In its prime, Fantasmic! was the height of Disney park entertainment.
Debuting in 1992, the open-air spectacular along the Rivers of America was a bold blend of water projections, fireworks, live actors, and fire-breathing animatronics, all woven into a battle between Mickey Mouse’s imagination and Disney’s most iconic villains.
For decades, it stood tall among Disneyland’s most beloved offerings. But two years after a fire brought down one of its most vital components, fans are questioning whether Fantasmic! is still worth keeping at all.
A Dragonless Return—and More Missing Magic
The 2023 fire that engulfed the towering Maleficent dragon—nicknamed “Murphy” by fans—was a blow not just to the show’s spectacle, but to its very identity. Since then, Fantasmic! has returned without its signature animatronic centerpiece. In the current version, Maleficent still appears, but rises with minimal movement and no fire-breathing effects.
It’s not the only change. The Pirates of the Caribbean sequence that had replaced the original Peter Pan scene from 2017 to 2023 is now gone. In its place, Peter Pan returns to duel Captain Hook aboard the Sailing Ship Columbia. While the move leans into nostalgia, fans have noted that it only highlights the broader trend of regression.
Even the technical spectacle has been scaled back.
A recent post on X, formerly known as Twitter, captured a second performance of the show that lacked both fireworks and the long-lost dragon. “No fireworks for the 2nd performance of Mid-tasmic. No dragon and no pyro. What’s the point of even running the show?” the user wrote.
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
Is the Future of Fantasmic! in Doubt?
Frustration has been growing. “Fantasmic is so underwhelming these days that it’s embarrassing for Disney,” one user posted. Another added, “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.” Some fans suspect the worst—that the lack of investment is intentional.
“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… taking out elements one by one until it is forever the shell of its former self,” one guest wrote.
And while the show has been pared back before, it’s the timing that feels most baffling. “As much as I hate to admit it, Disneyland’s Fantasmic! is a shell of its former self right now,” another post read. “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.”
That milestone—Disneyland’s 70th anniversary—kicks off in just days. Yet Fantasmic!, once its crown jewel of nighttime entertainment, has been left to limp along in a weakened state. Across the country, Florida’s version of the show was once considered the inferior iteration, but it seems to receive less criticism nowadays. That begs the question: should Orlando be the only home for Fantasmic! from now on?
If Disney has a long-term plan for the show in Anaheim, it hasn’t been made clear. And with each performance that plays out without fire, fireworks, or fanfare, the legacy of Fantasmic! risks being remembered not for its triumph—but for its quiet unraveling.
Do you think it’s time for Disney to update or axe Fantasmic!?
