Disney has announced that they will be suspending certain fire effects from shows at their resorts worldwide after a tragic incident occurred at Disneyland in Southern California. Over the weekend, an animatronic dragon caught fire during the long-running “Fantasmic” show, prompting evacuations and causing concern among park-goers.
The company has released a statement saying that they are taking an abundance of caution in suspending these fire effects at select shows and entertainment experiences globally. This decision will affect shows such as the “Fantasmic” show at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida.
It’s a sad day for Disney fans, as pyrotechnics are a beloved part of the entertainment experience. “Fantasmic” is a beloved outdoor show that features water effects, lasers, and projections, culminating in pyrotechnics at the end. The dragon prop in the show at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios park will continue to operate normally, as it uses a different system from the one used at Disneyland.
Disney officials say that the daytime Festival of Fantasy parade at Magic Kingdom park will continue with the dragon float, but its fire effect has been temporarily suspended. The suspension of these beloved effects has cast a shadow over the entertainment experience for many park-goers.
This is not the first time that a Disney dragon has caught fire, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last. In 2018, the dragon float in the Festival of Fantasy parade at Disney World also went ablaze. Thankfully, no injuries were reported in either incident.
As of Monday afternoon, Disney has not provided an update on the status of the almost 30-minute Fantasmic show at Disneyland, leaving fans uncertain about the future of the show. It’s a somber reminder that even the happiest place on earth can experience tragedy and that we must always be cautious and vigilant to prevent accidents like this from happening again.