UPDATE: Sadly, as of January 2021, Walt Disney World has discontinued Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom. We were sad, too 🙁
Not long after we became Annual Passholders, did I learn of some extra hidden magic at the Magic Kingdom known as Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
I wasn’t surprised that there was a fun, interactive game for the whole family to enjoy…but, I was surprised that it was completely FREE!
Here’s the nitty-gritty on the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game at Walt Disney World and how to play!
As its name implies, the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Game is only played at the Magic Kingdom in four areas. Your playing fields are Fantastyland, Adventureland, Liberty Square and Main Street U.S.A.
As the game commences, you are tasked by Merlin to travel to various portals around the park, casting spells to take down evil Disney villains and foil Hades’ plan to control the Magic Kingdom.
Sounds fun, right!?
How To Get Started:
You begin your adventure as one of Merlin’s wizard apprentices by becoming a recruit at the Fire Station in Town Square. If you find yourself wanting to get started after you are already in the park, you can also recruit in Liberty Square near the Christmas outpost, though that location is not always open.
Signing up is crazy easy ( and did I mention free!)
Once at the fire station, You will let the cast member know how many people you would like on your game and your Magic Bands or park tickets will be scanned to activate the game. If you want to play as a group, you will have to decide which member of your group will hold the “key,” as their MagicBand or ticket will need to be scanned at each portal to make the magic happen.
You will then be offered a quick, interactive tutorial and then handed a map and be told which portal to head to in order to begin. Each member of your game will also receive a free package of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom spell cards…which make for a great souvenir from your Disney vacation…even if you don’t get to finish the whole game.
The Spell Cards:
Every card has a designated spell and are fun to collect ( and trade). There are 70 spell cards you could collect in total, though certain cards are rarer than others and you likely would not collect them all in one trip.
Each card has an icon indicating it’s rarity.
Cards numbered 1-22 will have a star in the bottom corner, and these are the rarest you can get in the free packs. Numbers 23-40 are still uncommon, though not quite rare, and will be marked with a moon. Cards 41-60 will have a planet as their marking and will be your more common cards… and the ones you will likely get duplicates of and want to trade.
The super rare cards are cards 61-70 with lightning bolts as their symbol. These cards can typically only be purchased at the Emporium on Main Street U.S.A. Even then, they are hard to come by as they are not always in stock.
You can also snag special event cards that are only available to party-goers to events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party and the Very Merry Christmas Party.
There are seven unique types of spell cards available: Wishful, Charming, Energy, Flying, Strong, Quick and Gross. But, no two card has the exact same spell. At the easy level, this isn’t very important. However, if you play at the medium or hard levels, you will want to pay attention to these categories in order to succeed at the game.
AND
Each spell card has a “class.” The card will fall under one of these nine classes: Toy, Monstor, Machine, Hero, Animal, Fairy, Mystic, Princess, and Warrior.
You initial pack of cards will have about five cards in it. You can receive one pack a day or if you complete a game. However, in order to get your new pack on the next park visit, you will have need to have opened at least one portal the prior visit in order to continue your game.
Hint Hint: A common spot for trading Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom cards is at Tortuga’s Tavern in Adventureland
How To Play:
Everyone starts out on the ‘easy’ level, but as you defeat villains and play additional games, the difficulty can increase.
Each magic portal has a unique symbol, which is indicated on the map. At your first magic portal ( the one the cast member who set up your game directs you to), you will scan the band or ticket with the game key on the keyhole. At this first location, Merlin will give you a bit of backstory and will explain your mission.
Scan your MagicBand or Disney ticket on the keyhole to open each Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom portal.
He will then direct you to your next stop, which is where the fun begins.
Note: If you get messed up and scan the wrong keyhole, don’t worry. Merlin will tell you where you are supposed to be and your game won’t be impacted ( other than the time lost at the wrong portal).
Each portal you visit will feature a different Disney villain you have to defeat. Scan the key and then step back onto the designated spot to cast your spell. Just look for the disc in the ground featuring the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom symbol. Standing on the disc puts you at the correct distance from the portal for the spell to work.
You will view a short ‘magical’ view of the mischief that the particular villain is up to. ( Also, check out the faces of guests who walk by mesmerized at what you are doing and wondering what secret magic you have found).
Once you see the words “cast your spell” come onto the screen, pick your favorite card, hold it up towards the portal and watch your spell be cast.
Hold the card straight out in front of you, level to the portal.The “magic” part of the card ( aka the part the camera can read) is the background behind the picture. So, hold your card at the bottom so that as much of the background is as visible to the camera, as possible.
Pay attention to the instructions! Most spells require you to face the picture side towards the portal. However, sometimes you are asked to use the “Sorcerer’s Crest”…which is the back side of the card. So, pay attention!
Levels of Difficulty:
There are three levels to the game. All guests will start on the easy level.
On the easy level, it really doesn’t matter which card you use and one spell card will defeat the villain, though you can play multiple cards for fun. I have played up to three, but I am pretty sure you can play up to five at one time.
As you complete games and defeat villains, you can begin new games on the medium and,ultimately, the hard levels.
At the medium level, you have to start using some strategy with the spell cards. The type of card you use will determine the impact it has on a villain. They all have strengths and weaknesses. If you use a card that matches their strengths, you will likely have to either use multiple cards of that same strength or have to attempt a couple of times to defeat the villain, because they are more immune to that type of spell.
To better your odds of victory, you want to utilize spell cards that target the villain’s weaknesses. Here’s a cheat sheet:
At the hard level, you have to do a little investigating to find the weakness, because Disney has randomized this level of the game.
The best strategy is to just try three separate cards of different attack types. Watch the animation closely and you may notice which of the spells casts at the most power. That spell is going to be the villains weakness.
Who Sorcerers of The Magic Kingdom is great for!
The game is a fun, unique, free activity that not a lot of park-goers know about.
However, a game can take up to 45 minutes with approximately five or six rounds —if you were playing it straight through and crowds cooperated.
On that note, though, Disney does a good job of starting games and different portals, so we have never been in a game where we have had to wait behind more than one person to play a portal. So, it’s a great activity to do on a crowded day at the Magic Kingdom.
So, if it is your first time at the park, I wouldn’t stress over playing a full game… unless you will have multiple days there.
But, definitely take the time to sign up, play a portal and keep the free souvenir cards.
But, if you are an annual passholder then you will likely have several opportunities to play the game and master it. ( P.S. A game will stay open on your MagicBand for 18 months, just in case you don’t finish the first time)
If you have non-riders in your family or young kids, they will enjoy having an activity to do while others are in line for an attraction.
Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is great for young kids who many not want to ride at Walt Disney World.
And really… why wouldn’t you want to come back from your Walt Disney Vacation saying you defeated the likes of Cruella De Vil, Scar and Ursula?
Have you played Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom? Let me know in the comments what you thought of it!
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