On Saturday night, a fire broke out at Disneyland’s “Fantasmic!” show in Anaheim, California (KTLA, NBC News). The incident occurred while a packed crowd was enjoying the show (KTLA). A large animatronic dragon caught fire and became fully engulfed in flames (NBC News, CNN), causing panic among park-goers who were subsequently evacuated (NBC News). The dragon prop’s head started to glow before it caught fire (The Guardian). Fortunately, no injuries were reported (ABC7, Reuters).
Disney has since temporarily suspended similar fire effects used globally in their shows (KTLA). The fire occurred during one of Disneyland’s most popular shows, which features live actors, projections, and pyrotechnics (The New York Times). Despite the commotion, some spectators initially believed the dragon catching fire was part of the show (The New York Times).
The dragon was a 45-foot-tall prop used in the “Fantasmic!” show, which includes a retelling of classic Disney stories (Reuters). The fire occurred at Tom Sawyer Island, and no damage was reported (Orange County Register). The cause of the fire is still being investigated (NBC Los Angeles).
This incident is not the first at Disneyland; in 2017, a similar incident occurred when a float in the “Festival of Fantasy” parade caught fire at Walt Disney World in Florida, which resulted in no injuries but forced the float to close indefinitely for repairs (USA Today). Disney has not yet commented on when or if the “Fantasmic!” show will resume (NBC News).
Disneyland’s “Fantasmic!” show has been a crowd favorite since its debut in 1992, showcasing beloved Disney characters in a unique and engaging way (The New York Times). While the recent fire caused concern and disruption to park-goers, the prompt evacuation and lack of injuries were fortunate outcomes (ABC7, Reuters).
