We spotted a crane in place for the routine maintenance planned for Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Showtimes for the nighttime spectacular are cancelled for tonight and tomorrow.
Fantasmic! Shows Cancelled Due to Routine Refurbishment
Disney previously released a modified Fantasmic! show schedule due to their maintenance plans. They state the work planned for this refurbishment is routine upkeep. A red crane can be seen here towering over the Fantasmic! show location.
Below is the announced showtimes schedule for Fantasmic! May 1-2 have been expected closure dates for nearly a month. After May 7, showtimes reduce to once per evening; however, Disney has shown in the past they will increase showtimes if crowding requires it.
May 1— 2
May 3 — 6
- 9:00 p.m.
- 10:30 p.m.
May 7th — May 31
- 9:00 p.m.
June 1 — June 30
- 9:00 p.m.
The in-park signage has been updated to reflect the cancelled shows. Guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios today also received a push notification that stated the following:
On behalf of the entire team at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I apologize that there will be no performance of Fantasmic! tonight. We are sorry you are not able to experience the show today. I hope you will enjoy some of our other entertainment offerings during your time with us in the park.
Jackie Swisher, Vice President Disney’s Hollywood Studios
On the west coast, Disneyland recently had a major malfunction at their Fantasmic! show, causing shows to be cancelled as well.
Disneyland Fantasmic! Incident & Aftermath
Fantasmic! is a nighttime spectacular which first debuted in Disneyland on May 13, 1992. The show stars Mickey Mouse as he explores the possibilities of his imagination, but the Disney Villains team up in an attempt to create an unstoppable nightmare for him. Featuring characters and music from Disney films including “Fantasia,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the show incorporates projections on screens of water, pyrotechnics, and both the Sailing Ship Columbia and Mark Twain Riverboat as they sail past guests on the Rivers of America. Similar versions debuted later at Walt Disney World and Tokyo DisneySea.
On the evening of April 22, a possible leak of flammable fluid from the dragon’s structure at Disneyland Park caused Maleficent to be dramatically set ablaze.
Our onsite reporter caught footage of the dragon, still burning, as the show came to a premature end for safety. The fire fell from the dragon’s mouth onto Tom Sawyer Island below. The cause was potentially a leak of flammable fluid, seen dripping down from the mouth moments before the fireball effect went off — though Disney stated on Sunday that they are investigating the incident.
Six Disneyland Cast Members were treated for smoke inhalation by Anaheim Fire & Rescue, though luckily, no serious injuries were reported. All guests were escorted far away from the area and large swaths of the park closed early out of an abundance of caution.
April 28 performance dates were restored for a brief period on the Disneyland website, suggesting a potential early return of the show with a temporary “B-Mode” dragon; however, those showtimes have since been removed.
What do you think of the Fantasmic! show? Is it something you always make time to see? We’d love to read your opinions in the comments below.
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