Fantasmic! Spotted Testing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; How Soon Will the Show Return?

Disney Parks are known for their epic nighttime spectaculars, and while Walt Disney World has debuted some incredible new shows over the past year, one fan-favorite remains missing.

In addition to Disney Enchantment in Magic Kingdom Park, and Harmonious over at EPCOT, fans have been anxiously awaiting news on the return of Fantasmic! to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Where most Disney nighttime spectaculars focus on fireworks and projection mapping, Fantasmic! immerses Guests in the show even further, by playing out a live performance of Mickey’s dream.

RELATED: This Beloved Fireworks Show Is Returning to Walt Disney World

Disney’s official website still lists Fantasmic! as returning in 2022, and we at Disney Tips are all too aware that there are already less than three months remaining for the show to reopen in this calendar year. And, while Disney had been teasing the return of Fantasmic! on social media over the summer, the company has remained silent since it confirmed that rehearsals had begun a couple of months ago.

This week, we finally have an update that leads us to believe Disney will be sharing an opening date for Fantasmic! soon. Guests have reported hearing the music from the show and seeing familiar lights coming from the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at the end of Sunset Boulevard, which seem to clearly indicate that testing for Fantasmic! is now underway.

Twitter user @DrewDisneyDude shared a video showing lights and show music from just outside of the Park:

Fantasmic! testing is currently happening at Disney's Hollywood Studios!

Lights visible from park entrance and show music can be heard too! ? pic.twitter.com/n1QAMLeduF

— Drew (@DrewDisneyDude) October 11, 2022

When Fantasmic! does return, it will feature some new story elements, including characters or show scenes from Moana (2016), Frozen (2013), and Aladdin (1992). We have also seen through aerial images of the theater earlier in the year that work may have taken place on the show’s set, but until we receive official word from Disney it is unclear if this means new features in the show or simply routine maintenance.

In the past, Fantasmic! was performed nightly with at least one and sometimes two showtimes depending on the day of the week and time of the year. When the show does return, we expect that it will be more popular than ever due to pent-up demand, so we are hoping that the Fantasmic! dining packages also return as they may be your best chance of getting into the show of your choice.

Disney’s official description of Fantasmic! reads:

A Night When Dreams Come True
Fast asleep, Mickey Mouse dreams that he is a mighty sorcerer’s apprentice with the power to control water, color and magic. The Disney Villains—including Maleficent in the form of a towering, 40-foot-tall dragon—turn Mickey’s dream into a nightmare, but don’t underestimate the power of Mickey’s imagination!
The fantastic fantasy includes Disney Characters from some of your favorite animated classics:

Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping Beauty
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin
The Lion King
Pocahontas
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

We will continue to monitor the status of Fantasmic! at Walt Disney World, and will be back with another update as soon as we have it here on Disney Tips.