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Credit: DisneyTwo years after a fire disrupted Disneyland Resort’s Fantasmic!, the show has yet to fully return to form.
Fantasmic debuted at Disneyland in 1992 as a nighttime spectacular along the Rivers of America. It combines water projections, fireworks, live actors, and animatronics to tell a story centered on the power of Mickey Mouse’s imagination, featuring appearances from Disney heroes and villains.
Over the years, Fantasmic has undergone multiple updates, including a major 2017 refurbishment that added scenes from Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Despite its popularity, the show has faced intermittent closures – including in 2023 after the aforementioned fire that damaged its iconic Maleficent dragon animatronic, affectionately known by fans as Murphy.
Post-Fire Changes at Fantasmic!
Since the show’s return, the full Maleficent dragon audio-animatronic, which had a history of unreliability, even before the fire, has yet to reappear. Instead, Maleficent rises into the air during the confrontation with Mickey.
But that’s not the only change Fantasmic! has seen since its comeback. From 2017 to 2023, Fantasmic featured a Pirates of the Caribbean scene aboard the Sailing Ship Columbia. In its latest version, the show embraces nostalgia by restoring the original Peter Pan sequence, with Peter battling Captain Hook to save Wendy.
No fireworks for the 2nd performance of Mid-tasmic. No dragon and no pyro. What’s the point of even running the show?
No fireworks for the 2nd performance of Mid-tasmic. No dragon and no pyro. What's the point of even running the show? pic.twitter.com/EAJkCUfMzZ
— RyanTheme Park (@Ryanthemepark) May 11, 2025
Fans have also reported a string of downgrades for the show. A recent video on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighted the lack of pyrotechnics during their showing of Fantasmic!, with other guests chipping in to complain that Disney has stripped away a lot of what once made the show so magical.
“It’s so funny seeing DL Fantasmic fall far from it’s supposed grace in real time,” said one user.
Another said, “Cutting costs in one of the worst possible ways. In fact you’re now likely to see ushers walking past every aisle collecting the offering.”
“Fantasmic is so underwhelming these days that it’s embarrassing for Disney,” one X user wrote.
Some even theorized that Disney is disappointing guests on purpose. “I have had this weird sneaking suspicion ever since the dragon hasn’t returned, that Disney is phasing Disneyland’s Fantasmic out by getting folks off of the hype train with the show by first taking out elements one by one until it is forever the shell of its former self,” one X user said.
Is It Time For Fantasmic! To End?
In light of the recent changes to Fantasmic!, some have suggested that the show should call it a day. Having survived for over 30 years, it’s already outlived the vast majority of other Disney nighttime spectaculars. Continuing to run performances in their current state seems like more trouble than it’s worth to some fans.
“As much as I hate to say admit it, Disneyland’s Fantasmic is a shell of its former self right now,” one X user wrote. “It’s actually wild to me that they haven’t restored Murphy and some of these types of missing effects for the 70th. It’s been 2 years since the fire. Not a great look.”
With Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary just days away, it’s surprising to see Fantasmic!—once a crown jewel of the park—run in such diminished form. Over in Florida, the show has faced its share of criticism, yet continues to earn consistently strong reviews. At this point, it’s hard not to wonder if Orlando should remain the sole home of Fantasmic! moving forward.
Do you think Disneyland’s version of Fantasmic! has gone downhill?