Enhanced "Fantasmic!" Show Returns to Disneyland California

"Fantasmic!," the longest-running and most popular nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Park in California, is back with more special effects than ever before! The show, which has been immersing park Guests in Mickey Mouse's dream for 25 years, went dark for 18 months to accommodate construction work for the new "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" themed land. During this time, the Disney Parks Live Entertainment team saw an opportunity to take this classic show to brand new heights.

"Fantasmic! is a true, one-of-a-kind gem that only happens at the Happiest Place on Earth," said Steve Davison, executive for Parades and Spectaculars. "The goal was to preserve what Guests love most about the show, while adding some new elements to bring the imaginative storytelling in the show to life in creative new ways."

The show now includes new projection-mapping technology that creates three-dimensional images (something that Steve says we "could only dream about when it opened") and scenes inspired by "Tangled," "The Lion King," "Aladdin" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise. High-definition video projections and lighting effects enrich the experience, while updated, larger mist screens display new animation.

To fans’ delight, the core elements of "Fantasmic!" have remained as Guests are swept away into Mickey's dream. Fantastic visions of jungle and sea adventures remain, as well as appearances from Kaa the snake, Maleficent as a fire-breathing dragon and the pink elephants from “Dumbo.”

Show Control Tech Scott Johnson, one of more than 100 Cast Members involved in bringing the show to life nightly, enjoyed working on heightening the show's lighting and special effects. "We get to work on all the new cutting-edge things that have never been tested anywhere else," he said. "There are not many other places in the world where you can do this."

Would you like to see these enhancements in the Disney's Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic! or would you prefer seeing a brand-new show in its place? Be sure to share your opinions in the comments section found below this post.

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