Hang on tight, folks; this is going to be a wild Disneyland Update. While we have news, photos, and video for you of a new experience in Tomorrowland, new food option in Downtown Disney, and some fun construction updates… we also have an unfortunate confluence of events that made this a horrible week for Disneyland. We’ll take a look at a near tragedy that lit up the night in a way that Disney didn’t intend, technology problems that kept guests from entering the park, AND a power outage that shut down parts of Disneyland for hours.
The No-Good Very Bad Week from Hell
Issues began on Wednesday last week when a technical glitch with Disney’s front gate system prevented guests from being able to enter either Disneyland or California Adventure right at the height of the day and park-hopping time. Crowds very quickly built until the lines for both parks merged in the middle of the esplanade. While the problem was fairly short-lived, it showcases the issue with having everything Disney does be mobile-dependent. What happens when the system goes down? Or a cellular network fails? Everything grinds to a halt. Disney has eliminated all physical backup plans.
The computers are down at the main gate for both parks. Bring patience if you’re on the way to Disneyland right now. No one is going in at the moment. #disneyland #DisneylandResort #Disney100 #happiestplaceonearth pic.twitter.com/SMuVPu8q1k
— Rebecca Saryan (@chubecca) April 20, 2023
Then on Friday evening, around 7:30 PM, the power went out on the west side of Disneyland. Indiana Jones, the Jungle Cruise, and attractions all the way to Galaxy’s Edge lost power and had to evacuate guests from the rides. Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge was so heavily impacted that the land was closed and cast were turning guests away and informing them that the land would be closed for the rest of the night. Power outages aren’t uncommon at Disneyland, but this was a big one. Things started returning to normal in time for a delayed start to Fantasmic and the fireworks.
But the thing none of us will ever forget was the moment that Fantasmic’s beloved Maleficent Dragon burst into flame as guests watched, stunned, on a busy Saturday night. At first, no one knew what to do. So everyone remained in their spots… but then, as a huge fireball erupted from the Dragon’s head and began dripping fire onto the stage and body of the beast, people got up and started moving. It was a chaotic scene until cast and guests were all on the same page that it was time to GET OUT!
Sadly, Murphy (the pet name the Maleficent Dragon is known by) was fully engulfed in flames and did not survive the evening. It took firefighters about two hours to fully control the situation, but they arrived too late to save Disneyland’s most impressive animatronic.
Meanwhile, cast with a garden hose and some small fire extinguishers, attempted to keep the flames from spreading… all while glowing chunks of the dragon rained down upon the stage.
It was a very late night for us as we attempted to gather any photos and video we could to see what happened and why this situation got out of control so quickly. So, what did happen?
Here’s what Disney officially had to say (we’ve bolded the important part):
“During the final showing of Fantasmic at Disneyland park on Saturday evening, the dragon prop caught fire. Anaheim Fire & Rescue quickly responded, and the fire was extinguished. All cast members were safely evacuated from Tom Sawyer Island. Due to smoke and wind, attractions near the island were safely evacuated of any guests, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time. We are temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland park’s Fantasmic at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution following the Fantasmic prop fire at Disneyland park. The continued safety of our cast and guests is of the utmost importance.”
What Caused The Fantasmic Meltdown
First, and it’s very important that we all keep this in mind, the investigation is just getting started into what happened. However, there’s a LOT that can be inferred from watching the videos. But what we are ultimately left with are questions, lots and lots of questions about safety checks, maintenance, and disaster planning.
When Fantasmic reopened a little less than a year ago, it was completely refurbished. All the fountains, fire systems, barges, and props were refreshed in one way or another. So what could have happened?
The Fantasmic dragon spits a fuel called isopar. It’s a fairly clean burning fuel that produces less black carbon and fumes than better-known fuels such as kerosene. It also floats on water and keeps burning. To put out an isopar fire, it needs to burn off the fuel, dissipate, or be smothered with foam or special dry chemical fire suppression equipment. We’ll get back to this in a moment.
On Saturday evening, Earth Day, something strange was happening with Murphy. The usual blast of fire which sets the river aglow didn’t go off as planned. Fuel sprayed from the mouth of the dragon but didn’t fully light. And from there, things spun quickly out of control.
It’s very likely that there was a leak in the flame thrower fuel system. But, whatever the cause, fuel can be seen leaking out of the head of the dragon. The show should have been stopped at this point. And, even as the dragon’s head first catches fire, the show STILL doesn’t stop for nearly 20 seconds. That may not sound like a long time but count 20 seconds out loud… it’s a very long time when safety is on the line.
After the show stops, the fuel in the dragon’s head has an explosive moment. Shortly thereafter, a massive stream of fuel shoots from the dragon’s head, splashing on the bottom of the figure and onto the stage. A potential tragedy in the making.
Had the show been stopped at the first sign of trouble, it’s possible the fire wouldn’t have occurred at all. But it wasn’t stopped. That’s one of the many things that Disney will need to investigate. Who should have noticed that Murphy’s flame thrower wasn’t performing correctly and that there was a leak of explosive material? Why didn’t pre-show inspections identify the potentially deadly flaw? And why doesn’t the dragon (or anything else that has a fire element) have a built-in fire suppression system that is triggered when things go awry? Of course, there are many other questions about this entire situation, including training issues and emergency planning.
As we were told by a former tech who worked the show for many years, Disney got very lucky. Had that uncontrolled stream of isopar been directed toward Mickey, or the trees, or any other flammable portion of the stage, the situation could have been much, much worse. In the end, only a dragon was killed. But this is a wake-up call to Disney and the theme park industry that preventative maintenance, militant safety procedures, and adequate supervision of potentially dangerous systems are critically important.
In their official statement, Disney says “We are temporarily suspending fire effects similar to those used at Disneyland park’s Fantasmic at select shows and entertainment experiences globally out of an abundance of caution…”
That’s a good thing. Over at World of Color, various flamethrowers frequently malfunction, shooting their fuel into the air but not igniting. While this has yet to cause a serious problem, that doesn’t mean it won’t.
We headed to Disneyland at opening on Sunday to survey the aftermath of the fire and were very pleased to see that the damage had been contained to just the dragon and her lift. No trees or buildings were damaged.
Overnight, Disney was able to retract the Fantasmic light towers and get Murphy to retract down as well. Since you are only seeing her head and neck below and not her whole body, the lift was at least operational enough to partially lower her.
Staff worked quickly to throw blankets over the head of the dragon and erect scaffolds and a green scrim to hide the scene.
Believe it or not, Fantasmic can operate without the dragon. There’s a B-Mode to the show that uses projections instead of the dragon and keeps the momentum going. It’s not nearly as impressive as with that stunning animatronic, but it works in a pinch. The question is, how quickly can they get everything cleaned up and the stage ready for cast again. We hope it won’t be too long. And we also hope that Disney uses the insurance money to replace the dragon.
Visitors to the Disney Parks over the last couple of years know that they are operating understaffed, with many maintenance issues, and are currently undergoing budget cuts and a hiring freeze which has only made things worse. And as the company prepares to lay off thousands more workers over the coming weeks, we can’t envision that somehow things are going to magically get better.
It’s time for Disney to stop this insanity and go back to full staffing, revive their once industry-leading training program, make maintenance a priority, and start delivering on the level of service Disney was always known for and that guests expect… next time they might not get as lucky as simply losing a 10 million dollar prop.
Should The Fantasmic Dragon Be Replaced?
The question on everyone’s mind right now is will Disneyland replace the amazing animatronic dragon, go back to the previous dragon head on a stick, or just use projections in this segment of the show? We’d like to hear your thoughts.
What do you expect from Fantasmic when it is fully repaired and operating again?
Crowd Patterns Follow… Patterns
We’ve noticed that the crowd flow has followed a bit of a pattern these past few weeks: busier during the week, generally pleasant on the weekends. And while it’s been great for guests that visit on the weekends, the rest of the week can still be pretty difficult to navigate.
Fantasyland is usually the culprit for the busiest land in the park (though ToonTown has been giving Fantasmic a run for the money). Despite there being a high concentration of attractions that should eat up crowds, Fantasyland is almost always the most congested place to walk through.
We won’t beat you over the head with the crowds since we’ve covered this subject extensively over the past few weeks. But with Fantasyland, ToonTown and New Orleans Square generally the busiest, why is the new-ish Star Wars land so empty? It sure would be great if Disney could introduce some entertainment and more characters to entice guests into this gigantic land and help spread out the crowds.
MiceChat Friday Live @ 5
We’ve spoken about the crowd conditions, but let’s see how it was in real time. Every week, we do a live stream of current conditions at Disneyland and catch up on the latest Disney news. This week, we got to see the new Disney Vacation Club lounge in Tomorrowland, enjoy the spring flowers, and even take a walk through Sleeping Beauty Castle. Although it was a sweltering day at nearly 90º, we sought the refuge of shade and enjoyed a beautiful walk. Don’t miss the video below:
These MiceChat Live videos take place every Friday at 5pm on our Facebook and YouTube pages. Be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out. We hope you’ll tune in this week!
The 2nd-Most Exclusive Club At Disneyland
While the Star View Station isn’t quite the luxury that Club 33 is, you do have to be in a club to get in. The brand-new Disney Vacation Club lounge at Disneyland offers a place of respite for DVC members with air-conditioning, comfortable seating, device charging stations, free snacks and drinks, and even a DVC member services team. In order to get inside, you (or a member of your party) must be a DVC member.
Located in the mostly-abandoned Carousel building, DVC members enter through the same area near the Darth Vader Visa photo op.
Once inside, it’s impossible not to notice that the interior looks exactly the same as when it was operating as Star Wars Launch Bay! The same exhibits, carpeting, signs, and other details have been untouched since the location’s closure. In essence, this location could have reopened to guests a long time ago.
Although the building hasn’t been open to park guests, it hasn’t actually be abandoned. The building is being used by Disney Imagination Campus, the educational programming for youth groups.
The Star View Station DVC lounge is located on the top level of the building. After checking in with a host at the base of the center column of the building, they’ll direct you upstairs.
If you look carefully on your way up the stairs, you may find a clever hidden Mickey:
After you head up the stairs, you’ll find yourself in a space inspired by retro-Tomorrow.
The lounge features art from a 60s interpretation of Tomorrowland, including a recreation of Mary Blair’s Tomorrowland mural. And there’s also a costume from Disneyland’s famous Spaceman.
As of right now, the lounge operates from 11am until about 6pm daily. The maximum party size is the DVC member and up to 5 guests.
We were there on opening day to check out the space for ourselves, take a look:
For more information about the Star View Station lounge, take a look at the article below:
Downtown Disney Happenings
There are a few things taking place around Downtown Disney. Here’s the latest.
Clyde’s Hot Chicken
We mentioned last week that cupcakes were out and chicken sandwiches were in. We have to amend that statement that it’s actually fried chicken skewers are in. This week, a new kiosk called Clyde’s Hot Chicken opened in Downtown Disney (near the Monorail station). And while we were expecting the brand’s famous hot chicken sandwich, the cart actually offers skewers of chicken breast seasoned to your liking.
While we’re a little disappointed that Clyde’s doesn’t offer a chicken sandwich in Downtown Disney, we tried the skewer and found it pretty tasty. Because I can’t handle hot spices, we got it naked and thought it was still pretty well seasoned—just without any heat. But at $12 per skewer, we won’t be returning. And, judging from the lack of customers wanting to try this new location, we aren’t alone in that opinion.
Centrico & Paseo Set to Move In
Now that Catal and UVA Bar have closed, their replacements aren’t wasting any time getting into renovation mode. Images on the construction walls explain the concept of the restaurant.
You may have noticed that the restaurant and bar’s construction walls also envelop the now-empty Sprinkles Cupcakes location. That is because the old Sprinkles space is being absorbed into the upcoming Mexican restaurant.
Jazz Kitchen Wraps Up its Overhaul
Another longstanding aspect of Downtown Disney, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, is about to finish up its soulless remodel. We talked to some employees who told us that the new Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill + Patio is set to be completed within the next week or two.
Sadly, the fountain adorned with Mardi Gras beads has been removed for a strip mall-style courtyard. They were able to add space for an extra table or two, but at what cost to theme?
At this point, the only thing that’s left is the remodel of Jazz Kitchen Express into its new format, “Beignets Expressed,” and that will happen quickly. Jazz Kitchen Express closed last week to prepare for reopening.
Downtown Disney Construction
After months of what seemed like pushing dirt around, there seems to be some developments at the west end of Downtown Disney. We took a ride on the Monorail to see the latest happenings in the construction zone.
This part of Downtown Disney isn’t expected to finish until 2025, so we’ll check in periodically to see what’s happening.
Halfway To Halloween
We’ve reached the halfway point to Halloween! Over the last few years, Disney has made an effort to make #HalfwaytoHalloween a thing, and to drum up excitement for the spooky season, they’ll do a quick Halloween Lite around the Disney Parks while announcing things planned for Halloween later in the year.
This time around, Walt Disney World was the star of the show by far. It got a vast selection of limited-time foods for Halfway to Halloween PLUS the after-hours Halloween party dates (and when tickets would be available for purchase) were announced!
As far as Disneyland goes… there were a couple of uninspired snacks (the same selection of items were available in Disneyland and DCA) that always make an appearance every Halloween.
The other major aspect of Disneyland’s Halfway to Halloween was the announcement that Oogie Boogie Bash would be returning this fall… Though, no dates were given for the after-hours party (which is odd considering that WDW was able to announce their Halloween party dates).
For more about Halfway to Halloween and for the full set of announcements of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and even the international Disney Parks, be sure to look at the article below:
When it comes to seasonal events and announcements, it seems like Walt Disney World is getting greater variety and more creative offerings and Disneyland is getting the short end of the stick. Disneyland offers the same limited number of items for every season, just dressed up differently. We’ve all but given up on Disneyland’s sweets and baked goods because they’ve become so repetitive.
Throwback Nite
This week was the Throwback Nite special ticketed event. While we didn’t attend, our friend and MiceChat contributor, David Yeh, shares some thoughts about the latest after-hours party:
The Disneyland After Dark series have been a hit and miss with guests, as the queue to meet rare characters is now as high as the price paid to get in. While there were still long lines to be seen across Throwback Nite, the event changed gears a bit from the previous playback and provided a lot more spontaneity and play into the night, with classic characters roaming around, interacting, and playing games with guests. Disneyland goers who remember the old days of running into characters randomly would have enjoyed playing croquet with the Queen of Hearts, or witnessing Cinderella out-classing her stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella. None of the roaming characters had “lines” per se and were happy to take pictures with anyone who walked up and asked.
There were still a few characters that operated like modern meet & greets, including everyone in Tomorrowland (Mother & Father from Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Mr. Morrow from Flight to the Moon, and the Tomorrowland Space Couple), Dumbo, and the two Fantasia characters, Hyacinth Hippo and Mademoiselle Upanova.
Entertainment was provided by a classic Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks display, swing dancing at the Fantasy Faire Royal Theatre, and Mariachi Spectacular in Frontierland.
Backdrops at these After Dark events have typically been underwhelming, but for Throwback Nite, they really outdid themselves with fun photo opportunities throughout the park. They were as popular as some of the characters were!
Magic Key holders in attendance could pick up a Throwback Nite Pennant as a free gift, which was a more thoughtful giveaway than the standard buttons they usually offer.
Where the characters and photo opportunities all kicked it up several notches this year, food took the backseat with many locations sitting empty for most of the night. That’s one of the problems with having a 4-hour event from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. They really should consider allowing the event food to begin service at 7 p.m. for event guests.
Overall, the sheer number of characters really made Throwback Nite an event to remember. It will be tough to top this one, but we hope they do.
Disneyland Construction
We’ll breeze through the construction projects this week.
Adventureland Treehouse
The former Tarzan Treehouse is racing toward a hopeful summer opening as the Adventureland Treehouse inspired by the Swiss Family Robinson. Once the water wheel goes in, it should progress very quickly toward an opening.
Tiana’s Palace
The swap of French Market for Tiana’s Palace continues, but looks largely like it did last week.
The globe lights which ring the patio are being rewired.
San Fransokyo Square
baymax and friends are coming to the old Pacific Wharf. Signage is being swapped out right now for new words and phrases which match the theme of the film/.
Disneyland Hotel DVC Tower
The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel tower is slowly revealing itself. It looks nothing like the rest of the Disneyland Hotel. That’s not a bad thing… except that the rest of the Disneyland Hotel now looks like an ancient motel. But at 344 rooms… WHERE ARE ALL THOSE EXTRA PEOPLE GOING TO EAT???
Steakhouse 55 and its lounge remain stubbornly closed. The bar was expected to be reopened by now. Some weird white walls have popped up around the actual bar. But other than that, this section of the hotel is dead, dead, dead. What’s not being addressed is that guests of the new “Villas” are going to need to dine and relax and the current Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam’s complex is completely overcrowded as it is. If Disney hopes to meet the need and avoid major guest complaints, anyone can see coming… it’s time to do something!
Vacation Club points for the new tower go on sale on May 2nd (for existing DVC members). For more info, please check out our coverage.
The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel – Rooms, Photos, Reservations
Disneyland Refurbs
We can’t complain when refurbishments happen. They are a necessity… but it sure is hard to have a ride like the Matterhorn down for a month and a half.
Currently Under Refurbishment:
- Tarzan’s Treehouse Transformation: (September 1st, 2021-2023)
- French Market remodel to Tiana’s Palace: (February 17th-TBA)
- Mint Julep Bar: (February 17th-TBA)
- Silly Symphony Swings: (February 27th-May 18th)
- Ship to Shore Marketplace: (March 13th-April 29th)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds: (April 17th-June 1st)
A large area around the Matterhorn attraction is walled off at the moment. Some of the waterfalls are scaffolded. And a section of the mountainside has been removed so it can be replaced.
One thing we always enjoy seeing are the history signs on the construction walls. The ones for the Matterhorn are filled with interesting info and photos.
Look at this great photo of the Matterhorn under initial construction. They built the mountain from the top down instead of the other way around.
The parts of the mountain that are exposed to the waterfalls are ALWAYS an issue. A section of one of the falls has been removed.
This attraction has been operating since 1959. The oldest tubular steel roller coaster in the world. That’s amazing… but also problematic as the ride needs constant maintenance. Eventually, this ride will need to be rebuilt or replaced… the uproar that will cause will be louder than the screams of the abominable snowman! Which is why Disney is constantly replacing sections of track and mountain plaster. As long as it can still be patched up, they can delay the inevitable. Even if the ride is rougher than Indiana Jones.
I love and hate this ride at the same time. It’s so beautiful and so uniquely Disneyland… but also such a painful experience that I very rarely ride it.
Upcoming Refurbishments:
- Splash Mountain Conversion Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (May 31st, 2023-Late 2024)
Have you taken your last ride on Splash? Time is ticking away. The attraction will be closed on May 31st for its big overhaul into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
This & That
Here are a few of the under-the-radar things you should know about.
Earth Month Ends this Week
For the month of April, Disney has been making an effort to highlight various eco-conscious activities throughout the company. On the Disney Parks side of things, Disneyland offered several ways to celebrate planet Earth while enjoying a day in the parks. We even wrote a whole article about 7 ways to participate.
With Earth Day over and Earth Month finishing up, we certainly hope that the poor tree held hostage in the Grand Californian Hotel lobby will soon be outside again.
Also at the Grand, there are a couple of hotel guest activities that focus on sustainability.
On the other side of the US, Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World recently celebrated its 25th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22. Wish we were there!
Magic Key Sales
After Disneyland reopened sales for new lower-tiers of Magic Keys, they have quickly become unavailable. But if you were hoping to score a new Magic Key without going for broke, you may have waited a bit too long. At the time of writing this Update, only the highest level pass, the Inspire Key ($1,599) is available for purchase; the other tiers are available for renewals only.
DCA Food & Wine Festival Ends This Week
Over at DCA, the Food & Wine Festival wraps up tomorrow, April 25. The festival celebrating California crops, culture, and cuisine has been running since March 3. This weekend, there were lots of guests either coming to try the festival or use up any remaining Sip & Savor tabs.
The festival was very busy on Sunday. Yes, that’s the pick-up line below. As much as we liked the ‘idea’ of being able to buy all your food from one location and then pick them up at your leisure… the reality is that you end up waiting to order and then wait again for pick up.
While we’re not particularly sad to see this festival finish— DCA’s festivals have become needlessly complex without really offering many great items — we would like to see DCA transition to a more festival-forward park like WDW’s EPCOT that has a festival going on pretty much year-round. If Disneyland were to look at EPCOT for inspiration on all levels (operations, food, programming, etc), we think DCA could really compete with the best. To see what we’re missing out on, take a look at EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival going on now through July 5.
Now Blooming: EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2023
For any last-minute questions about DCA’s Food & Wine Festival, consult our festival guide below:
Delectable Delights: Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Guide 2023!
Disneyland Glamor Shots
I think we’ve said just about enough for today. Let’s look at the pretty side of Disneyland!
The Pink Trumpet Trees are in full glory right now. Enjoy it while you can!
Over at Sleeping Beauty Castle, there is a floral display that’s perfectly in line with the Disney100 color scheme. The purple Queen’s Wreath is blooming near the swan topiaries.
For Throwback Nite, the Main Street Cinema played movies detailing Disneyland’s construction. So it IS possible for them to switch what’s playing… Now we know there’s absolutely no reason for the park to play the same shorts on endless repeat— especially when there are 100 years of animation to choose from Disney’s history.
A first for us this week was watching the Columbia sail into the dock. We usually either see it out on the Rivers of America or already in the dock. It was pretty cool to watch.
With days in the high 80ºs last week, the water rides in the parks were obvious choices for guests.
Both Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Run had waits in the hour and a half range.
Discount Disney Theme Park Tickets & Hotels!!!
MiceChat brings you the BEST theme park ticket, hotel & package deals! (You’ll find extra nights free, big discounts, and special offers as well).
Check out the latest offers for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm:
If you live in Southern California, there’s a very special ticket offer for you that runs from January 9th through May 25th:
(MiceChat works with Get Away Today to provide you with the best theme park travel deals and we may make a small commission on any sales made through our links)
Let’s Hear From You
It’s undoubtedly been a tough week for Disneyland. And while we hope things turn around for the park, we also hope that they don’t see this as an opportunity to make further cutbacks. Even with Murphy experiencing catastrophe, we sure hope that Disney will commit to bringing her back to Fantasmic. What lessons do you hope Disney learned this week? And how would you like to see park operations change? Challenges can lead the way to new opportunities! Will you miss this year’s DCA Food & Wine Festival? Have you visited the new DVC Star View Station lounge? Did you participate in any Halfway to Halloween activities? We always love to hear from you in the comments and in our DMs on social media!
You must be logged in to post a comment.