Disneyland Fantasmic Dragon Engulfed in Flames

[VJ]

call it a hunch but i'm starting to think the dragon isn't coming back

 

[Disney Irish]

call it a hunch but i'm starting to think the dragon isn't coming back

But we were assured it was coming back, that its being worked on now (in the UK I think).

Seriously though, I do hope it comes back in some form.

 

[VJ]

But we were assured it was coming back, that its being worked on now (in the UK I think).

Seriously though, I do hope it comes back in some form.

somehow i don't believe that 2025 disney would spend 2 million dollars (3 million in 2025 dollars) on one figure that shoots flames out of its mouth and fireworks out of its head nightly

...and that's what i've been saying this entire time! only to be met with "trust the process they're building it in secret it's coming for the 70th" and then "no it's coming for 2026, i swear" which will turn into "nope, delayed, 2027" and we'll still be stuck with the half-baked show being put on for millions of guests paying upwards of $100 per person to see

disneyland's fantasmic is my favorite show disney has ever put on and seeing it in this state with the promise of "it'll be fixed soon!" and then soon never coming feels kinda like stabbing the wound all over again

 

[Disney Irish]

somehow i don't believe that 2025 disney would spend 2 million dollars (3 million in 2025 dollars) on one figure that shoots flames out of its mouth and fireworks out of its head nightly

...and that's what i've been saying this entire time! only to be met with "trust the process they're building it in secret it's coming for the 70th" and then "no it's coming for 2026, i swear" which will turn into "nope, delayed, 2027" and we'll still be stuck with the half-baked show being put on for millions of guests paying upwards of $100 per person to see

disneyland's fantasmic is my favorite show disney has ever put on and seeing it in this state with the promise of "it'll be fixed soon!" and then soon never coming feels kinda like stabbing the wound all over again

In all fairness I'm sure that they are looking to see if its feasible, as they know its a fan favorite effect and part of the show. I think it just they are trying defray the costs by either delaying it or by trying to get both coasts to cover it and upgrade both dragons. Because why build one when you can build two and twice the price. At least that is my hope.

 

[VJ]

In all fairness I'm sure that they are looking to see if its feasible, as they know its a fan favorite effect and part of the show. I think it just they are trying defray the costs by either delaying it or by trying to get both coasts to cover it and upgrade both dragons. Because why build one when you can build two and twice the price. At least that is my hope.

i genuinely hope so!

 

[Disney Vault]

A dragon would cost more than 2 or 3 million

 

[PeopleRemover]

In all fairness I'm sure that they are looking to see if its feasible, as they know its a fan favorite effect and part of the show. I think it just they are trying defray the costs by either delaying it or by trying to get both coasts to cover it and upgrade both dragons. Because why build one when you can build two and twice the price. At least that is my hope.

Appreciate the Contact reference.

A dragon would cost more than 2 or 3 million

 

[VJ]

A dragon would cost more than 2 or 3 million

if i remember correctly, 2 million was what the 2009 dragon cost so that's what i was going off of - but that proves my point even more

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Saw the WDW Fantasmic on Sunday! What a great show! There was a DRAGON!

 

[Ice Gator]

Saw the WDW Fantasmic on Sunday! What a great show! There was a DRAGON!

kind of wild that dragon on a stick outlived Disneyland’s and Tokyo’s dragons

tbh I kind of wish they’d just use Tokyo’s design for both coasts. it’s just a massive head like dragon on a stick, but has the advanced features of Disneyland’s model and looks way more like Maleficent does in the film.

 

[Ice Gator]

Here’s something that’s been bugging me ever since I was a kid in the early 2000s. A lot of the early promotional material made for Fantasmic was used in park marketing, travel guides, etc. I found a few images/screenshots from early commercials that show off an alternate dragon design.

my question is- does anyone know where these came from? like the first image appears to be a model/toy, but the second two screenshots i added came from a commercial. it appears to be someone in a costume/puppet hybrid judging by how the hands move in the ad. im curious if theres any documentation online of the production of these promos and what became of these early Maleficent stand-ins.

i’ve always remembered them because the first time i saw WDW’s F! as a kid, i was confused why the dragon looked so different from what was being shown in the images used to promote the show around the parks.

ad links: (doesn’t that dragon look almost uncanny with how smooth it moves?)

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Here’s something that’s been bugging me ever since I was a kid in the early 2000s. A lot of the early promotional material made for Fantasmic was used in park marketing, travel guides, etc. I found a few images/screenshots from early commercials that show off an alternate dragon design.

my question is- does anyone know where these came from? like the first image appears to be a model/toy, but the second two screenshots i added came from a commercial. it appears to be someone in a costume/puppet hybrid judging by how the hands move in the ad. im curious if theres any documentation online of the production of these promos and what became of these early Maleficent stand-ins.

i’ve always remembered them because the first time i saw WDW’s F! as a kid, i was confused why the dragon looked so different from what was being shown in the images used to promote the show around the parks.

ad links: (doesn’t that dragon look almost uncanny with how smooth it moves?)

I've been wondering the same thing for years! I hope someone can answer this.

 

[iMax]

On tonight’s MIA list:
•All Pyro
•Columbia Cannon
•Maleficent’s Lift
•Fire from the West & East side of the Island

I really need to not watch again until this show undergoes a massive overhaul.

 

[gerarar]

Maleficient lift is still broken as of last night (8/1).
In addition, no fire on river, Mickey lift broken, fountains in a sorry state, etc.


Even if the Mickey lift isnt working, they can still do a B-mode finale with Tuxedo Mickey where he appears at the bottom left next to the cabin, like where he appears at the very start of the show.
WDW does something similar as their B-mode finale if the lift doesn't work or the dragon is stuck on the stage.

 

[AxolotlTales]

Maleficient lift is still broken as of last night (8/1).
In addition, no fire on river, Mickey lift broken, fountains in a sorry state, etc.


Even if the Mickey lift isnt working, they can still do a B-mode finale with Tuxedo Mickey where he appears at the bottom left next to the cabin, like where he appears at the very start of the show.
WDW does something similar as their B-mode finale if the lift doesn't work or the dragon is stuck on the stage.

Very disappointing to see this show has become this.

 

[Figments Friend]

We wants the dragon!
We wants the dragon!

We NEEDS the dragon…!!

( 2026 here we come….)

 

[jmuboy]

In all fairness I'm sure that they are looking to see if its feasible, as they know its a fan favorite effect and part of the show. I think it just they are trying defray the costs by either delaying it or by trying to get both coasts to cover it and upgrade both dragons. Because why build one when you can build two and twice the price. At least that is my hope.

Not having the dragon is bad… but that abysmal state the show is in right now is an embarrassment to Disney. Totally inexcusable.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I just watched a multicam recording on YouTube, and it's shocking to me just how far a gap there is between DHS' version of this show and Disneyland's. I already preferred the WDW version because I grew up on it, but there is absolutely no contest now.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I hope the lack of maintenance/upkeep isn’t a sign they’ve decided to repurpose the DL ROA area also. F! used to be one of the resorts premier events, seeing it in this state has me worried its days are numbered, especially considering DL has eliminated nearly every show requiring live actors over the last several years.

 

[AxolotlTales]

Disneyland doesn't care about entertainment anymore. The 70th was only one new show for DCA and a cavalcade featuring reskinned floats for DL from former parades. Fantasyland Theatre sits empty, they won't run two parades at once despite doing it before, Hyperion sits empty, Paint the Night got cuts, and now Fantasmic is in the state it's in right now. And that's just the main entertainment offerings. It used to beat WDW with entertainment but that's not true anymore.