Guest Who Witnessed 'Fantasmic!' Fire At Disneyland Speaks Out

During a performance of "Fantasmic!", a nighttime show at Disneyland, over the weekend, Guests witnessed the Maleficent dragon animatronic go up in flames after it caught fire mid-show.

Though pyrotechnics are part of the show, something went wrong as the dragon's head went up in smoke and flames burst into the air. Cast and crew worked quickly to extinguish the fire. The Anaheim Fire Department has confirmed that there were no injuries as a result of the incident, though multiple Cast Members were treated for smoke inhalation following the incident.

One Disneyland Guest witnessed the fire and remembers saying to herself, "That's not right" when seeing the dragon's head go up in flames.

Veronica Marie was visiting Disneyland Park with her friends and family. On the night of the fire, Marie and her family gathered together for a birthday dinner to celebrate her father. They booked the "Fantasmic!" dinner package for the specific occasion.

During the show, which was Marie's first time seeing it live, she remembers watching Mickey call out "This is my dream!" before watching the fire ignite. 

“I just remember looking up at Maleficent and thinking, ‘That’s not right,’” Marie told The Washington Post. “Like, it’s the cool part of the show, but that just doesn’t look right. And then I went, ‘Oh, nope, that’s definitely on fire and it’s not intended.”

Within minutes, Mickey Mouse dropped below the stage, quickly exiting the show, which prompted Marie to do the same. “I took a good look at the dragon and I went, ‘Well, if Mickey’s leaving, I think I’m going to, too.’”

Disney staff was then heard informing the others to “clear the area.” Tom Sawyer Island and other surrounding areas were evacuated. Luckily, The Anaheim Fire Department has confirmed that there were no injuries as a result of the incident.

Disney has since stated that the cause of the fire “remains under investigation at this time” and that they are “temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland Park’s Fantasmic! at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution following the Fantasmic! Prop fire at Disneyland Park”.

“Fantasmic!” is a nighttime show at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California that brings Guests into Mickey’s dream of him as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The official Disneyland website describes the show as:

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.

When Mickey is suddenly pulled into the Magic Mirror, his dream takes a dark turn. The Evil Queen from Snow White conjures up some of Disney’s most dastardly villains—including Maleficent as a 45-foot, fire-breathing dragon! Mickey must use the power of his imagination to vanquish his foes—and save the day.

Featuring a fantastical array of live performers, beloved Disney characters, enhanced special effects, state-of-the-art projections and superb pyrotechnics, this show will wow the entire family.

Future performances of “Fantasmic!” have been removed from the Disneyland schedule until at least May 26, but that is subject to change.