Popular Disneyland Show To Return Friday After Hiatus

ANAHEIM, CA — A popular Disneyland show will return to the Anaheim theme park nearly a year after it went on hiatus due to a fire that broke out during the show.

The well-loved "Fantasmic!" show is set to return to the park on Friday, park officials said.

"In the reimagined battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, Mickey gathers all his magical powers, creating colorful swirls of light as sparkling pyrotechnics bolt from his fingers," according to a statement from the park. "Cloaked in her dark gown with her powerful scepter in hand, Maleficent ascends to a height of 35 feet as she appears to ignite the Rivers of America in flames."

The show has been on hold since April 2023, when a fire erupted during a performance and burned the Maleficent dragon during the performance's finale. The Anaheim Fire Department responded, and all Disney guests and employees were evacuated from the area with no injuries reported.

The fire prompted Disney to suspect its use of fire effects at select shows in parks worldwide.

The original "Fantasmic!" show opened in Frontierland in 1992 and featured fireworks, various Disney characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searchlights, decorated boat floats and mist screen projections.

The show went inside Mickey Mouse's imagination as he battled various Disney villains, including Maleficent in her dragon form, which was about 45 feet tall.

Disneyland officials said the revamped show maintains the original premise — minus the dragon — and "brings back the iconic `Peter Pan' scene and introduces The Lost Boys as they join Peter Pan and Wendy to battle Captain Hook on a pirate ship that sails into view on the Rivers of America. They execute a stunning series of spectacular duels and falls during this swashbuckling sequence."

City News Service contributed to this report.