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Magic Kingdom

BREAKING: New Fantasyland Opening Date of December 6 Announced!

7 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Maurice's Cottage
Maurice’s cottage in New Fantasyland, where Enchanted Tales with Belle will take place. Image ©Disney

The Disney Parks Blog just announced the news we’ve all been waiting for, the date for the next phase of the New Fantasyland expansion to open to guests!

With Storybook Circus quickly becoming a favorite part of the new Fantasyland,  the Parks Blog today shared details of the next area of Storybook Circus to open, Pete’s Silly Sideshow. There guests can meet their favorite characters in their Storybook Circus-themed finest: Minnie Magnifique (Minnie Mouse as a circus star), Madame Daisy Fortuna (Daisy Duck as a fortuneteller), The Great Goofini (Goofy as a daredevil stunt pilot), and The Astounding Donaldo (Donald Duck as a snake charmer).

Locals and far-off visitors alike have been cheering the attention to detail we’ve seen in Storybook Circus, and have been anxiously awaiting the walls to come down so we may see more of that Imagineering magic in the Enchanted Forest.

We now know that opening on December 6  will be the highly anticipated Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction, Ariel’s Grotto meet and greet location, the Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston’s Tavern and Enchanted Tales with Belle character interaction experience as well as Bonjour! Village Gifts.

Previews of these attractions will begin November 19.

I know I am not alone in being ridiculously excited for these new attractions and experiences. I was lucky enough to step “behind the wall” a few of months back and it looks like it will live up to expectations and be a magical place to stroll through and explore.

Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Prince Eric’s Castle at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Image ©Disney

 

Chandelier from Be Our Guest Restaurant
Gorgeous chandelier from the Be Our Guest Restaurant. Image ©Disney

 

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster and Princess Fairytale Hall Meet and Greet location will be opening at later dates, so watch for future announcements. What are you most looking forward to when Enchanted Forest officially opens?

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Filed Under: Disney News, Walt Disney World Tagged With: #NewFantasyland, Ariel's Grotto, Be Our Guest Restaurant, character meet and greet, Disney, Disney parks, enchanted forest, fantasyland, Fantasyland Expansion, FLE, Gaston's Tavern, Magic Kingdom, New Fantasyland, New Fantasyland Expansion, opening dates, Pete's Silly Sideshow, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, Walt Disney World

Fourth of July Festivities and Fireworks at Walt Disney World Resort

4 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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JULY 4TH CELEBRATED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN FLORIDA
Cinderella Castle with patriotic projections ©Disney

Here are all the official events going on at Disney Parks here in Florida tonight! For the first time ever, I’ll actually be attending Fourth of July activities at Epcot. I know it’ll be super busy, but it should be super fun too. The last time I was in a Disney park on the Fourth, I was working at the Magic Kingdom in 1995, so it’ll be nice to experience again, on the opposite side of the coin. I wish you all a wonderful patriotic day with family and friends! Enjoy good food and spectacular fireworks as we celebrate our freedom!

 

Walt Disney World Resort will pixie dust the night skies July 4 with special pyrotechnic shows, including a patriotic display at Magic Kingdom, a rock’n’roll spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a classic sky show at Epcot infused with an Independence Day finale.  Here’s how you can celebrate America’s birthday – Disney-style:

  • Magic Kingdom will present “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky.” This patriotic fireworks spectacular, paying homage to the hopes and dreams of America’s forefathers, will light the skies at 9 p.m. July 4 – and for guests who would like to begin the Independence Day celebration early, the show also will be presented July 3 at 9 p.m.
JULY 4TH CELEBRATED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN FLORIDA
Gorgeous Cinderella Castle! ©Disney

  • At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, traditional Fourth of July fireworks take on a different spin when Mulch, Sweat, and Shears perform for the all-new “Rockin’ 4th of July Celebration.” These resident landscapers – with serious rock and roll ambitions – take Disney guests on a musical road trip across America that will highlight each region’s contribution to rock and roll. Fireworks, lighting and special effects – backed by the driving live rock and roll of Mulch, Sweat, and Shears – combine to bring a new twist to celebrating Independence Day. Showtime July 4 is 9:45 p.m. Before the show, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can catch Disney’s Fantasmic!, performing July 4 at 9 p.m.
  • At Epcot, sky-watchers can check out “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” bursting high above World Showcase Lagoon. IllumiNations is a 14-minute spectacular during which pyrotechnics, lasers, water and music are all used to tell a story about the past, present and future of our planet. On the Fourth of July, the show will be enhanced with “The Heartbeat of Freedom,” an overture of traditional Americana themes displayed in a pyrotechnic and laser light event. The show is at 10 p.m.
JULY 4TH CELEBRATED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN FLORIDA
Fireworks from Epcot’s World Showcase ©Disney

In addition, Epcot guests may lend their ears to “Voices of Liberty 4th of July Concert” and meet with Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and Disney characters adorned in patriotic dress at American Adventure.

Theme park hours on July 4 (subject to change without notice): Magic Kingdom, 8 a.m.-1 a.m.; Epcot, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

 

JULY 4TH CELEBRATED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD IN FLORIDA
Happy Birthday, America! ©Disney
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Filed Under: Disney Holidays, Disney News, Disney Special Events, Theme Park Holiday Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: 4th of July, concert in the sky, Disney Fourth of July, disney park, Disney parks, Epcot, Fantasmic, Fourth of July, fourth of july fireworks, hollywood studios, Magic Kingdom, spectacular fireworks, Walt Disney World, walt disney world resort

PHOTOS: Inside Walt Disney World’s NEW Dumbo Interactive Kids Lounge

6 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Disney fans may have been following the news of the opening of the next phase of the new Dueling Dumbos attraction at the Magic Kingdom’s Storybook Circus area, part of the new Fantasyland expansion. The Disney Parks Blog recently shared some video from inside the tent:

;

Thanks to Nicole Siscaretti we now have some photos from testing going on today at the Magic Kingdom. You can find more photos and awesome video of the activities and interactive areas inside the new Dumbo queue at Nicole’s new site: SparklyEverAfter.com – be sure to check it out! The area should be open permanently for all guests in the next few weeks.

[nggallery id=2]

Enjoy the photos – can’t wait to take my little guy down there to check it out in person soon!

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Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney News, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Circus, Disney parks, Dumbo, Dumbo lounge, Dumbo queue, Dumbo's circus, fantasyland, Fantasyland Expansion, interactive areas, interactive queue, kids play area, Magic Kingdom, New Fantasyland, Nex Gen, NextGen, Nicole Siscaretti, queue pagers, SparklyEverAfter, Storybook Circus, Timothy Mouse

The Little Orange Bird Returns to His Perch

18 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

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wdw frozen banana 1970s
This trip is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Unlike many Disney fans, I can’t really pinpoint my first visit to Walt Disney World. I like to attribute my Disney fandom to our visit in 1983, when I fell madly, deeply in love with EPCOT Center. Then I discovered this gem of a 70’s photo (right) which I guess is from 1978 or 1979. I also found my mom’s photo album, including pictures of us at Sea World that say 1975, and we’d certainly visit Walt Disney World if we visited Sea World, RIGHT MOM? But seriously, my memories are a bit hazy…my dad’s family lived in Ocala, so we did visit Disney back then. I’m just unsure of the very first time. If only my archives were as extensive as those of the D23 fan club.

What I do recall is the Little Orange Bird. I remember getting a little plastic orange cup with the green straw like it was yesterday. I took that cup home with me and it was my favorite cup to use for many, many years to come. I had an Orange Bird bank, and a little PVC figure and they were both prized possessions as well. Sadly, both were lost in a move long ago, and while I know ebay exists for such things, it was hard not having my own childhood collection any longer. I may not be as eloquent with Orange Bird’s history as some of my friends like Progress City, U.S.A. and Passport to Dreams Old and New (<–seriously, PLEASE read these posts!), but I had to try to put into words just what Orange Bird meant to me and how heartwarming it is to see his return.

Having grown up in Massachusetts, I guess the idea of seeing oranges grow on trees and the intoxicating scent of their blossoms (I remember having orange blossom perfume from Silver Springs in Ocala, FL) was just enchanting. Throw in an adorable little mute bird that looks like an orange and you’ve got a generation of kids hooked on Little Orange Bird. Florida at the time was still another world, a natural paradise, which Walt Disney World highlighted when it opened in 1971. Families from the northeast and midwest looked at Florida as this other-worldly place, full of tropical plants and lush greenery, and yes, citrus fruits. While they may not be as popular a gift item today, back then, when you went to Florida, you brought home a bag of oranges or grapefruits. They were THE Florida souvenir. Now, people in every state in the union can get oranges 365 days a year, so the appeal has waned a bit. Kids and families of the past decade walking by the Sunshine Tree Terrace might not have been as impressed as we were by the ability to get a Florida orange juice Citrus Swirl there, or even pay attention to a little orange bird hanging out behind the counter. I mean, there are PRINCESSES to take photos with right behind you! 😉 So, after the first decade of WDW passed, somehow the uniqueness and what made the Sunshine Pavilion so magical in 1971, just wasn’t necessary any more. Enter internet Disney fans.

With the advent of online forums, Disney fans from all over the country and world suddenly had a place to gather and say “Oh yeah, I loved Orange Bird too!” or “If You Had Wings was my favorite ride ever!” And sure, not every classic Disney memory or desire is able to be returned to its former glory, but somewhere along the line, a group of creative folks decided there were a few things they could bring back to Walt Disney World. We started seeing hints of Orange Bird here and there, and merchandise in Japan too. Last year, we saw some Orange Bird shirts and pins appear, and a Passholder Vinylmation as well.

At D23’s Destination D at Walt Disney World last May, we heard from a trio of Imagineers who instantly won the hearts of all in the room and on the Twitterverse. Orange Bird appeared on D23’s 40th Anniversary of Walt Disney World t-shirts, and we hoped our friend would make an appearance at the 40th celebrations. No luck there, but as the year progressed, we saw Little Orange Doodles, instagrams of vintage Orange Bird merchandise and Orange Bird taking pretty much every form possible, including one of the Imagineers himself. Soon those who were too young to know of Orange Bird and the Sunshine Tree, or just had never cared before, had interest sparked in our Vitamin C-filled friend. A month ago, the first step was taken, as the Citrus Swirl was returned to the Sunshine Tree Terrace’s menu. Differing from the orange option down the road at Aloha Isle, the Citrus Swirl is tangy frozen orange juice swirled with sweet vanilla ice cream and is served in a cone or cup. Disney fandom was ablaze with this addition and we hoped against hope it was the first of many changes. Yesterday, our hopes came to fruition (get it? ORANGE? FRUITion? – hopefully I’m not overusing that pun).

In a surprising but welcome announcement, D23 members were invited to reply on Twitter to attend a meet-up the next day, in Adventureland. News had already been spreading, as some additions were revealed before their time, but the excitement was not dampened. Yesterday morning, sixty D23 members with their plus-ones were taken into Adventureland, before the Magic Kingdom opened and host Steven Vagnini from the Walt Disney Archives led us around the corner to this beautiful site:

New Sunshine Tree Terrace Sign
New Sunshine Tree Terrace sign - the tiki torches are back too!

 

He then introduced Imagineer Dave Hoffman, part of the Orange Bird team, who shared with us how they actually discovered the original Orange Bird figure from the Sunshine Tree Terrace in 1971. We had been so busy looking at the gorgeous new sign, we didn’t head in by the counter to see our Little Orange Friend hanging out by a crate of oranges watching over his Citrus Swirls. A collective “awww!” could be heard echoing through the Sunshine Pavilion as we saw him perched above us. Taking my blogging hat off for a moment, I had a portion of my childhood handed back to me. In fact as I drank from my Orange Bird sipper cup, I exclaimed, “I’m SIX again!”.

Original Orange Bird figure
Original Orange Bird figure in his new (old) home!

 

 

Original Orange Bird figure
Original Orange Bird figure in his setting, with sipper cup in the foreground

 

Jason Grandt, Monty Maldovan and Casey Jones
Jason Grandt, Monty Maldovan and Casey Jones

 

Imagineer Jason Grandt then took the stage to share about the discovery of Orange Bird in a drawer in Glendale and how happy they were to have him back home. We had a little trivia contest (where some of us learned we needed to brush up on our Orange Bird history a bit) with Orange Bird whistles as prizes. Casey Jones and Monty Maldovan, both of the Disney Design Group, then shared their newest designs – the Orange Bird sipper cup, two new Orange Bird t-shirts, and coming in June, the Orange Bird ear hat. Casey also revealed the new attraction poster to be featured under the Main Street train station. The Adventureland poster entices guests to experience the Sunshine Tree Terrace and enjoy the Orange Bird’s offerings. As a bonus, the poster is available as a print to purchase too.

Sunshine Tree Terrace attraction poster
Sunshine Tree Terrace attraction poster print

 

Sunshine Tree Terrace attraction poster
Sunshine Tree Terrace attraction poster under the train station

 

Sunshine Tree Terrace attraction poster
and a close-up, just because I love the artwork...sorry for the glare

 

 

Here’s a video from D23 explaining the history and recovery of the Orange Bird:

 

Did Disney have to add the original Orange Bird figure back? Did we need Citrus Swirls again? Of course the answer is no. Will there be guests that visit the park and don’t know who the heck Orange Bird is or why he’s on the Sunshine Tree Terrace sign? Sure. As with any project WDI takes on, there will be guests who don’t notice or appreciate the details and will happily enjoy their time at the Parks. Then there will be those who take the moment and look down to see those animal footprints in Storybook Circus, or read the windows on Main Street, and notice all the little touches which separate Disney parks from any other theme park or company. When the Imagineers involved in creating new projects are such fans themselves, there is hope for all the other fans who visit and give their feedback.

Orange Bird Sippy cup
Orange Bird Sippy cup with my youngest son - the history has come full circle!

Yes, there is new merchandise which will make money. But really, as has always been the case at Disney theme parks, you have to ask yourself these questions: do you want an Orange Bird t-shirt because Disney has hyped it, or do you wish there were Orange Bird t-shirts and thank goodness, Disney now has them? In the case of the recent retro lines and D23 merchandise, the choices definitely seem to be a case of (fan) demand and then supply. That is what gives us hope as extreme Disney fans, who long for preservation and curation of the Disney history we grew up loving.

Overall, it was an amazing event, full of appreciative support of the changes, history and new merchandise. Every cast member I spoke with who was involved with the project seemed so genuinely happy to be a part of bringing a bit of vintage Disney charm back to Walt Disney World. I think announcing the changes in this fashion was a wonderful way to show fans they are appreciated and that membership in D23 is a worthwhile investment. Kudos to the whole Little Orange team – it was a pleasure and honor to be a part of this gift to Walt Disney World guests. You can read more about the return of the Orange Bird at D23’s recent blog.

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Dining, Disney Merchandise, Disney News, Disney Past, Walt Disney World Tagged With: #D23Meet, 1971, Adventureland, Armchair Archivist, Citrus Swirl, D23, D23 fan club, Disney archives, disney fans, Disney history, Disney Merchandise, Disney parks, Disney past, Jason Grandt, Little Orange Bird, Magic Kingdom, Orange Bird, Orange Bird ear hat, Orange Bird sippy cup, Orange Bird t-shirts, original Orange Bird figure, retro Disney, Richard Sherman, Steven Vagnini, Sunshine Pavillion, Sunshine Tree Terrace, Walt Disney World

New Unique Minnie Mouse Ear Headbands-A Style for Everyone

5 March 2012 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

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Perhaps it’s because I’ve been deep in the action of defeating villains in the Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom game, but I hadn’t noticed these adorable new Minnie Mouse Ear headbands until yesterday, walking out of the park. I remember Steven Miller discussing the upcoming new designs back in September, but I guess they have arrived! Anyway, old or new, I thought they were pretty sweet and thought I’d share them here. It’s been fun to see girls wearing them in the parks, and they definitely make wearing ears cooler for a whole new demographic.

Minnie Mouse headbands
The collection of Minnie Mouse ear headbands at the Emporium

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
You can see the back of the Dumbo top hat in this photo

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Check out the diamond ring wedding headband. Can't get much more bling than that!

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Gold sequins with red detail up close

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Pirate Minnie detail

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Dumbo with tiny top hat and feathers

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Polka dots with cameo Minnie and yellow flower

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Punk Minnie with zipper ear

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Purple brocade style Minnie ears with silver glitter crown

 

Minnie Mouse headbands
Pink, leopard print, roses, feathers and rhinestones, a Jersey girl dream! 😉

Which style is your favorite? I love the purple ones, but I love feathers too, so it’s hard to choose a favorite! Headbands were $19.95 at time of posting.

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Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Diamond ring Minnie ears, Disney Merchandise, Disney parks, Dumbo Minnie ears, feathers, Gold sequin Minnie ears, headbands, Magic Kingdom, Minnie ears, Minnie Mouse, Minnie Mouse Ears headbands, Mouse ears, pink leopard Minnie ears, Pirate Minnie ears, Punk Rock Minnie ears, Purple princess Minnie ears

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Gameplay & Review

18 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 15 Comments

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Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom Firehouse
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Firehouse

If you are part of the online Disney community on twitter, facebook or message boards, you have no doubt heard the buzz about the new interactive card game that has premiered under beta testing in the Magic Kingdom Park – The Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. As a local, we saw the little portal stations being built for quite some time, as speculation swirled regarding what these new screens and areas would mean to the parks. Would they interfere with guests’ experiences as they explored the lands of the Magic Kingdom? Would Imagineers be able to pull off the mixing of villains and animated film characters? The answers are a bit complex, but overall, I give the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom a hearty “thumbs up.” I’ll go into further detail below.

First, let’s go over exactly what the game is all about. The premise is that certain villains, organized by Hades, Lord of the Underworld, are teaming up to steal pieces of the crystal of the Magic Kingdom. Merlin is on board to fight evil, and enlists us – the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, to help defeat the foes.

 

How it Works (the short version):

  1. Head to the Main Street, U.S.A. Firehouse, pick up your cards and Sorcerers key card
  2. Follow the icons on the map to defeat villains at various portals throughout the Magic Kingdom
  3. Use your spell cards to defeat each villain and eventually become a Master Sorcerer
  4. Come back again and again to collect more cards and defeat more villains!
Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom key card lock
You can hold the key card any way, front or back to activate the portal

 

How it Works (the long version):

You start off by heading to the Main Street Firehouse. There you can watch a preview, check in with your ticket media and receive a key card, 5 spell cards and a map marking the portal locations. You are given a key card which will correspond with your park pass. So you cannot have 5 key cards and expect to get spell cards for each key. You must present your park pass with your key card, so everyone can play fairly. You then watch a tutorial with Merlin so you know exactly what to do when you set out on your quest. Now here you must make a decision with your group – you can all battle together under one key card, or if you each receive a key card, you will most likely be separated and sent to different lands to explore the portals at different times. When we first checked in, we got key cards for each of our family members, but only used one, so we stayed together. Now that we’ve been playing for about a week, my older kids or husband can go off and fight at a portal in a different location within the same land. We usually stay together until we all get portals in the same land though, so for example, if my son gets Adventureland and I get Fantasyland, we’ll go to one land and then wait until he gets Fantasyland too so we can be in the same area. Of course it’s up to you how you want to handle these battles, and keep in mind, not going where the portal tells you to can impact your wait time.

Who Can Play? As far as age-range for the game, this was something my 3 year old could play – at least the unlocking of the portal with the key card. He could still use the spell cards, but only if we told him how to hold them, etc. I’d say in a year he’d be perfect at figuring out the right way to hold or picking out the spell cards he wants. However, from the sounds of level 2 and 3, it would probably take an older child or adult to weigh the options for each card’s skill points and so on.

Once you start collecting your cards, you will get doubles or duplicates of some of them. Especially with our family, we are getting 4 sets of 5 cards each day, so our collection has added up quickly. In the case of dupes, guests can trade with other Sorcerers players and pick up some missing cards that way. So far, we’ve run into new players, who don’t really have anything to trade, and seasoned players, who have almost everything and don’t really need to trade. But we have picked up I’d say about 10-15 cards through trading and it’s a great way to complete your collection. Especially if you have friends playing, they can hold cards for you and will be more willing to trade.

There are 70 cards – but at this time cards 61-70 have been pulled from play. Cast members are saying they will be selling those last 10. As of right now, the packs arriving at the Firehouse don’t have cards 61-70 within them, so you’ll have to wait, or find someone that’s been playing from day 1 of beta testing who’s willing to trade. [note: as of 3/4/12 we have been hearing reports in the park and on twitter of guests getting cards 61-70 randomly in their packs of 5 cards, so keep your eyes peeled!] The game has been officially started since February 22, 2012 and during medium and hard, which cards you use to defeat villains now matters.

 

Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom cards
Our first set of cards from the first time we played

 

All About the Cards:

Once you start your collection of cards, you’ll notice some numbers and symbols on the face of each card. in the bottom left corner there will be a number out of 70, which tells you simply the number the card is in the collection. For example, Sorcerer Mickey is 1/70 and Cabellero Donald is 43/70. In addition, the cards are listed by spell – Mystic Spell (blue background), Princess Spell (purple background), Toy Spell (red background), Machine Spell (black background), Warrior Spell (dark blue background), Monster Spell (green background), Hero Spell (dark teal background), Animal Spell (dark green background), and Fairy Spell (pink background).

Within each spell card, there will be three types of numbers: attack, boost, and shield. So Merlin’s card has a 5 Energy attack, 0 Energy boost, and 1 Energy shield. Other cards will have other types of spells. Options are Energy, Charming, Wishful, Quick, Flying, Strong, and Gross. Right now, in level one, these distinctions don’t really matter as any card defeats any villain. However when the game really goes live, or in higher levels, the type of card and type of attack will most likely matter.

Lastly, above the number is a symbol, with one of three designations – a star symbol, which indicates a rare card; a moon symbol, which signifies an uncommon card; and a planet symbol, which indicates a common card. There are also cards out there with lightning bolt symbols, which seem to be the 61-70 cards that are now pulled. Hopefully we’ll get more facts as the game gets out of testing mode.

UPDATE: throughout the course of playing, my son has been using a few cards continuously. As a result, these cards have become more powerful. Now when he uses Lumiere’s spell card, he often shoots 3 candles, rather than the one. Similarly, my husband was using the Mike Wazowski’s Great Entrance card today and over time the animated spell scene changed to show different monsters. I know when I first used that card, all that showed up was Mike opening a door. This makes for a fun way to keep things continuously changing as you play. And spells that may seem rather boring at first could change to something more magical over time.

UPDATE 2: friends playing on hard are now reporting how certain cards will defeat certain villains easier. For example, one friend spent 2 1/2 hours trying to defeat Kronk on hard, and discovered that Flower, Thumper and Eeyore worked, because they are woodland creatures! So the game is now making you think and really pick and plan the best attack card for each villain. It’s not just the spell or type of spell, but the character casting it that matters.

Game play:

Just head to the portal the Firehouse initially tells you to go to, and then you’ll be instructed where to go next. After you’ve played once, you can pick up where you left off, unless the system has been reset. You can always check where you are supposed to be by scanning your key card at any portal and it will tell you where you need to be. If the game has been reset, it will tell you to head to the Firehouse to get reassigned. There is also a booth in Liberty Square, behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe, staffed with cast members, who can fix errors, show you the tutorial and help you out. (You can also sign up there with usually no line compared to the Firehouse) In no time you’ll have all the portals memorized and be able to go from place to place without even needing a map.

 

Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom Tortuga
Tortuga Tavern's fireplace portal, perfectly themed!

 

The game itself involves defeating 8 villains at this time:

  • Main Street, U.S.A. – Cruella DeVil
  • Adventureland – Jafar, Yzma and Scar
  • Liberty Square/Frontierland – Dr. Facilier and Governor Ratcliffe
  • Fantasyland – Maleficent and Ursula

Once you defeat ALL of those villains, you will have a final battle with Chernabog and Hades, and become a Master Sorcerer. Then you proceed to medium and from there, hard. You must check in with either the Firehouse on Main Street or the Sorcerer’s Training booth in Liberty Square, to be set up for medium or hard. They will then tell you where to go to continue your games, and give you 5 additional cards for moving up. Here’s a video of the Master Sorcerer announcement. If you don’t want the finale to be spoiled, don’t watch! You can check out another video on my YouTube channel of the scene before this one, where you actually battle Hades.

 

 

The first portal you go to tells you the story of the villain, and where to go next to help out. The next portal you will get to pick spell cards (you can combine spells up to 6 at a time!), and usually one of the portals will ask you to use the Sorcerer’s Crest on the back of the card (I actually don’t like this since you don’t get to pick the spells!). The final battle for that land’s villain will let you use two separate spell castings (again, up to 6 cards for each one). Then you have defeated that villain and Merlin will tell you if you’d like to continue to help, which land you should head to next.

Now that we have been playing Medium, I can update that the main differences here are an additional spell added to the scenes where you use spell cards vs. Sorcerer’s Crest card. Where you once cast one spell, you’ll cast two, and in the final battle, you’ll cast three spells, not two. It’s a little choppy in parts because you are just getting repeats of scenes where you had to cast spells before, but in some scenes, there are a few  new lines thrown in.

Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom Shootin' Gallery
The portal next to the Frontierland Shootin' Gallery, one of my faves!

 

I highly recommend playing in both daylight and nighttime. At night you can see many details and lighting effects of the portals that just aren’t visible in bright sunlight. It’s also usually less crowded, though you must wait to play in Fantasyland until the fireworks have ended. After playing at night and in the day when the park was a crowd level 10, I have to say I much prefer night time. Waiting in the sun for your turn at the portal isn’t the most fun, and I can only imagine during the summer months it could be downright unbearable.

If you’d like to see more photos, I’ve created a flickr set for all our Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom adventures. Just click to see the portals – I’ll be adding more as I make future visits to the Magic Kingdom.

Pros and Cons to the game:

As far as pros go, for the most part, I’d categorize the game as unobtrusive to the average guest. You don’t have to pay attention to it as you are passing, though some portals are hard to ignore and can all be a bit loud. I don’t think a single portal detracts from its land or the space it is in. If anything, the only problem is the fact that passers-by will often ask WHAT you are doing, and you’ll have to give a quick synopsis of the game, usually while your animated scene is playing. In addition, those with quite a few cards can expect smaller children who’ve just started playing to ask “where did you get all those cards?” and even “can I have some?” so just be prepared for lots of questions. Since first writing this review, the additional issue of lines for portals has cropped up. On a weekend day, a queue for a portal can be up to 10 deep and definitely puts a damper on making the game fun. I am confident that Disney is aware of this issue and will attempt to come up with a solution as time passes.

I can see how those on a one-time trip to Walt Disney World or even a once-a-year visit would perhaps get frustrated by the time it takes to become a Master Sorcerer, but of course, that’s what Disney wants: return visitors. Or, for guests to plan a day longer vacation to be sure you get enough game time. In the 4 times we’ve played, we have not gone on a single ride in the Magic Kingdom, and we’ve spent about 17 hours playing (not counting time spent dining). Again, being locals, this isn’t a big deal to us…but those on a yearly vacation may feel they are missing valuable ride time. What we did get to do was notice more details around the park, and enjoy the various parades and nighttime shows from different angles than usual.  And just like pins or Vinylmation figures, the cards become your own prize collection, free – for now, and unlike Vinyls or pins, you get to actually use them in the park. There is a reward for your patience and your play.

 

Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom
The window I like to call Merlin's lab, looks amazing at night!

 

My hope, when the game goes officially live on the 22nd, is that cast members at the Firehouse are able to better explain the ins and outs of card use. What the symbols mean, what you want to do or not do in the second or third levels – even if only to give us a vague idea and let us figure it out for ourselves. [Note:  now that the game is live, this hasn’t really happened yet. I can understand letting us all figure out the little secrets and tips within the game, but I do wish more help were available, with so many variables in play] In addition, there needs to be a more pronounced explanation about keeping the map and cards. A handful of times, I have heard, “do we get to keep these cards?” or “do we have to give the map back?” from guests. I understand that given the only other comparison game within Walt Disney World – the Kim Possible missions, you are instructed to return your Kimmunicator, but it makes me sad to think that people are worried they have to give their cool cards and map back, and the problem is easily solved by cast members up front.

With ALL of that said, I’m so excited to see where this game goes in the coming months and will of course update this page as I find out definitive facts or news. [I’ve decided to wait on reporting news that I hear until I can confirm it first hand through gameplay or experience.] Even as I type this post, changes are happening to some of the portals; updates, props, new posters and banners…Disney really is working to make this an amazing experience. You can also follow all the latest updates on twitter at @DisneySorcerers, an unofficial account offering tips, news, photos, videos and more. Now go get ’em, Sorcerer!

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Attractions, Disney News, Reviews, Walt Disney World Tagged With: #SotMK, animated characters, card game, disney community, interactive card, interactive game, key card, Magic Kingdom, magic kingdom park, merlin, next-gen, portals, rfid bands, sorcerer, Sorcerer's, Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom, spell cards, villain, Walt Disney World

VIDEO: Ho Ho Highlights From Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

28 November 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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Peppermint Castle
It's a Candy Cane Castle!

It’s no secret that I love Christmastime. It’s the perfect time of year for me – everything is sparkly and festive (it’s so much easier to get away with sparkles everywhere now!), you can walk around singing songs and no one thinks you’re crazy…and you can be EXTRA cheerful (hopefully people will be extra cheerful back!). I’ve said before that Walt Disney World during the holidays is just magic times ten. The spirit of the season is amped up and you find little details and cheer around every corner.

That is part of why I love Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. I’ve shared more reasons why on TampaBay.com’s mom blog, Whoa, Momma! It’s an annual tradition for my family and the holidays officially start when you see the castle glittering in Dream Lights and see the Once Upon A Christmastime Parade. In addition to reading about it, my friend and video correspondent Nicole Siscaretti has captured some of our favorite moments from our most recent Very Merry Party to share here:

 

If you can make it down to Walt Disney World during the holidays, I highly recommend this magical special event. If you can’t, just keep watching the video while you have some hot chocolate and cookies! 😉

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Filed Under: Disney Holidays, Disney Planning, Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Christmas Parade, Disney Christmas, Disney holidays, Disney videos, free cookies, free hot chocolate, gingerbread castle, Holiday The Magic The Memories and You, Holiday Wishes Fireworks, Magic Kingdom, Mickey's Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Nicole Siscaretti, video, Walt Disney World

Prefer Dessert Over Disney’s Turkey Legs? No Problem!

27 November 2011 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

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I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw these in the Main Street Confectionery today and just had to share them here: Turkey Leg-shaped Rice Crispie Treats! I have never had the real turkey legs that are so popular at all the Disney Parks…and have no plans to try them any time soon…but these turkey legs, I can do!

Turkey leg rice crispie treats
Now that's a turkey leg I can support!

 

Here are some more seasonal delicacies!

Christmas treats at Disney
More Christmas treats at the Main Street Confectionery

 

Christmas treats at Disney
Holiday apples, fudge and more - love the snowmen!

 

What’s your favorite seasonal treat at a Disney Park?

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Filed Under: Disney Dining, Disney Holidays, Walt Disney World Tagged With: chocolate covered apples, Christmas desserts, Christmas treats, Disney Christmas, Disney desserts, Disney Dining, Disney holiday treats, Disney holidays, Disney parks, Disney rice crispie treats, Disney treats, Magic Kingdom, Main Street Confectionery, Main Street USA, Walt Disney World

Jack Skellington Antenna Toppers and Other Halloween Fun

2 September 2011 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

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Sunday night the family and I popped over for a quick visit to the Magic Kingdom, my first since returning from Disneyland. We didn’t stay long, but I snagged a few photos of some fun merchandise while there –

Jack Skellington antenna toppers
Angry Jack Skellington antenna toppers

 

Jack Skellington antenna toppers
I really like the different style of these vs. the usual Mickey heads.

 

Runaway Brain Mickey plush
Runaway Brain Mickey plush

 

Runaway Brain Mickey plush
He’s all ready for Trick-or-Treating!

 

I don’t recall seeing this much of the “Runaway Brain”-style Mickey in past Halloween merchandise but I could be mistaken. It could also just be a monster/Frankenstein-type Mickey too (or frazzled/stressed-out Mickey??)…but I like to think it’s from Runaway Brain. 😉 I’ll be visiting the parks this weekend and should get more photos of fun Halloween merchandise to share, so stay tuned!

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Disney Holidays, Disney Merchandise Tagged With: antenna toppers, disney antenna toppers, Disney holidays, Disney Merchandise, Halloween, Halloween merchandise, Halloween Mickey plush, jack antenna toppers, Jack Skellington, Magic Kingdom, Nightmare Before Christmas, Runaway Brain, Walt Disney World

Electrifying Secret Mickey Surprise at Walt Disney World’s Town Square Theater

4 August 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Mickey the Magnificent poster
Here is the Mickey the Magnificent print on the wall

I posted previously about the opening of the Town Square Theater at the Magic Kingdom – the new meet and greet location for Mickey & Minnie, and the Disney Princesses but I had not been actually been inside yet. A few weeks ago, a friend let us in on a little secret that I hadn’t heard about yet, so I had to go check it out.

As you enter Mickey and Minnie’s dressing room, the small waiting area is lined with a chalkboard listing upcoming ‘rehearsals’ and a poster about “Mickey the Magnificent” unleashing the power of electricity. On the next wall is a larger cut-out of the same design. Since you are normally excited about the main event within the room, Mickey and Minnie, you may not have stopped to take a photo in front of this display. Next time you are there, pause and take a flash photo to see what you can see. If you’d like to see now, keep reading!

 

 

 


As always, click to enlarge the photos.

 

Mickey the Magnificent x-ray
Ooh, what's this?

 

Mickey the Magnificent flash electricity
Electrifying!

 

Hidden Mickey x-ray
Mickey's x-ray!

 

Hidden Mickey x-ray
Another view of Mickey's x-ray

 

To view Mickey’s x-ray, simply take a flash photo in front of this display. It seems to be some sort of phosphorescent paint, and to get the best possible photo of the effect, make sure you stand directly in front of the cut-out and make sure you have a strong flash when you take your photo.

To see more details from the Town Square Theater Meet & Greet rooms – head to my flickr set!

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Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney photo secret, Disney photo surprise, Disney secrets, flash photo effects, Hidden Mickey, Hidden Mickey x-ray, Imagineering details, Magic Kingdom, Mickey and Minnie meet and greet, Mickey the Magnificent, Mickey's electrifying secret, photo effects, Town Square Theater, Walt Disney World

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