Magic Masters to close at Downtown Disney West Side - replaced by 'Something Silver'

[71jason]

I don't think that he was being sarcastic, and I think it would be GREAT to have a magic shop at MK again! I am all for returning to individual shops on Main St!

I was being sarcastic, but yes, I would love to see the magic shop return to MSUSA. Given the new theming of the Mickey meet & greet, it would make a lot more sense than the 80% princess merch they have now as you exit through the gift shop.

 

[ewensell3]

@theguitaran: If I remember correctly, they did have a small 'hidden' room. All the tricks included a 1/2 hour lesson to learn the basics of the trick and would teach variants for additional time. They also offered lesson time w/o the props.

 

[theguitarman]

@theguitaran: If I remember correctly, they did have a small 'hidden' room. All the tricks included a 1/2 hour lesson to learn the basics of the trick and would teach variants for additional time. They also offered lesson time w/o the props.

Very nice! Hmm, I bought a few tricks there, but never received the lesson.... must not have bought the right ones....

I was being sarcastic, but yes, I would love to see the magic shop return to MSUSA. Given the new theming of the Mickey meet & greet, it would make a lot more sense than the 80% princess merch they have now as you exit through the gift shop.

:shrug: I guess my sarcasm detection is off these days...

 

[John]

Something SIlver :hurl: Same goes for Splitsville, I dont understand why Disney gave this project the go ahead anyway....same as AMC. Dosnt Disney want the guest going in and spending their dollars on "Disney".

What the magic shop and Starabilia gave us was "uniqueness" something you wouldnt find anywhere else. Like Kidd said why go to westside at all? If it isnt Cirque or DisneyQuest there really isnt a reason.

So there is no Westside left, PI is gone. The true Disney stores has Merch I can find anywhere on property...tell me again why I would want to visit DTD?

 

[MichWolv]

Wow...my mind is blown!!! That would be an AWESOME restaurant!!! In fact, I would practice my magic, and move down to become a waiter! Oh man, so many good ideas for this restaurant!!!

As for Magic Masters, again very sad that it's closing, such an interesting and well designed store! Plus, you are right, free magic! I always thought they should have some more advanced tricks that they take you to a little room in the store (which would clearly be accessed by pulling on one of the books on the fake bookcase to open a secret door to the room) and show you how to use your new trick, or teach you a trick the requires only the knowledge/sleight of hand, as opposed to a prop.

The Magic/llusions restaurant was a working idea from David Copperfield, Michael Eisner, and I believe George Lucas. Though it might have been Katzenburg and not Eisner since Eisner squandered Katz' idea (an ego thing) of a themed restaurant franchise across the US and he ended up opening a chain on his own with the help of Lucas.

Sadly, we never got to see what could have come from the Magic Restaurant Theme.

This concept was put in place at Caesars Palace back in the mid-90s. It was really a lot of fun, and came complete with its own version of the HM stretching room. Wikipedia description (which I can attest is generally accruate, if not exactly complete, as it short-changes the post-dinner magic shows) below.

Caesars Magical Empire
In mid-1996, a new venue known as "Caesars Magical Empire" was created on the property, showcasing major magicians such as Jon Armstrong, Lee Asher, Whit Haydn, TC Tahoe, Jeff "Magnus" McBride, Scott and Jenny Alexander, and Alain Nu. This development coincided with the 1990s campaign to reinvent Las Vegas as a destination for family vacations, by creating attractions appropriate for children as well as adults. The "Empire" was an extravagantly-themed immersive dining and entertainment experience, housed in a 66,000 sq ft (6,100 m2) specially-built building constructed with 800 tons of steel. Guests with ticketed reservations entered through the "Celestial Court" to the "Chamber of Destiny", which, through elaborate effects, appeared to be a magical elevator which transported them underground to a "subterranean catacombs." In reality the guests didn't descend at all; the walls of the room were raised by a large electric winch and the floor of the room shaken by pneumatic actuators. "Roman gladiators" led the guests through winding dimly-lighted passages, assuring them of their safety, and then humorously pretending to have taken a wrong and dangerous turn.

The guests then arrived at the circular, domed, and ornately appointed Sanctorum Secorum[1], a central, 70-foot (21 m)-high rotunda, from which other areas of the "Empire", such as the mirrored "Infinity Hallway", could be accessed. An audio-visual welcome from a heroic statue of Caesar was enhanced by music, a light show, and a 20-foot (6.1 m) gas flame curling up from a fissure in the "rock." A large vase seemingly floating in space near a statue poured a continuous stream of water into a pool. The guests were then divided into groups and given one of three medallions to wear. Next, guests were escorted to ten dining chambers, each seating 24 persons (for a total of 240 guests at each seating). In addition to a wait staff which interacted comically with the guests, magic was performed in each dining room by a sorcerer host. In one amusing trick, guests were given paper "menus" on which were images of a cow, chicken, fish and vegetable, and were instructed to tear one of the pictures as indication of their choice of a beef, chicken, fish or vegetable entre. The menus were then collected and seemingly all thrown haphazardly together, then "destroyed" by fire. but nevertheless, each guest correctly received his or her chosen dinner. A stylized clear glass goblet that held spirits during the meal were also available for purchase in the Caesars Magical Empire gift shop.

The interior of the entire complex was decorated in a combination of pseudo cave-and-classic architecture, with faux rock-work and stone, real marble floors, triumphal arches, brass railings, painted mosaics, atmospheric sky domes, banners, torches, Roman "classical" furniture and lamp reproductions, statuary, caryatids and telemons, bas-relief faces of mythical personages, and intricately cast "carved" designs, all theatrically lighted.

After dining, the guests were free to visit one of two lounges, The "Spirit Bar" (flanked by two "Seance Rooms") or the "Forbidden Crypt." Additionally, they could see more magic performed in one or another of two incongruously-named-and-designed theatres: the 75-seat "Pagoda Theatre", or the 150-seat "Great Sultan's Palace."

While the endeavor was popular and profitable, accommodation of several audiences of 240 diners each day at capacity was no match for the potential income from the enormous audiences which could be accommodated in a large concert space. Thus the six-year reign of the "Empire", came to an end on November 30, 2002, after which the structure was razed to make room for a large concert hall created for singer Celine Dion.[9]

 

[coldasice880]

So there is no Westside left, PI is gone. The true Disney stores has Merch I can find anywhere on property...tell me again why I would want to visit DTD?

The food there is better than in the Parks. Raglan Road is amazing. Planet Hollywood is good to.

 

[CJR]

I'm sad to see this go. I never went in, but for some reason, I love magic stores and thought if I ever got an unexpected bonus, I would go in and learn a trick. Hopefully they will relocate someplace else in Orlando. There's a fun idea for Disney, put a Magic Show where the Comedy Warehouse once was!

 

[BUZZCRUSH]

I'm bummed, we enjoyed that store and yes we did buy some tricks that our 10 year old performed for his school's talent show. He was such a hit!

 

[TP2000]

I don't think that he was being sarcastic, and I think it would be GREAT to have a magic shop at MK again! I am all for returning to individual shops on Main St!

More good news here gang... There's still a Magic Shop on Main Street at Disneyland, and back in '09 it was given a big rehab and refreshed with a new emphasis on the magicians staffing the sales counter putting on little shows and such. The sidewalk window displays alone, full of optical illusions and mysteriously moving props, are a treat to behold.

Main Street USA Magic Shop - Disneyland
[/http://gallery.toursdepartingdaily.com/Disneyland-Resort/Photos/i-2V8pG3M/0/755x755/Step-Right-Up-to-the-Magic-755x755.jpgIMG]

So the lesson here is, unique variety married with showmanship usually wins out. With all of this "One Disney" sharing between Anaheim and Orlando lately, perhaps there's a good old fashioned Magic Shop heading back to Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom Park too? If they can clone much of Downtown Disney Anaheim, Main Street can't be that far behind.

 

[TP2000]

I don't think that he was being sarcastic, and I think it would be GREAT to have a magic shop at MK again! I am all for returning to individual shops on Main St!

More good news here gang... There's still a Magic Shop on Main Street at Disneyland, and back in '09 it was given a big rehab and refreshed with a new emphasis on the magicians staffing the sales counter putting on little shows and such. The sidewalk window displays alone, full of optical illusions and mysteriously moving props, are a treat to behold.

Main Street USA Magic Shop - Disneyland

http://gallery.toursdepartingdaily....55x755/Step-Right-Up-to-the-Magic-755x755.jpg

So the lesson here is, unique variety married with showmanship usually wins out. With all of this "One Disney" sharing between Anaheim and Orlando lately, perhaps there's a good old fashioned Magic Shop heading back to Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom Park too? If they can clone much of Downtown Disney Anaheim, Main Street can't be that far behind.

 

[flynnibus]

the current state of the magic shop in DL is nothing to be proud of. it's good only compared to the temporary state they left it in while they switched vendors during which it basically just had generic merch in it.

 

[Doug7856]

My 9 year old has been shopping at Magic Masters since he was three. It has become a tradition. He saves his money to buy a new trick each trip to Walt Disney World. He will be sad to see it go.

I on the other hand found the people who ran the shop to be rude. In July my son excitedly enter the shop and was reviewing which tricks to buy. It was the worst 15 minutes of our trip. The "magicians" pretty much ignored him. He didn't see it because he'd waited all year to buy his trick, but as his father I did. They did everything to squelch his enthusiasm. That is no way to build a business -- being rude to repeat customers. In the end, they refused to accept our Disney gift card or room charge -- they would only accept cash or major credit card. I thought something was up at the time and now it's obvious!

 

[wdwmagic]

Closing date confirmed

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Shopping/Ma...ey's-Magic-Masters-closing-date-confirmed.htm

 

[mergatroid]

Real shame that as I love the place. Arrive in just over 2 weeks time and I'm quite upset I won't get a final visit.

 

[koryadams]

A few things discussing this:

This past June, I went to Downtown Disney District in CA and my mom really liked Something Silver, so women will like the new store coming to WDW (and when I told my mom, she was excited!) But I don't know if it will be open in April 2012 when we go to WDW.

And also, Downtown Disney District seems like it has alot more stores than Downtown Disney...like everything is close together and I liked that better than spread out and not as much. Compared to Disneyland, it's not as good. EVEN the City Walk at Universal in Hollywood is better!

I would like to see additions to WDW, but not taking away existing stores like the Magic Masters (btw I liked that store)

What do you think?