The 45-foot-tall Disneyland dragon caught fire late Saturday, April 22, during a Fantasmic! show that prompted guests to evacuate the venue, according to local media and authorities. There were no recorded casualties.
The Maleficent dragon caught fire during the second showing of Fantasmic! at Disneyland Park on Saturday night.
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) April 23, 2023
It happened when Mickey shoots sparks at the giant dragon’s head. The Anaheim Fire Department responded to the scene.
pic.twitter.com/pISjxaSC3a
To Everyone's Surprise
Elaine Gilmer, who was watching the performances, described seeing "fire and kind of smoke coming out" of the dragon's head. She told ABC News that since nothing like it had ever happened before, she was thinking, "Oh ... they added some new stuff."
Gilmer's daughter Elyssa, however, started to notice that the flames emanating from the mouth of the 45-foot beast, which appears like Maleficent, the villain of Sleeping Beauty, seemed to spread throughout the body of the dragon.
Elaine explained what happened next: "We saw some small explosions coming out of the head, and then, all of a sudden, the whole dragon was just engulfed, and then, all of a sudden, the worker started coming around escorting everybody out for safety."
It was an unexpectedly chaotic finish for a presentation that typically features Mickey Mouse performing a spell to kill Maleficent. Videos of the event rapidly spread online, showing the gigantic dragon completely consumed in flames.
Moments before the whole dragon caught on fire 🔥 😬 #DisneyOnFire #disneyland #Fantasmic pic.twitter.com/aWkoqHmLUG
— B1ZZ.x (@LearnThisBiz) April 23, 2023
Reports From Officials
A Disneyland spokesperson confirmed that the incident forced the evacuation of Tom Sawyer Island, where the performance is taking place.
According to KABC, an ABC News station, the Anaheim Fire Department said that no injuries were recorded as a result of the event. The officials also said that they are still trying to figure out what started the fire.
Due to the dragon's smoke impacting surrounding attractions, Disneyland had to evacuate certain visitors.
Visitors said they were shocked when they heard about the event but that the reaction, which included relocating some visitors from affected areas, went well overall.
The show's unexpected termination, which is announced over a loudspeaker and captured on camera, shows guests leaving the area.
The Fantasmic! Show
Using excerpts from famous Disney films as well as water and fire special effects, the live performance tells the narrative of Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
As Disneyland puts it, "Daring heroes and epic villains do battle on a grand scale in an incredible nighttime show -- starring Mickey Mouse."
The fire interrupted the concert just as it was about to end. The performance usually ends with pyrotechnics and a visit by a steamboat full of dancing Disney characters and fireworks. It has recently been renovated to include both.
Elyssa Gilmer remarked, "The dragon is usually the highlight -- that's what most people look forward to ... We always love that part, so it's exciting to watch; it's kind of sad knowing that [the fire] happened."
Disney has not said when the Fantasmic! show will return.
