Is it time for Disneyland to say goodbye to Fantasmic?

Disneyland announced earlier this month that the long-running nighttime spectacular would not return this year, following the destruction of its Maleficent dragon character in a fire last spring. Disneyland originally had announced that repairs would keep the show dark through at least Labor Day. Now, the park is aiming for a return next spring.

Fantasmic has been running on Disneyland’s Rivers of America since 1992. The current dragon — nicknamed “Murphy” by fans for all the problems it has had — debuted in 2009. In announcing the show’s delay, Disneyland said that the dragon figure would not return, though the revamped show next spring will feature a new version of the battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent.

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Disneyland had a “B” mode of the show that it ran when high winds or other challenges made raising the 45-foot animatronic dragon impossible. A delay until next spring suggests that the damage done by the fire extended beyond just the figure itself, making just running the show in “B” mode impractical. Instead, Disneyland now is taking the time to develop a more enduring solution for the show’s climax.

I am happy that Disneyland has chosen to try to deliver a better version of that scene than the “B” mode of projecting an animated version of it on water screens. Fantasmic’s water screens wowed fans when they debuted more than 30 years ago, but with World of Color and its larger, more advanced water projections now entertaining Disneyland guests across the esplanade in Disney California Adventure, Fantasmic’s best moments now come from its practical scenes.

With a 31-year run, though, should Disneyland do more than just tinker with Fantasmic? After Disneyland announced the show’s latest delay, some fans online questioned whether it is time for Disneyland to develop a new nighttime spectacular to replace Fantasmic.

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I cannot imagine that Disneyland would abandon the Fantasmic brand, given the love that so many fans have developed for it over the years. But Disneyland has made many changes to the show over that time. Why not go big with multiple changes that lean into the big, practical scenes that distinguish this show from World of Color? If we cannot get Murphy the dragon back, how about crafting that grand dragon in drones above the Rivers of America, instead?

The whole “Mickey’s imagination” conceit is a pretty flimsy excuse to provide the roll call of scenes from various Disney IP that compose most Disneyland spectaculars. A “Fantasmic -Reimagined!” could keep the brand name and the spirit of the original production while providing the fresh scenes and effects that would satisfy Disneyland fans hungry for something new.

Finding the right balance between the excitement of innovation and the comfort of nostalgia is the ongoing challenge for the creative minds that run Disneyland and other theme parks. But with Fantasmic, I think Murphy’s fiery demise might be a sign that it is time to lean a little harder toward the innovation side for the show’s return.