Certain fire effects at Disney properties will be temporarily suspended after one cartoon dragon used on Disneyland’s “Fantasmic” show caught fire Saturday night, startling audiences and forcing them to evacuate.
Disney officials say similar fire effects will be temporarily suspended at the company’s theme parks globally, including on dragon carriages at the Walt Disney World Fantasy Parade Festival. in Florida. The floats will be used, but the fire effect will be temporarily suspended, Disney officials said.
Officials said the animated dragon at the “Fantasmic” attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida uses a different pyrotechnics system than the one used at Disneyland and therefore will not be affected.
Tim Turensek, an accountant from Minneapolis, witnessed the Disneyland fire. The fire, water, and light show usually takes place twice a night from Tom Sawyer Island, and most visitors of the park watch from the opposite shore, near New Orleans Square.
“When it first started, I thought it was part of the program,” says Turensek. The dragon was breathing fire, and Turensek was impressed, wondering how the crew could “let the whole thing burn and still work”.
When it became clear that the fire was caused by negligence, he said, “there was a slight delay in notifying the cast members what to do,” but once everyone was out, outside. That area of the park is still operating normally. “
Turensek found it “quite humorous that they kept playing upbeat Disney music while the fire continued to burn.”
In a statement, Disneyland officials said: “All cast members were safely evacuated from Tom Sawyer Island. Due to smoke and wind, attractions near the island were safely evacuated from any visitors and the cause of the fire is still being investigated at this time.”
Officials said Disneyland will “temporarily suspend fire effects similar to those used in “Fantasmic” at “select entertainment shows and experiences globally as a precaution.”
Disneyland’s website doesn’t show any “Fantasmic” performances scheduled until May 12.
The fire dragon joined Disneyland’s risk list over the years.
In 2011, a flying carpet used in the production of “Aladdin” overturned; the show reopened after a problem with the grounded carpet, under the OC . Register.
In 2015, a fire broke out near the “It’s Small World” attraction. every NBC. No one was injured.
In 2018, a collapsed float pushed Santa out of his sleigh during the Christmas Fantasy Parade, Fox News reported.
Just last week, computer glitch Affected turnstiles are used to enter Disneyland and California Adventure Park, keeping crowds waiting outside.
