Magic Kingdom Ride Catches Fire After Disney Fireworks Blunder

The smells of “Rome Burning” on EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth and the glowing flames of Pirates of the Caribbean are as iconic as Disney’s famous theme park water scent.

But what happens when that fire smell is actually real?

Well, Magic Kingdom Guests got an extra pyrotechnic show this weekend when a popular Disney attraction caught fire.

Though theme parks have a variety of safety protocols in place, with thousands of Guests enjoying the magic of theme parks daily, accidents and injuries are sometimes an unwanted occurrence during a trip.

Disney Parks like Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as water parks like Disney’s Blizzard Beach, create magic for Guests every day, but it doesn’t mean they’re not prone to some incidents from time to time. 

And this weekend at Walt Disney World, a fireworks fail led to some shocking scenes.

Disney World Guest @CDHowardRx shared a video on Twitter of the popular Fantasyland ride Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid on fire on Saturday, March 12:

#fireworks caught Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid on fire tonight. #WDW #DisneyFireworks #Disney

https://twitter.com/CDHowardRx/status/1502822619875323904?t=P5IV7v3wwLZLJeiK_OiuqQ&s=19

The video shows the roof of the show building of Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid at the Magic Kingdom aflame. The fire is small but is a surprising and dramatic scene to witness at the Disney World theme park.

According to the Disney Guest, the fire was “a result of fireworks. North wind had shells and embers falling all around Gaston’s Tavern where we were watching next to Ariel’s ride.”

It seems that the Guest believes the weather caused the incident, blowing fireworks from Disney Enchantment onto the attraction. This is a rare occurrence at Walt Disney World, but shows that not all surprises at Disney theme parks are positive!

We have no confirmation yet from Disney whether Disney Enchantment was the cause, or if anyone was injured, but it does make sense that debris from the Disney Enchantment fireworks show may have had something to do with it.

This is not the first time Walt Disney World Resort in Florida has seen flames. Back in February, Space Mountain was evacuated after a refrigerator malfunctioned and began emitting smoke.

And last December, Main Street, U.S.A. saw a parade of firetrucks drive by in shocking scenes, with Guests aghast to see the “show” disturbed due to a Disney World fire being extinguished by firefighters near Cinderella Castle.

The Little Mermaid (1989) ride was a part of the huge Fantasyland expansion in Magic Kingdom Park, also featuring the Be Our Guest restaurant and Seven Dwarf Mine Train. It is a copy of the Disney California Adventure dark ride attraction The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, located in Paradise Gardens Park. The ride opened on June 3, 2011 at Disney California Adventure and on December 6, 2012 at Magic Kingdom.

More on Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid

Walt Disney World’s description of the popular Magic Kingdom attraction reads:

Revisit the classic “tail” of how one lucky little mermaid found true love… and legs.

Your underwater adventure takes you below the waves on a tour of Ariel’s gadget-filled grotto. Immersive special effects and hand-drawn animation sequences recreate each unforgettable scene. Watch Sebastian the crab conduct every singing, dancing fish in the sea. Skulk past a sinister eel-infested lair, and then cheer as Prince Eric kisses the girl.

Spot Ariel’s friends Flounder and Scuttle, her father King Triton—and Ursula the sea witch, who looms 7.5 feet tall and 12 feet wide!

Emerge from the ocean’s depths in time to celebrate Ariel’s happily ever after in a spectacular fairytale finale.