It was a staple of Typhoon Lagoon since it opened back in 1989. The hefty maintenance and upkeep cost of the exhibit are the reasons behind the closing.

Shark Reef at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon permanently closed on October 3, 2016, primarily due to the high operational costs and the logistical challenges of maintaining a saltwater environment within a freshwater water park. The attraction allowed guests to snorkel through a 362,000-gallon tank filled with bonnethead and leopard sharks, stingrays, and tropical fish. Maintaining the delicate pH balance and temperature of the saltwater, while ensuring the health of the marine life in a high-traffic area with thousands of guests wearing sunscreen, was an expensive and complex undertaking for Disney's animal husbandry team. Additionally, the attraction had a relatively low "throughput" compared to other areas of the park, as the snorkeling process was slow and required safety briefings. Disney decided to reallocate those resources toward newer attractions, like the Miss Adventure Falls family raft ride, which opened shortly after. While many fans miss the unique educational aspect of Shark Reef, the high cost of life-support systems and staffing made it an unsustainable feature for the park's long-term business model.