A fire broke out backstage at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT on Saturday evening, March 22, 2025, sending plumes of black smoke over the France Pavilion and startling thousands of guests enjoying a busy Spring Break weekend. The blaze, which started in a walk-in cooler behind the scenes, was extinguished within an hour, but not before it triggered evacuations and left a lingering buzz across the park.
It all went down around 6:45 p.m., right as the International Flower & Garden Festival was drawing crowds to the World Showcase. Disney officials told FOX 35 Orlando the fire sparked in that cooler—likely a storage unit for the pavilion’s restaurants—hidden from the charming streets where guests snap photos of the mini Eiffel Tower. By 7:20 p.m., fire crews had it under control, and no one was hurt. Still, it was a chaotic scene for a place built on fairy tales.
Imagine you’re strolling through EPCOT, maybe grabbing a crepe or waiting for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Then you see it—thick, dark smoke rising fast behind the France Pavilion. That’s what hit guests Saturday night. Videos popped up on X almost instantly, like one from @ryanwmsn showing orange flames flickering at the base of a massive smoke cloud. “Dark smoke and flames are rising,” he posted, and he wasn’t exaggerating.
Disney didn’t hesitate. Cast members cleared out the Ratatouille ride mid-operation, guiding guests through backstage exits as the smell of smoke crept in. One video from the Skyliner gondola captured the panic—“Oh my God, it’s right there!” someone shouted, watching the fire from above. The whole pavilion shut down temporarily, though it reopened later that night. The ride and the Impressions de France film, though, stayed closed through closing time at 9 p.m.
Firefighters from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District rushed in and knocked out the blaze before it could spread. What caused it? No word yet—Disney’s keeping quiet, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office didn’t respond to FOX Business. Could’ve been a wiring glitch or an overheating unit, but for now, it’s anyone’s guess.
The France Pavilion’s a postcard-perfect spot—cobblestone paths, a fountain, that little Eiffel Tower perched on top. Behind it, though, is where the real work happens: narrow passages and equipment like that cooler. When the fire kicked off, it turned that hidden corner into a hotspot. Smoke towered over the park, visible from as far as the Morocco Pavilion and the Disney BoardWalk.
Photos and videos tell the story. FOX 35 ran a shot of the black plume against the sunset, flames peeking out below. WDW News Today caught it from across the lagoon, showing how the haze stretched out. And that X clip from @ryanwmsn? It’s the rawest look—fire glowing, smoke choking the sky. The damage seems minimal—no word on the cooler’s fate—but it was enough to rattle the evening.
This isn’t EPCOT’s first brush with flames. Opening night in 1982 saw a small electrical fire inside Spaceship Earth—handled fast, no big deal. A kitchen fire flared up in Morocco in the ‘90s, also quickly doused. And in 2022, embers from the Harmonious fireworks sparked a blaze at the American Adventure Pavilion—contained with no injuries. Saturday’s fire follows the trend: sudden, controlled, and over before it spirals.
EPCOT’s a juggernaut—33,000 visitors daily, more during festival season. The France Pavilion, with its Ratatouille ride and French flair, pulls big crowds. A fire here, even backstage, stings. Disney’s response was textbook—evacuate, extinguish, reopen. They’re saying all’s well now, but it’s hard not to wonder about aging gear or safety checks, especially with the park packed.
By closing time, the smoke was gone, and the festival lights were back on. For most, it’s just a blip in their Disney trip. But for those who saw the flames or got rushed out of Remy’s, it’s a wild memory.