Walt Disney International, Disneyland, and a couple of world parks are all wanting new middle of the night spectaculars or improvements to current fireworks displays. Between that truth, plus chronic rumors a couple of new or returning drone display, it’s unsurprising {that a} beautiful incredible show is being examined at a “secret” facility that Disney owns.
During the last week, Disney has been checking out a long new drone display that includes villains and fan-favorite characters, like Genie from Aladdin. It’s imaginable there’s extra to those sequences at ground-level, however the movies making the rounds on social media are from a distance outdoor of Disney’s large compound.
This pictures has been captured in Santa Clarita, California from outdoor of Walt Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch. For many who are unfamiliar with Santa Clarita, it’s a valley town north of Los Angeles that’s house to vampires and Six Flags Magic Mountain. I’ve by no means visited the latter because of the previous. Santa Clarita is ready 90 mins north of Disneyland and 45 of Glendale and Burbank.
As for Golden Oak Ranch, it’s a spot Walt Disney first leased within the overdue Fifties for segments of The Mickey Mouse Membership. As a result of the number of herbal settings to be had there, Disney bought the valuables in 1959 and, over time, received further land which has introduced the overall to simply beneath 900 acres. Disney productions that experience shot on the Ranch come with: Outdated Yeller, Toby Tyler, The Father or mother Lure, The Shaggy Canine, Apply Me Boys and extra not too long ago, The Santa Clause, Pearl Harbor, Princess Diaries II and Pirates of the Caribbean II & III.
Through the years, extra has been constructed at Golden Oak Ranch. This comprises the Golden Oak Corridor from the Nation Bears, and extra that more than likely isn’t related to this submit (couldn’t withstand the Nation Bears crossover). For our functions, the truth that it’s just about 900 acres, beautiful some distance got rid of from Disneyland, and residential to vast open fields is maximum related. Given all of that, it could look like the easiest spot for secret checking out of a stunning drone show at a web site that Disney owns, clear of the legions of enthusiasts round Anaheim and Orlando.
Or no longer. Pictures used to be temporarily captured and went viral on social media. Such a lot for retaining this drone display a secret! Right here’s a take a look at a few the easier movies stuck over the past week:
Drones had been observed over Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch once more remaining evening. Video from @DevonCormier displays a check that includes a number of Disney villains, together with an enormous Maleficent dragon.percent.twitter.com/6dOpLD3TQ0
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) October 23, 2025
NEW: Disney drones had been as soon as once more observed over Golden Oak Ranch in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Tuesday. This night’s check integrated Peter Pan, Moana, Sorcerer Mickey, Ursula, and extra. Because of SoCal Outside Explorer / What’s Up Santa Clarita (IG) for sharing the video. percent.twitter.com/Dpp1Z37QU2
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) October 22, 2025
For starters, I simply need to say that this actually does glance incredible. Even from a distance with a ‘discovered pictures’ high quality to one of the most movies I’ve observed, the drone show dazzles. I used to be actually inspired with Disney Desires That Jump remaining 12 months, and this seems to be a marked growth on that. Drone era and choreography simply assists in keeping getting higher, and on every occasion there in any case is an in-park integration at Walt Disney International or Disneyland, it’s going to be one thing particular!
Now let’s speak about essentially the most real looking chances as to what Walt Disney Imagineering and/or Disney Are living Leisure are checking out right here…
Fantasmic Improvements
Sorry, did we write ‘Unbelievable’ New Drone Display within the name? We supposed Fantasmic New Drone Display.
Any Disneyland fan who watches the above pictures is more than likely going to succeed in the inevitable conclusion that that is for Fantasmic. It’s very reminiscent Fantasmic, containing some visuals and tale beats from the mist monitors and display as an entire.
It will additionally make an incredible quantity of sense for Disneyland to improve Fantasmic, as the present display is a shadow of its former self and has been since Murphy went down in flames. It’s beautiful unhappy that Disney’s Hollywood Studios now has the most productive model of Fantasmic, and there’s 0 sense of urgency to get the Disneyland display out of B-mode.
On the other hand, I’m skeptical that that is for Fantasmic at Disneyland. For something, they examined this on a minimum of 3 consecutive nights, suggesting one thing impending is going on with it. And there’s no signal in any respect of drones being built-in into Fantasmic. (It will possibly necessitate clearing on Tom Sawyer Island, which might occur sooner than this sort of checking out.)
For every other, the total check is reportedly ~10 mins lengthy, and we can’t consider that a lot of Disneyland’s Fantasmic involving drones. This might no longer be an enhancement for Fantasmic–it could preempt a lot of the present display.
Disney Journey International Bay Display
In Spring 2026, the Walt Disney Studios Park will relaunch as Disney Journey International. The transformation options new lands, points of interest, and leisure choices that can considerably reshape the park.
There can also be a brand new middle of the night impressive over a central lagoon referred to as Journey Bay. This display will mix water monitors, fountains, particular results, and leading edge drone choreography. The leisure groups at Disneyland Paris have already began accomplishing assessments in preparation for this groundbreaking enjoy.
It will additionally make sense for this drone display to be for Disney Journey International. Their new middle of the night impressive can be a hybrid of Fantasmic and International of Colour, which appears like a slam-dunk successful aggregate. It’s low-risk, new to the French target market, and would more than likely be superior. All with out the expense of reside performers or pyro!
On the other hand, I’m much more skeptical of this clarification. Whilst it will appear affordable for Imagineers to be checking out this ~45 mins north in their international headquarters, now we have no longer observed this sort of checking out for Disneyland Paris in america for his or her present era of middle of the night spectaculars.
Extra to the purpose, Dronisos is the corporate that collaborates with Disneyland Paris on their dazzling drone shows, and so they’re based totally out of France with every other place of job in Orlando. It doesn’t make a lot sense to be checking out for Disney Journey International now, and in Southern California.
Animal Kingdom Drone Show
If I may will any rumor into life with competitive hypothesis and wishful considering, a drone display at Animal Kingdom can be very top at the record. Disney Desires That Jump used to be the most productive factor to debut at Walt Disney International remaining summer time. After which it simply ended, by no means to be spoken of once more. I refuse to consider that’s it. There’s simply no approach that the corporate spent all of that cash creating middle of the night leisure for a display at Disney Springs.
There are a number of causes for Walt Disney International in any case getting a drone display at considered one of its parks, however in a nutshell, attendance is considerably decrease at Animal Kingdom than another park at Walt Disney International. The park is in pressing want for additions, and there’s an excellent chance that the opposite parks get started cannibalizing Animal Kingdom attendance till that occurs. The primary Walt Disney International park other folks will minimize with the intention to discuss with Epic Universe is Animal Kingdom.
That is exactly why Tropical Americas is coming to Animal Kingdom, and is the primary large challenge of the following construction cycle. That’ll give DAK a shot within the arm, and lend a hand revitalize the flailing park. A drone display at Animal Kingdom would remedy numerous issues, however the large query at this level is whether or not Walt Disney International debuts it in 2026 or waits till Tropical Americas.
Quicker makes theoretical sense, and with an previous sundown time in iciness, possibly this can be a marvel announcement coming for overdue 2025 or early 2026 to offset the lack of DINOSAUR?!
Up to I need this to be true, I’m extremely skeptical of this reason for a number of causes. First, there’s an excessive amount of overlap with Fantasmic. It will be extraordinary to have two parks provide permutations of the similar middle of the night impressive. However, Harmonious at EPCOT and Appeal at Magic Kingdom roughly already did that. 2nd, why check this in California when Dronisos has an Orlando place of job and has examined in Florida sooner than?
After all, my sneaking suspicion is that Walt Disney International would possibly’ve discovered with Rivers of Mild that there’s no longer sufficient to stay visitors within the park between 4 pm and nightfall, when a middle of the night impressive will also be offered. For the reason that, Tropical Americas may well be wanted first because the “bridge” to forestall the afternoon exodus, dooming every other middle of the night impressive to fail.
Maximum Most probably & Maximum Disappointing Drone Check Explanations
Above are essentially the most thrilling and most rational explanations from a Disney fan point of view. There are different imaginable explanations, however all of the ones ‘fail’ the scent check for roughly the similar causes–it could be more uncomplicated and extra environment friendly to do the checking out in different places, an excessive amount of overlap with current middle of the night spectaculars, timing isn’t proper, and many others.
Any of the 3 explanations above can be hits with enthusiasts…so the cynic in me says they’re all improper.
In accordance with how we’ve observed drones deployed in recent times by means of Disney, it could be silly to forget about the likelihood that those are for one-off particular occasions. Thru that lens, essentially the most logical explanations will be the following:
- Disney Future Christening (November)
- Disney Celebrates The us Release (November)
- Cotino Neighborhood Grand Opening (Quickly?)
Of those, the grand opening of the Cotino, Disney’s personal neighborhood close to Palm Springs, more than likely makes essentially the most sense. It will be California checking out of a California display. There’s a large bay over which a drone show may occur, and there are large spenders who’ve possibly bought properties there.
It may be the Disney Future Christening, as they’ve achieved drones for that sooner than and the send revolves round heroes vs. villains. An adaptation of Fantasmic would paintings neatly and are compatible the theme of the send. In order that additionally is sensible. Possibly we’ll get fortunate and that is marvel nightly leisure for the send itself?! That turns out unsure.
Launching over Veterans Day weekend, the Disney Celebrates The us initiative is every other logical tournament given the timing and scale. However the Fantasmic-y center of attention makes even much less sense right here–we’d be expecting a Distinctly Patriotic™️ Drone Show given the instances. A wonderful 3-hour drone finale that includes a salute to all characters, however most commonly Sam Eagle.
In the end, even though this finally ends up being essentially the most underwhelming clarification (personal nation membership tournament at Cotino), we’re however excited. The drone pictures appears actually excellent, and it’s transparent that Imagineering, Are living Leisure, and their companions at Dronisos proceed to be informed and iterate, getting higher on the craft as era additionally continues to conform.
At this charge, when Animal Kingdom does in any case get a drone show in 2044, it’s going to be the good and maximum wow-inducing middle of the night impressive in Walt Disney International historical past. Joking apart, the upside to drones in a theme park at Walt Disney International and Disneyland is simply too top–they’ll be able to make it paintings ultimately. Keep tuned.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you take into consideration this ‘secret’ drone display checking out? Suppose that is for a one-off particular tournament? Or do you assume that is checking out for a fully-fledged, drone-driven middle of the night impressive at Disneyland, Disney Journey International, Animal Kingdom in 2026? Do you settle or disagree with our review of each and every chance? Another ideas or observation so as to add? Any questions we will be able to permit you to resolution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas under within the feedback!
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