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Disney to REPLACE Maleficent Dragon With LIVE Animal Alternative

disneyland dragon alternative
Credit: Disney and adoptananimalkits.com

This is shocking news for the Disney community.

On April 22, 2023, the Disney community was left heartbroken after a shocking and horrifying incident in Disneyland Park. During an evening performance of Fantasmic, a technical malfunction with the fire effects created a massive fire on Tom Sawyer Island. This fire engulfed an iconic Disneyland icon, Maleficent the Fantasmic Dragon. This dragon, who is known by fans as Murphy, has been a landmark of the Parks and is a central part of the Fantasmic show.

As the community grieves the loss of a legend, fans have begun to ponder how Disney could replace a legend like Murphy. Due to the safety concerns that have arisen after multiple dragon fires, the Walt Disney Company has decided to scrap the Dragon in favor of a more dependable alternative. Guests visiting Disneyland Park today got a sneak peek at the new, live-animal alternative for the Maleficent Dragon.

Disneyland Fantasmic! fire dragon before and after

RIP Murphy the dragon… Now Onto the Next

For many Disney fans, the death of Murphy was a tragedy beyond comprehension. The Fantasmic Show has been dazzling Guests for over 30 years, and Guests have grown attached to the Dragon over this time. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Maleficent has had some pyrotechnic troubles within the Parks. Numerous dragon fires have happened over the years due to the special effects, and it seems clear after this incident that something needs to be done.

At this point, it seems silly to construct another dragon that could potentially catch on fire in the same way. Right now, all performances of Fantasmic at the Disneyland Resort theme Park have been halted because of their issue. Walt Disney World show has been able to continue, but this situation has caused everyone to reevaluate the safety of these dragons.

Disneyland dragon funeral

Credit: Disney

Luckily, it seems Disney may have found a suitable replacement. Fans visiting the Parks were given a sneak peek at the new replacement for the dragon. It seems that Disney has voted for a live-animal option. When selecting a replacement, Disney made sure to pick the most frightening and vengeful creature on this planet: a Canada Goose.

Goose set to play Maleficent in Fantasmic B-Show /j
byu/robbedgrave inDisneyland

It seems that rehearsals are well underway for this replacement role in Fantasmic. While the goose may be smaller than Murphy, the shape and personality of the two seem very similar. As of now, the Goose has not commented on his role, but hopefully, fans will be able to see him perform soon.

About Eva Miller

Eva was born and raised in the beautiful state of Oregon but has since relocated and lives in New York City. Since she was young, Eva has loved to perform in musicals, especially Disney ones! Through performing, Disney’s music became the soundtrack of her childhood. Today, Eva loves to write about all the exciting happenings for the Walt Disney Company. In her free time, Eva loves to travel, spend time in nature, and go to Broadway shows. Her favorite Disney movie is 'Lilo and Stitch,' and her favorite Park is Disney's Animal Kingdom.