One of the most iconic nighttime spectaculars at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort is Fantasmic!. At Disney World, Guests crowd into the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater to enjoy the show each night. Over at Disneyland, the show took place along the Rivers of America. Sadly, Fantasmic! has been unavailable at Disneyland since April. That’s when a devastating fire ripped through the show, and the fire department had to come in and save the day. Disney has been looking for a replacement for the show ever since.
It’s been months, but Disney Park officials have finally announced that a replacement will be making its way to The Happiest Place on Earth in just a few days! Theme Park insider Scott Gustin shared that, beginning July 21, the Jambalaya Jazz Band will be performing along the Rivers of America three times per night. They will be accompanied by the talented Queenie, singing some of your favorites. The band can typically be seen performing small shows at various times in New Orleans Square.
The Jambalaya Jazz Band featuring Queenie will perform nightly on a New Orleans-themed river barge as they float down the Rivers of America at Disneyland Park starting this Friday, July 21. Three performances each night starting at 7:35 p.m.
The Jambalaya Jazz Band featuring Queenie will perform nightly on a New Orleans-themed river barge as they float down the Rivers of America at Disneyland Park starting this Friday, July 21. Three performances each night starting at 7:35 p.m. pic.twitter.com/3ht38Tg7W9
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 18, 2023
The Great Fantasmic! Fire
April 22, 2023, was a day that will not be quickly forgotten by Guests visiting Disneyland Park. Guests were sitting along the Rivers of America watching Mickey Mouse battle Maleficent’s dragon. The dragon is supposed to breathe fire, an effect that always amazes viewers. However, that night, something went wrong. Something malfunctioned and, instead of breathing fire, the fire got caught in the dragon.
Maleficent’s head quickly caught fire. But that was just the beginning. As Guests watched in shock, the rest of the dragon was soon completely engulfed in flames. Disney Cast Members quickly removed Guests from the area to keep them safe. Disneyland also had to call in the Anaheim Fire Department before things got too out of control. They needed the fire out before it spread to any more of Tom Sawyer Island.
Disney originally planned to have Fantasmic! up and running as soon as possible. However, they soon realized just how extensive the damage was. In mid-May, Disney regrettably informed Guests that it needed to cancel Fantasmic! until at least Labor Day.
We know that the Jambalaya Jazz Band will be performing for the foreseeable future, but we have no further updates on Fantasmic! at this time.
