors at home), and these serve to change the scenes as the show progresses. The title of the show is projected onto the panels, along with flowing water. The projections are used extensively throughout the show to provide backdrops and other scenic elements that wouldn't otherwise be possible.

Patti B 11/5/2006: We were in Animal Kingdom and saw a crowd lined up and decided to join the line – they said it was the first day of soft opening for Finding Nemo, The Musical! The show was very well done, and we gave a standing ovation to the cast when it ended. If you know the story, it's very easy to follow. However the words to the songs (all new songs) were unfamiliar to me and I did not catch all of them. Perhaps after they perform a few
more times either my hearing or their enunciation will improve! 🙂 The costumes – the puppets – wait – I'll slow down. If you have seen The Lion King on Broadway (or where ever the road show has gone) you know the idea they used here. The performers are ALL visible, and it is they who are singing. The puppets are either help above them or in front of them, whatever the scene requires. These costumes and puppets were excellently designed, and the puppeteers did one fine job of performing as we would expect that cartoon character to have performed. The theater seats seem to be the same ones from Tarzan Rocks, only they have enclosed the theater. The cast of the show perform around the theater – from the stage to the first break – up into the audience – so you really ARE right in this show. Definitely a must do again!