Credit: DisneyWe have some good news and some bad news. Three months after the fire that devastated Fantasmic! mid-performance at Disneyland Resort, Disney has finally announced its return – but with a few changes.
Since 1992, Fantasmic! has entertained Disneyland Park Guests on a nightly basis. The show takes place on Rivers of America and sees Disney icon Mickey Mouse transported into his dreams, where scenes are recreated from the likes of The Jungle Book (1967), The Little Mermaid (1989), The Lion King (1994), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).
When Mickey’s dream takes a turn for the worse, however, it’s infiltrated by Disney villains from classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940), and Sleeping Beauty (1959).
It was at this point of the show in April that the show itself also took a turn for the worse. During the 10.30 p.m. show on April 22, 2023, the audio-animatronic Maleficent dragon (affectionately known as “Murphy”) caught fire mid-performance. The theater was swiftly evacuated with no injuries, although several Disney Cast Members were apparently treated for smoke inhalation.
Disney subsequently suspended fire effects at various Disney Park attractions worldwide after the Anaheim fire, including the Maleficent dragon from the Festival of Fantasy at Magic Kingdom (which also previously caught fire in 2018). It also later emerged that Disney World’s version of the show at Hollywood Studios had also been experiencing pyrotechnic issues for weeks.
With pretty severe damage to both Murphy and the stage at Rivers of America, Fantasmic! was unsurprisingly also suspended. While there have since been countless rumors about its fate – and Disney has announced that Queenie and the Jambalaya Jazz Band will temporarily replace the show – there’s now finally an official update on the show’s hiatus!
Disney has announced that Fantasmic! will make its long-awaited return to Disneyland in the spring of 2024. However, while Fantasmic! is returning to Disneyland, the fire-breathing Maleficent animatronic will not return with it.
Related: Fantasmic! Halted Mid-Show at Disney World Due to Threat
“Our goal is to always deliver the best possible show for our Guests,” Disneyland said. “With that in mind, we are planning the return of ‘Fantasmic!’ with exciting new magic in spring 2024. As teams continue work on the show, we have launched nightly entertainment on the Rivers of America this summer, and we are working on even more exciting entertainment offerings for our guests later this year.”
While Maleficent will still reportedly play a huge part in the grand finale versus Sorcerer Mickey, she will not be an animatronic. This isn’t the first time Disney ditched Murphy – nicknamed after Murphy’s Law for all the misfortune the animatronic has faced over the years. Maleficent has previously been replaced with an inflatable dragon and projection special effects.
We’ll have to wait and see what magic Disney has up its sleeves to replace beloved Murphy. However, considering how integral the imposing animatronic is to the finale, it’ll have to be something truly incredible to live up to its predecessor.
Are you excited to see Fantasmic! – even without Murphy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!