Spectators at Disneyland’s popular Fantasmic! show got a shock this weekend when the feature’s fire-breathing animatronic dragon burst into flames.

No injuries were reported following the blaze on Saturday night at the southern California theme park, the Anaheim Fire Department said.

Ryan Laux, a frequent Disneyland visitor, said fire has always been a part of the Fantasmic! presentation but he said he knew something was awry when when flames did not come from where they usually do.

“The head started going on fire instead of the fire projecting out,” said Mr Laux, who lives in Los Angeles and captured the blaze on video.

The show was stopped almost immediately “and then right after that, the dragon started catching fire and the whole body was up in flames”, he told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The show takes place twice nightly near the park’s famous Tom Sawyer Island. The climax features Mickey Mouse battling a giant dragon named Maleficent.

Mr Laux said Mickey vanished from the stage as soon as the dragon’s head became engulfed in flames.

The extent of the damage was not immediately known.