A Disney drone test featuring the Magic Mirror, the Evil Queen transforming into the Old Hag and a fire-breathing Maleficent dragon has Disneyland fans wondering if a revamped version of “Fantasmic” could be in development for the Anaheim theme park.
Online video showing tests for a Fantasmic-like drone show conducted over Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch was posted to social media by Devon Cormier.
ALSO SEE: Disney tests Aladdin drone show over movie studio backlot
Disney teams are always testing and exploring new ideas and technologies, according to Walt Disney Imagineering officials. Disney has nothing to announce regarding the drone tests, which are not tied to any specific resort or offering, according to Imagineering officials.
Drones were seen over Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch again last night. Video from @DevonCormier shows a test featuring several Disney villains, including a huge Maleficent dragon.pic.twitter.com/6dOpLD3TQ0
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) October 23, 2025
Disneylanders have been clamoring for a new “Fantasmic” ever since the massive fire-breathing Maleficent dragon Audio-Animatronic burst into flames during a performance of the nighttime spectacular in April 2023.
Disneyland opted to replace the cursed Murphy dragon animatronic — nicknamed after Murphy’s Law — with new special effects during the battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent when the show returned in May 2024.
(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG
The three nights of testing over Disney’s 900-acre movie and TV studio backlot in Newhall left Disneyland fans wondering where and how the drone show might be deployed.
The first two nights of drone tests showed the Genie from “Aladdin,” the Sultan’s Palace in Agrabah, Captain Hook’s pirate ship from “Peter Pan,” Gramma Tala’s manta ray from “Moana” and Sorcerer Mickey’s magic hat from “Fantasia.”
The third night of drone tests showed a series of images in the night sky that could easily fit into a revamped “Fantasmic” show — including the Magic Mirror, Evil Queen, Old Hag, Ursula, Chernabog and the Maleficent dragon.
The characters seen in the Disney drone tests — from “Aladdin,” “Moana,” “Peter Pan,” “Little Mermaid” and “Fantasia” — all show up in Fantasmic at Disneyland, according to Laughing Place.
“That show has been facing criticism from fans as of late thanks to its rather stagnant nature, especially with the lack of fire-breathing dragon in the finale,” according to Laughing Place.
ALSO SEE: When will Disneyland get a drone show?
The Disney drone tests included visuals and story beats reminiscent of the “Fantasmic” mist screen scenes, according to the Disney Tourist Blog.
“Any Disneyland fan who watches the above footage is probably going to reach the inevitable conclusion that this is for ‘Fantasmic,’” according to the Disney Tourist Blog. “It would also make a tremendous amount of sense for Disneyland to upgrade ‘Fantasmic’ as the current show is a shadow of its former self and has been since Murphy went down in flames.”
There are plenty of other possibilities for the Disney drone tests beyond a “Fantasmic” upgrade at Disneyland.
The Disney Electrical Sky Parade at Disneyland Paris featured a drone version of Captain Hook’s pirate ship flying over Sleeping Beauty Castle. Concept art for a new nighttime spectacular coming to the reimagined Disney Adventure World theme park in France features a drone version of Gramma Tala’s manta ray from “Moana.”
The Golden Oak Ranch drone test could also be for an upcoming special event like the christening of the Disney Destiny cruise ship, the launch of the Disney Celebrates America campaign for America’s 250th anniversary or the grand opening of Disney’s Cotino master-planned community near Palm Springs, according to the Disney Tourist Blog.