Thousands of Guests stood in awe of Saturday night’s Maleficent fire. In a matter of seconds, the dragon became engulfed in flames. As of Sunday morning, the animatronic has already been removed from Tom Sawyer Island. All pyrotechnics have been suspended at Disney Parks worldwide as an investigation into the fire’s cause continues. No one was injured, but the week’s performances of Fantasmic! are canceled.
As Disney Parks mourn the loss of the beloved Maleficent animatronic, many are just as upset at Guests’ reactions during the fire. @StrikeMasterT on Twitter posed for a photo with the burning dragon and was told to “seek help” for making a joke of the incident:
Went to Disneyland for the first time, it caught on fire. 10/10
Really strange that you are smiling when we have no idea if anyone was hurt please seek help
Really strange that you are smiling when we have no idea if anyone was hurt please seek help
— Summer🖤 (@spookyrach_) April 23, 2023
On Reddit, user u/Majorasminion287 shared their video of the Maleficent fire. In it, Guests could be heard laughing:
Maleficent couldn’t take the power of Mickey
by u/Majorasminion287 in Disneyland
Former Cast Member u/ChastityDion called those laughing “absolutely horrible.”
“I do wish people would take a step back and realize that there is a human element to this, and it definitely broke my heart to watch these videos tonight with people laughing or to read some of the comments on here with people mocking the situation,” they wrote. “Hell, I’m sure I will laugh about this at some point, but not tonight… Not when my friends are going home with their costumes smelling like smoke. But I’m just happy they’re going home.”
In other videos, some Guests jokingly sang “Hellfire” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Though some were upset at the lighthearted reactions, others pointed out that everyone reacts to shock differently.
“It sounds mostly like shock until the music started again and then they were laughing at how inappropriately happy the music was for such a serious incident,” u/angelcat00 argued.
Fantasmic! is still playing nightly in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort.
More on Fantasmic!
“Daring heroes and epic villains do battle on a grand scale in an incredible nighttime show—starring Mickey Mouse,” Disneyland writes. “As darkness falls, dazzling special effects transform the Rivers of America into an epic canvas for this extravagant live show.”
“Fast asleep, Mickey dreams he is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. With a wave of his hands, he conducts scenes from Fantasia across enormous screens of water while brilliant sparks burst overhead. Pink elephants, swashbuckling pirates, princesses and more—including memorable scenes from Disney classics such as Aladdin, The Lion King, Tangled and Pirates of the Caribbean—appear on and around the Rivers of America.”
Did you witness the Maleficent fire? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.
Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on personal Disney Parks Guest experiences. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.