Fantasmic! has returned to the Disneyland Resort. This long-running nighttime show has been a fan favorite since it first opened in 1992. Since it opened, guests have been delighted at the powers of Mickey Mouse’s imagination. Now, three decades later, there have been three main version of Fantasmic! There is the original version, the updated version, and the current version. While the main overarching storyline of Mickey’s imagination continues to remain the same, it has been updated at different points.
Welcome to Fantasmic! Tonight, our friend and host Mickey Mouse uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy. Nothing is more wonderful than the imagination, for, in a moment, you can experience a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure. But beware, nothing is more powerful than the imagination, for it can also expand your greatest fears into an overwhelming nightmare. Are the powers of Mickey’s imagination strong enough, and bright enough, to withstand the evil forces that invade Mickey’s dreams? You are about to find out. For we now invite you to join Mickey, and experience Fantasmic!… a journey beyond your wildest imagination.
The original version of Fantasmic! started similarly to what is seen today. It saw Mickey Mouse’s imagination coming to life through a segment inspired by Fantasia. Eventually imagination wanders to the jungle of The Jungle Book with Kaa and King Louie making appearances with those iconic dancing monkeys. This was followed by a rockin’ version of Pink Elephants on Parade from Dumbo before Pinocchio and two marionettes take over center stage. This then goes underwater with some projections as Mickey’s imagination gets a bit stormy and Monstro shows up. This is followed by the original Peter Pan segment on the Columbia. Originally, the crocodile followed the Columbia and chased Captain Hook throughout this battle. This was followed by the princess segment with royal couples from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After this, things get darker with the arrival of the Evil Queen from Snow White, who soon turns into the Old Hag and calls all the forces of evil! This sets off a sequence of villain scenes. Originally, Ursula floated around the Rivers of America during this part. For a time, Flotsam and Jetsam also appeared. This villain segment, including moments on the screen, culminated with the arrival of Maleficent! She attacks Mickey Mouse and as she laughs after her attack, transforms into a dragon! Finally, Mickey Mouse (in his Brave Little Tailor Mickey outfit) gathers up his courage and wins the day. As he defeats Maleficent, scenes of other villains being defeated display as well. After a moment of calm, the Mark Twain appears with sparklers on the side and a Steamboat Willie Mickey appears in a flash of pyro with a wide ranger of Disney characters. As the Mark Twain travels around the Rivers of America, they all wave at the guests who are watching. As the Mark Twain disappears around the bend, Sorcerer Mickey Mouse appears again and shows the power of his imagination with fountains and fireworks before disappearing and reappearing again in his tux as he says this iconic phrase, “some imagination, huh?” With a chuckle, he disappears and after a giant green flash, the show ends.
The first major change for the show came in 2009 when a new and updated dragon was added to the show. It physically looked quite impressive. It’s animation was not as fluid as the original. However, overall it really was quite impressive.
This original version of the show remained more or less the same until 2016 when the second iteration was revealed. Commonly referred to as Fantasmic! 2.0, this iteration of the nighttime spectacular had some changes to the show. Mickey Mouse’s dialogue was re-recorded with this, the show saw some updates to the beginning as he took the journey into his imagination. There were some fairly significant changes, however. The Pinocchio marionettes were removed, a Friend Like Me section added with Mickey and the Genie, and The Jungle Book section updated. Another huge change came during the section with the Columbia. No longer was Peter Pan the main storyline, instead it was now based on Pirates of the Caribbean with Jack Sparrow and pirates fighting. The royal couples section was also updated. This version of the show included Aladdin and Jasmine flying on the magic carpet during A Whole New World. Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder were also now the climax moment of the princess trio section. Following this, instead of the Old Hag appearing right away, Mickey Mouse had a conversation with the Magic Mirror leading to her arrival. This part was much shorter now and the Evil Queen did not appear at all. The Old Hag again calls for all the forces of evil and this leads to a montage once again of evil doers from Disney stories that begins with Ursula. Once again, Maleficent shows up and attacks Mickey Mouse. She then turns into a dragon and the Rivers of America come to life with fire after she blows fire at Mickey Mouse. Mickey, now in a Sorcerer Mickey outfit here eventually wins the day. The end of the show was fairly similar to the original, with some changes in musical arrangements (which could be found throughout the show).
On May 24, 2024, Fantasmic! arrived at Disneyland in its third iteration. It pulled moments from the previous two, along with a few other updates for story and special effects. There were also some significant changes. The two big changes involved the Columbia and the climactic battle scene at the end. The Columbia once again helped tell the story of Peter Pan. While this was very similar to the original version of the show, there were now Lost Boys included and an animated crocodile was projected on water screens. The other big change was the final battle between Mickey Mouse and Maleficent. This time around, she does not morph into a dragon at all. Instead, she rises above Mickey Mouse during the battle and battles him in her evil fairy form. There are some new effects that include pyrotechnics, lights, and fountains during this part. There are some projections at the end of her demise that have carried through most of the iterations of the show, including showing the Maleficent dragon for a couple of seconds. This led to the happy familiar ending that fans have known and loved for over three decades. This really hasn’t changed a whole lot. The music throughout this iteration has some new and old arrangements included in it. There are also newer Disney/Pixar characters included as more stories are told through the years from The Walt Disney Company.
Above are three fairly brief overviews of the three different iterations of Fantasmic! at Disneyland through the years. There have also been other iterations of the show that have been presented at Walt Disney World Resort at Disney’s Hollywood studios and Tokyo Disney Resort in Tokyo DisneySea. Every fan of Fantasmic! has a favorite version of this show and a favorite place to see it. Most fans have a favorite memory of the show, maybe the first time they saw it. 32 years later, it continues to grow and evolve and show the power of imagination, both Mickey’s and the people who help him make the show come to life every night. It is a wonderful show that will hopefully continue to grow and become more magical in the next 32 years!
What is your favorite version of Fantasmic!? Where do you like to watch it from? Do you have a favorite memory of this show? A favorite part? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
