L.A. Times: New Fantasmic Dragon delayed until "later this summer"

[S. S. Columbia]

Brady McDonald at the L.A. Times says the new Fantasmic dragon won't join the show until "later this summer."

Please note, the original title of this thread was:

"Al Lutz says the new Fantasmic Dragon has a Broken Neck"

Please see Post #5 for the L.A. Times article.

Al Lutz at MiceAge (link) stated that it's looking rather unlikely that the new Fantasmic Dragon will work as planned for the big media event on Thursday, June 11.

Here's the quote:

Editor's Note 6/8: The disconnected Disneyland marketing folks are now wishing they hadn't focused the Summer Nightastic ads on the new Fantasmic dragon. Originally named Bucky, the replacement been christened Murphy because everything that could go wrong with him has, including a broken neck. It's looking rather unlikely that he'll work as planned for the big Thur media event. Too bad they didn't focus on Dumbo instead. - Al Lutz

 

[teatime]

well crap does happen, Im sure they will get it fixed sooner or later. no biggie really. I think they do there best to please us all, some times things happen out of there control.

 

[LuLusApple]

LOL I read that last night, some micechatters were speculating the damage
I am sure they will fix it soon... The show must go on

 

[Eeee-va]

The good news is that everything they discussed at http://micechat.com/forums/disneyland-resort/117634-new-dragon-broke-before-first-show.html can't possibly be true, since it's so contradictory.

I'm hoping that the dragon is working when I visit, and will be disappointed if it's not...but if not, that would be a good excuse to go back in December like I've been considering.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

The L.A. Times says the new Fantasmic dragon won't join the show until "later this summer."

Disneyland dragon not ready for Fantasmic reboot

While the OMG Web rumors aren’t true, the new Maleficent dragon won’t make her scheduled debut this weekend at Disneyland in the upgraded Fantasmic show due to “technical issues.”
Disneyland officials say those “technical issues” do NOT include the latest Internet rumor du jour pinging around the Twittersphere — that the 40-foot-tall dragon’s neck snapped during testing and that the head fell off!
The show will go on sans the dragon — with the new Fantasmic making its official debut on Friday (June 12) with the new Flotsam and Jetsam eels and high-definition video projections on the mist screens.
The new dragon won’t join the show until “later this summer,” according to Disneyland officials. That likely translates to a delay of weeks rather than days for the iconic image of the Anaheim theme park’s Summer Nightastic marketing push.

- Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer (Daily Travel & Deal Blog)

source: http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/disneyland-fantasmic-4605/

 

[DLR29]

Oh no! I hope it's running when I go in a couple weeks.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I hope they fix it by the end of June! If the neck didn't break, then what did happen that would take so long to fix?

 

[dlawallace]

Hoping for it to be fixed by JUly 21st!!!!!!!!!! Surly it will be...thats almost the end of summer.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

I know that they probably don't know how long it will take to repair the dragon, but I wish they'd been able to give us a more specific time guesstimate that the ambiguous "later this summer." I hope it's operational when I go at the end of June, but I'm happy that I'll get to see Dumbo and the eels.

 

[Disneylvrforever]

From what I've heard, the head didn't literally fall off so that the dragon became beheaded. The neck snapped so that it did fall, but not off, just down it's track. As for fixing, does anyone know how long it takes to fix a hydraulics problem?

 

[Minuet888]

Hi,
From what I've heard from cast members involved in Fantasmic that what Disneylvrforever said is true. The neck snapped causing the head to fall down the track just not completely off. This apparently was witnessed by some guests as this was being tested while guests were leaving the park.

Here is my big question HOW DO YOU HAVE FANTASMIC WITHOUT THE DRAGON?
Are they just using the old one? I heard they don't even have it anymore. They had to helicopter the new one in and now they have to helicopter it back out.

Usually hydrolics problems don't take long to fix but apprently the nexk is a series of hydrolics programmed to function as one which lies the massive (and yes the CM used massive) problem.

I am not meaing to sound like a rumor spreader but as soon as I heard this I called my friends who are cast members involved to see what the real deal was.

 

[Eeee-va]

Here's hoping Disney is going to underpromise and overdeliver...I wanted to see the dragon!

 

[scooter15]

Hi,

Here is my big question HOW DO YOU HAVE FANTASMIC WITHOUT THE DRAGON?

We've seen Fantasmic without the dragon before. They had Malificent sway her arms more and when it came time for the dragon, they just had a bunch of lights moving around and stuff. It definitely won't be the same but the show has definitely gone on w/o the dragon before.

 

[Leofoenget]

can't they just use the old one until the new one is fixed?

 

[Minuet888]

I didn't know they have done the show without the dragon. Seems weird since the dragon ignites the water on fire.

As for the dragon Leo it isn't even on the island. The 'rumor' is that they have gotten rid of it. But as many times as I have been backstage at Disneyland I think it is back there. There are SO many old things back there in warehouses!

 

[scooter15]

can't they just use the old one until the new one is fixed?

They would have to remove the new one and install the old one. In addition, they'd have to reprogram the show again specifically using the old dragon. I am not sure what has been changed with the show so I think it would be a programming nightmare.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thanks for the update. Guess I won't stake out a spot next Friday.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Me too, Mary Jo. My friend wants to go there for her b-day Friday and I was trying to figure out how we were going to see the show as the dessert seating is full. Now maybe we won't even try.

 

[DisDancerina]

This is definitely a shame. I know some people were super-excited for Friday for this sole reason and they probably won't be able to see it. At least they'll have the other effects though! It's weird... When I remember the dragon, I remember was a projection... Anybody else? Though, when I go, it's usually wet and cold.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Here is my big question HOW DO YOU HAVE FANTASMIC WITHOUT THE DRAGON?

There were several times last season when there was no dragon. They have Maleficent wave her arms around longer while very up high in the air, then the projection of the dragon comes out a bit sooner and the river lights on fire. Fantasmic without the dragon has been seen by many.

It's weird... When I remember the dragon, I remember was a projection... Anybody else?

When there is a dragon, Maleficent is up high in the air waving her arms around, the dragon comes out and there are projections of the dragon at the same time. They sort of layer each other and complement one another as the river ignites.

- Dreams