Following a suspension due to the catastrophic “Fantasmic!” fire at Disneyland last month, the fire-breathing effect has returned to the Maleficent dragon float in the “Festival of Fantasy Parade” at the Magic Kingdom!
Fire-Breathing Returns to “Festival of Fantasy Parade”
The fire-breathing effect on Maleficent made a triumphant return to the park today.
A reader named Stevie sent this video to WDWNT today, showing Maleficent back in her fire-breathing glory at the park. This marks the end of a 24-day absence.
Select fire effects were suspended at all Disney resorts worldwide following a catastrophic fire during a performance of “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland in April which ended in Murphy the Maleficent dragon becoming a smoldering pile of metal. The effect in the “Festival of Fantasy Parade” was suspended the following day, but ironically not at “Fantasmic!” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The Maleficent dragon float usually blows fire periodically during the parade. The unit made headlines back in 2018 when its head incidentally also caught on fire. Fortunately, the fire was put out quickly and no injuries were reported. The float returned to the parade about nine months later with its fire effects intact and there have been no further incidents (save a broken horn in June 2022).
Are you excited to see Maleficent breathing fire once more? Let us know in the comments below!
“Fantasmic!” Fire
Parts of Adventureland at Disneyland Park were evacuated last month as Maleficent, in dragon form, caught fire during a performance of “Fantasmic!”
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 28 at the earliest. The Anaheim Fire Department confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
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