Disneyland Resort released a statement regarding the Maleficent dragon catching fire during “Fantasmic!” last night. Read it below.
Disneyland Resort Statement Regarding Maleficent Dragon Fire
During the final showing of Fantasmic at Disneyland park on Saturday evening, the dragon prop caught fire. Anaheim Fire & Rescue quickly responded, and the fire was extinguished. All cast members were safely evacuated from Tom Sawyer Island. Due to smoke and wind, attractions near the island were safely evacuated of any guests, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time. We are temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland park’s Fantasmic at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution following the Fantasmic prop fire at Disneyland park. The continued safety of our cast and guests is of the utmost importance.
Similar effects that will be suspended likely include fire effects in “World of Color – ONE” and “Wonderous Journeys.”
The Maleficent dragon was completely destroyed by the fire, but the rest of the “Fantasmic!” set remains intact. The stage is now surrounded by scaffolding and scrim. Stay tuned to WDWNT for more updates.
Maleficent Dragon Catches Fire
Parts of Adventureland were evacuated Saturday night as Maleficent, in dragon form, caught fire during a performance of “Fantasmic!” in Disneyland.
Our onsite reporter caught footage of the dragon, still burning, as the show came to a premature end for safety. The fire fell from the dragon’s mouth onto Tom Sawyer Island below. The cause was reportedly a leak of flammable fluid, seen dripping down from the mouth moments before the fireball effect went off.
Guests in the western end of the park were rapidly evacuated, and all offerings west of the Jungle Cruise were quickly shut down.
Future performances of “Fantasmic!” have been removed from the Disneyland schedule, with performances not scheduled until May 26 at the earliest. The Anaheim Fire Department confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
“Fantasmic!”
“Fantasmic!,” is a nighttime spectacular which first debuted in Disneyland on May 13, 1992. The show stars Mickey Mouse as he explores the possibilities of his imagination, but the Disney Villains team up in an attempt to create an unstoppable nightmare for him. Featuring characters and music from Disney films including “Fantasia,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the show incorporates projections on screens of water, pyrotechnics, and both the Sailing Ship Columbia and Mark Twain Riverboat as they sail past guests on the Rivers of America.
“Fantasmic!” went into an extended hiatus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and finally resumed performances in late May of 2022. Since then, the nighttime spectacular has performed with minimal incident in Disneyland, though it was unexpectedly shut down for just over two weeks this past January. MagicBand+ interacts with “Fantasmic!,” as the center puck changes colors and flashes in sync with the show.
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, the show, which premiered at the park in 1998, underwent a longer break, returning last November with new scenes inspired by “Mulan,” “Frozen II,” and “Moana”. This past March, a TikTok user captured video of an incident where a performer portraying Aladdin missed the ledge they were supposed to swing onto and crashed into the mountainside portion of the set. Guests attending the performance noted that the performer reappeared later in the show, appearing to be unharmed. This week, the Florida production will operate once a day on a reduced schedule ahead of a brief closure for refurbishment currently set for May 1 and 2.
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