Summary
- Fantasmic! At Disneyland has evolved over the years with new sound systems, HD projectors, and character additions like Murphy the dragon.
- In 2010, the Rivers of America were drained for maintenance, including refurbishing the Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia.
- Guests can catch Fantasmic! Live at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios, but arrive early as seats are first-come, first-served.
In 1992, over 35 years since Disneyland opened, Frontierland gained a valuable nighttime attraction that would outlast many of the park's decommissioned rides and performances. Fantasmic! Currently operates at both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios after having previously featured at Tokyo DisneySea as well. As one of Disneyland's most beloved and enduring attractions, Fantasmic! Features a dazzling fireworks display accompanied by live actors, special effects, and several animatronics. But as times have changed, Fantasmic! Has evolved to incorporate new, futuristic technology into its jam-packed show.
The narrative of Fantasmic! Takes viewers through the imagination of Disney's mascot as Mickey Mouse dreams up a universe akin to 1940's cult-classic Fantasia. Over the years, Fantasmic! Has undergone many technical alterations to improve the quality of its presentation. These are the most significant alterations of the past few decades.
2007 Introduces A Brand New Sound System
The first major changes to Fantasmic! Came in 2017 after 25 years of minimal adjustments. A whole new sound system and LED lighting enhanced the show's visual and auditory stimuli, including a complete overhaul of the three main lighting towers. In addition, several strips of footlights were replaced with LED fixtures and new pyrotechnic barges were introduced.
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2008 Brings HD Projectors
The show's three main projectors were replaced with HD digital ones, an invention dating back to the 1970s. An animatronic dragon, which would soon be nicknamed Murphy after the adage Murphy's Law, also joined the ever-growing cast of characters. Murphy replaced a mechanical dragon's head and hand-built appendages which were puppeteered with giant poles. Fun fact: Murphy was supposed to be a full-scale replica of Maleficent's final form in the Disney classic Sleeping Beauty.
2010 Drained the Rivers of America
In 2010, the artificial Rivers of America that surround Frontierland were drained. The Mark Twain Riverboat and the Sailing Ship Columbia were completely refurbished and the entire river's track was replaced. Many other aspects of the show underwent maintenance too, including the underwater and laser effects. The same year, Murphy malfunctioned and collapsed, resulting in the show's closure from August to November.
2016 Welcomes Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
When it was announced that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge would join Disneyland Park in California, Fantasmic! And several other attractions experienced a temporary closure and reopened the following July. This new and improved version of Fantasmic! Featured several scenes that drew inspiration from Tokyo DisneySea's discontinued counterpart, particularly sequences from Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lion King and Tangled.
2024 Changes the Show’s Dramatic Ending
After the animatronic of Maleficent's final form caught fire in 2023, Fantasmic! Took a year-long hiatus. It was only in May 2024 that the late-night show returned in all its glory. However, Mickey's dreamscape adventure couldn't fully operate safely and effectively without a few much-needed revisions. Instead of the finale featuring a heated battle between Mickey Mouse and a dragon-sized Maleficent, the finale tones it down to instead pit its rodent hero against the Sleeping Beauty antagonist in her human form. Rather than undergoing the infamous transformation, Maleficient fights Mickey mano a mano, elevating herself high into the air and lighting the river below her abaze.
Another significant change sees the return of the Peter Pan sequence featuring Captain Hook, which replaces the Pirates of the Caribbean transition.
How To See Fantasmic! Live At Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios
In Florida, guests can see Fantasmic! Live at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater. It is located off of Sunset Boulevard, between The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Theater of the Stars, the venue for the Beauty and the Beast stage show. Fantasmic! Is appropriate for all ages and lasts roughly 30 minutes. Seats for Fantasmic! Are first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive up to 90 minutes early to secure seats. It should be noted that guests sitting in the first couple of rows may get wet during the performance.
As Fantasmic! Is an outdoor show, the schedule may be subject to change due to unforeseen weather changes. If weather permits, shows start at 9pm daily.
Disney is a conglomerate and media company that owns a variety of television stations like ABC, Disney Channel, and Disney XD. They are also owners of the Marvel and Star Wars franchises and own the ever-popular Disney theme parks found all around the world.
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