Disneyland's Magic Shop is back

[Disneyguy85]

I thought this was interesting and worth mentioning here. Recently the Main Street Magic shop at Disneyland has reopened and is now run by Houdini's Magic Shop.

Here is a small article about it from D23;
http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/11040 ... cShop.html

"The Main Street Magic Shop has "reappeared" in Disneyland Park with the help of Houdini's Magic Shop, currently running the classic store. One of the unique features of the new shop are the decorated windows containing a zoetrope (a cylindrical device where viewers see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion), an Andrus Tri Zonal Space Warper, replicas and actual artifacts of Harry Houdini. Visitors and passersby can also be wowed by a magical handkerchief show that runs every 12 minutes and can be viewed through the window. This return and use of detailed storytelling adds to the charm and elegance of Main Street, U.S.A."


I was there last week. The new window displays are great and I'm glad that the shop is now back to selling quality magic tricks and is not just selling generic merchandise. They also do demonstrations just like they used too, and people seem to get a kick out of them.

[Big Wallaby]

As a magician myself, I am really glad to hear this. I need to come back to Disneyland... I have the itch. Now I have a little more reason.

[BRWombat]

As a magician myself, I am really glad to hear this. I need to come back to Disneyland... I have the itch. Now I have a little more reason.

Wait, both of us marsupials are magical, too? Wow. Of course, I'm amateur all the way, probably the kind of amateur professionals dislike -- I love learning how things work, but rarely practice them enough to get really good.

[kurtisnelson]

Wait, both of us marsupials are magical, too?

Isn't that implied? I mean how else would there be a talking singing monorail driving marsupial?

[Lasolimu]

Isn't that implied? I mean how else would there be a talking singing monorail driving marsupial?

Same way there is a cat studying physical therapy while working at a movie theatre concession stand. Not magic, anthropomorphism. :p:

[Big Wallaby]

Wait, both of us marsupials are magical, too? Wow. Of course, I'm amateur all the way, probably the kind of amateur professionals dislike -- I love learning how things work, but rarely practice them enough to get really good.

I dunno, do you go blabbing about how the tricks work, or do you just sit back and enjoy the show when we perform?

I was a professional magic show manager, and may one day be again. I have worked with Doug Henning's Origami, I have a card that I recovered when Michael Ammar chose me to demonstrate the Card on Ceiling trick... I have several mutual friends with Max Maven and Copperfield. I've spent quality time with Greg Frewin and Lee Asher. If you ever meet Banachek, he's a trip. I have been coached on running and managing the show by Stan Kramien. If I was to expose half of what I know from working with famous major illusions, I may have to go into hiding, as the magician community kinda turns into a mob when you do that. The secrets are safe with me.

Somewhere, I have plans on paper for a full illusion that, while you would all be impressed by it, would blow the socks off most magicians. It starts out as a Zombie Ball routine (anything I can do to start the routine off with ALL the magicians out there rolling their eyes), morphing into an assistant and magician levitation, and more.

I even know how... were I to get permission from Disney... to make a Monorail vanish from the open beam.

So as a magician myself... though I was often the man behind the curtain, I love the magic shop returning as such to Main Street, U.S.A.

[darph nader]

Pfffftt.Henning,Ammar,Copperield,big deal. I can make a six-pack vanish,'never' to be seen again. Well,,,,,maybe to reappear someplace 'else',a short time later.

[Doctor McKey]

I mustsay that BW's magic is well in hand. He has been a mentor to my weak impreasion of a magician, but whithis help i am becomeing better. BW.. we will talk about where to go and get permission.. you know i have the abuility to make things happen.


The Doctor

[BRWombat]

I dunno, do you go blabbing about how the tricks work, or do you just sit back and enjoy the show when we perform? ...

Nah, I'm not so obnoxious to spoil the show for anyone else. My kids can usually weasel the secrets of the tricks I know out of me, though; otherwise, I just learn them for the joy of knowing. Most people at a performance, my wife included, just want to take the illusions they see at face value and be left wondering, but I appreciate the artistry and professionalism of the performers even more knowing what it takes to craft and pull off their illusions. (Of course, I'm like that with more than just magic -- seat me in the audience in any production of any kind and I'll be thinking about the behind-the-scenes people and the technical stuff as much as whatever is happening on stage.)

I'd pay to see the disappearing monorail, BW, but I suspect Disney probably won't be signing off on that anytime soon. I do enjoy the "big illusion" people like Copperfield, though not so much the mentalists like Max Maven -- I'll usually entertain myself by trying to figure out how he's forcing a certain answer from his subjects through supposedly random choices. My favorites are comic magicians like the Amazing Jonathan, John Ferrentino, Penn & Teller, and really good close-up workers -- the ones that can dazzle you inches away without an army of assistants. I'd love to be that good.

[Cheshire Figment]

But before you make it disappear, please fill it completely with SGs!