Disneyland has confirmed a reopening date for Fantasmic! The nighttime spectacular will return on May 24, 2024.
Read the official statement from Disneyland:
“At a Fantasmic! cast meeting earlier this week, we announced that the show will return on May 24. We look forward to providing more information about Fantasmic! in the coming months, but for now this is all we have to share.”
Fantasmic!, when running, is performed along the Rivers of America and on Tom Sawyer Island, a body of land at the river’s center. The show debuted in 1992 but is currently on a hiatus due to a fire in April of 2023 that completely destroyed a large prop depicting Maleficent in her dragon form.
The show will return with a new climatic battle between Mickey and Maleficent, although the villain WILL NOT be in her dragon form. Disney stated the Maleficent Dragon figure won’t be a part of the show at that time, but also has not gone as far as to say it will eventually return. There will also be new special effects.
Maleficent Fire
During the second performance of “Fantasmic!” on Saturday, April 22, the iconic Maleficent dragon used in the climactic nightmare sequence (lovingly known by fans as Murphy for its tendency to break down, a la Murphy’s Law) caught fire during the show. The performance was canceled as the blaze continued for several minutes.
The Maleficent dragon was completely destroyed by the fire. Similar fire effects were temporarily suspended at Disney Parks around the world while the fire was investigated. Six Disneyland Cast Members were treated for smoke inhalation but there were no serious injuries.
“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.
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