"Some imagination, huh?"

Last night, my roomate Alex and I went to the Studios to see Fantasmic! (the exclamation point is part of the name...), their nighttime fireworks/stage show.  Unlike Wishes at the Magic Kingdom, and Illuminations at EPCOT, Fantasmic! is a nighttime stage show with pyro effects, fountains, fire, and lots and lots of Disney characters.

Fantasmic takes place in a dream of Mickey Mouse, where he shows the audience really cool fountains, and scenes from classic Disney animated films projected on huge water screens and acted out on stage.  Suddenly, Disney villains force their way into Mickey's dream, and try to turn it into an "overwhelming nightmare."  The show comes to a climax when Maleficent (fromSleeping Beauty) shows up and turns into a huge fire breathing dragon.  Mickey (of course) vanquishes the dragon, and the show ends with Sorcerer Mickey directing a fireworks show from the top of the mountain-looking stage.

However, last evening, things didn't work out so well.  Maleficent came out and appeared to turn into the dragon, however the dragon had some issues, and it was turned off and sat on the stage for the rest of the show.  It is always interesting to see things like this when they happen, giving guests a glimpse into the world that makes the magic happen.  But on the other hand, it is disappointing as well, because it removes the magic from the experience.  When this happened, the audience was immediately transported from the magical world of Mickey's dream, right back to the real world.

I had my camera with me and took some pretty cool pictures, here are my favorites:

Mickey Directing the fountains


Here comes the dragon...


... Or not. They sent Maleficent back up to try and hide the mistake, they also put some fog machines on around the dragon to try and hide it, but it was too windy and it all blew away.


The show is still magical for this girl. I love this photo because it was a complete accident. I had no idea she was standing there.


















After the show I was able to snap a photo of the dragon fully out on stage before they started to bring her back inside.