Disney World’s ‘Fantasmic’ continues despite dragon fire at Disneyland show

Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read
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The show will go on for “Fantasmic,” the nighttime spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, despite a fire that damaged the Maleficent dragon character at a similar show at Disneyland over the weekend.

The blaze occurred during a “Fantasmic” performance in Anaheim, California, late Saturday evening. Spectators were evacuated from the area as the 45-foot robotic dragon burned. No injuries to park employees or visitors were reported. Usually performed twice nightly, the show is not on Disneyland’s schedule again until Friday evening.

But the Hollywood Studios “Fantasmic” at Orlando’s Disney World went on as scheduled Sunday evening. The company said the Maleficent structure is different on each coast, so the incident will not impact production at Walt Disney World.

The Florida “Fantasmic” had been scheduled for regular maintenance on May 1-2, and that closure, planned before the weekend events, will continue as intended.

However, the fire-breathing effect of the Maleficent float in the “Festival of Fantasy Parade” at Magic Kingdom has been suspended. The dragon will continue to appear as usual. That unit of the parade caught fire in the theme park in 2018 but was eventually returned to the lineup.

The theme parks’ “Fantasmic” shows have similarities but are not twin productions. Both feature pyrotechnics, lasers, water effects and an array of Disney characters, including a finale moment with princesses and other film characters on a boat.

Other highlights of the Hollywood Studios show include sparks coming from Mickey Mouse’s hands and the recent addition of a scene that includes Aladdin, Mulan, Elsa and Moana, who splashes along the water’s surface.

The Florida show, which debuted in 1998, closed in March 2020 with the resort-wide shutdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. It did not return until November 2022.

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