Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom ~ gotta catch them...wait a minute!

“Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” is the newest craze to his Walt Disney World. It’s an interactive card game that seems to be a bit of crowd control meets Pokémon. They’ve been testing it for about a month now and a lot of people have played it. Hades has decided to take over the Magic Kingdom and he needs Merlin’s crystal to do it. Hades’ Pain and Panic steal the crystal but accidentally break it into 9 pieces. Now Hades has to recruit the worst of the worst of Disney Villains to help him get the crystal pieces back. 

You get your cards at the Firehall next to City Hall or behind the Christmas Store in Liberty Square (across from the Tiana Pavilion). A cast member will train you how to play.  You give them your entry ticket. They will run it through the computer (to make sure you aren't trying to scam extra cards). They give you a key card and five spell cards (spell cards are numbered 1-70). They show you how to help Merlin fight off the minions of Hades. You’ll also receive a map with special icons to differentiate the portals from each other. There are 5 locations or portals in four of the lands thus far.

Main Street - Cruella is the Villain

Fantasy land - Maleficent and Ursula are the villains as well as the final battle with Hades and the winged golem from Fantasia.

Adventure land - Yzma (from The Emperor's new groove) and Jafar are the villains as well as Scar.

Liberty Square - Radcliffe and Shadowman villains.

So yes, you run around a bit, but they're relatively close together within the lands which turned out to not be such a great thing in Fantasyland because they are literally within 10 feet of each other. You find the portal, swipe your key card on the lock box provided. If you are in the correct spot, it plays a small movie which will prompt you to battle by using a spell card or the back of the spell card called the “Sorcerer’s Crest.” You need only hold up one, or multiple spell cards while standing on the SMK symbol. You're spell (whichever you choose) sets off an effect on the screen.

There is an easy mode you play at first in which any spell helps you defeat Hades, a medium and hard mode which take a little more thought on the spell and order in which you cast. On these harder modes, your time at the portal can last from 5-20 minutes depending. If you don’t use the right spell, it will have no effect and you may have to start again. As you can see, this will increase the lines at the portals, and I’d be curious to see what Disney will be doing to counter this.

Once you have won your battle, the screen will instruct you to move to another portal. There may be a small line of other players when you get there. After the ninth battle, you defeat Hades. Merlin awards you a virtual badge (whether it actually means anything I don't know) and you can go back to the firehouse of behind the Christmas store and start over.

You are allowed 5 new spell cards per day and the next time you play you need only have your key card. If you lose it, they will give you another. Sound fun? Well it is!

Traders are abound at nearly every portal, so if you’re looking to complete a set of cards, you may be able to do it rather easily. The shops in Frontier land also sell card protection sheets if you wish. Cards numbered 61-70 are considered rare and were distributed in the very early days of beta testing. The rumor is the parks will be selling them at a later date.

You will also see them appearing on EBay selling for $4.00 and greater, but as I said before, there is no need to buy a card, with traders so readily available. Rumors of booster packs and phase two of the portals and adventures are flying without confirmation as of yet.

Unofficially, it has been confirmed that scanning cards into a mobile phone or tablet will still allow you to enjoy the game without having to worry about carrying around your spell cards, but you will still need the key card to activate the portals. 

The Regular Guy - Hits Walt Disney World

Whether you’re a “gas and go” guest, or prefer to “meander” a bit there’s fun to be had at Walt Disney World for everyone, but you have to get your mind right first. Prepare yourself for the worst in people, and be enchanted when you see the best in people.

Nearly everyone in the park is after the same things you are. They want to get on the rides. They want their family to have a good time. They want to sit when they’re tired, see the shows and parades in acceptable comfort. They want their time with the characters. They want to eat and drink, cool off when they’re hot, and stay out of the rain if it occurs. Keeping that in mind, and knowing that humans tend to be selfish, you can keep your wits about you when others are losing theirs.

If you are trying to ride every ride in under two hours, let me stop you now. There are ways to plan this and there are many, many, tedious and complicated schemes to accomplish this goal which require timing, rushing, aggressive moving through the parks, and did I mention rushing?  Maybe you’re the kind of person who loves the deadline.  You love the urgency, the desperation, and the thrill of chasing a goal throwing everything to the wind. Fine, there’s plenty of others in the park, as I have said, just like you running their own schemes. If paying a lot of money to have an aneurism is a vacation for you, have a blast. Have a magical day. I tell you that now because you won’t have time to hear anyone say it to you in the park.

There’s going to be lines. For food, for rides, for characters, for restrooms, sometimes there are even lines to stand in other lines. Wear some comfy clothes and shoes and just get ready to take it all in. Disney has perfected the art of giving you something to do while you wait. Some places have street shows like Hollywood Studios. Some places have interactive lines like the Haunted Mansion. So interesting things to read or look at and some have those people losing their mind because they had a hitch to their “ride-in-under two hours” scheme. 

If you’re going to pay thousands of dollars just to yell at the kids or argue with the spouse, you’ve got more disposable income than I do. Make sure you eat and drink when you have to. Even if you have kids, get yourself right before them, because your mood will decide the memories you bring home. Do you want “Dad was so mad at…” or “Mom cried because” to head the conversation your kids have in relaying the story to others? Of course not. Make sure you are comfortable. If your feet hurt, rest. The Princesses aren’t going anywhere…and if they do…they’ll be back.  

You’re going to find out the food in the quick services pretty much all tastes the same. A pizza at Pizzafari is the same pizza at Pizza Planet. Someone just disagreed with me. Just remember, this is the Regular Guy talking. I’m not selling you anything or trying to convince you I’m the final word. I’m the guy with an annual pass who has eaten it enough times to know. Hot dogs at Casey’s are the same as the Launch Pad, they just have other options available, tastes the same. Don’t believe me, ask your kids. 

Want variety? Find the local Wal-Mart and get some cold cuts, take a small cooler and snack. Grapes from the fruit stand taste the same as those with the kid’s meal. Take water which is $4.00 a case, or pay $4.00 a bottle in the park. Don’t like water, get some of the squirting drink supplements like Mio or the Kool-Aid packets. All very convenient and portable and will break up the “blah” water feeling when you’re on your forth bottle.  

Your kids like the moving light, chemlite necklaces? Buy them online and take them into the park. Pack everything in a nice clear backpack. Security will love you for it. Yes, if you bring a bag into the park, they’re going to search through it, and they will ask you to move stuff around to see the bottom of the bag, so be prepared.  Fanny packs, back packs, camera cases, every zipper and pocket must be opened. 

Bringing a stroller, keep an eye on the entry gates. The ones with a large space between ticket machines have gates. You’re going to have to push the stroller through it, so get in the line near them so that others can use the non-gated and vice-versa. Once your past security and the gates, take a minute (off to the side) to put everything back into order in your bags and stroller. Take a deep breath and take it all in. You’re here! You’re a kid again. Your kids are going to squeal with delight when you walk through the small tunnel into the park. You’re about to be blown away. 

Don’t be afraid to stare at things. I know you want to ride Test Track really bad, but there’s going to be a line. Even the fast pass has a line. The parks are crowded. The people are hungry, moody, rushed, tired, hot, maybe one just got cut off by a person in a battery-operated cart. Someone just lost their ticket. Someone forgot their jacket or umbrella. This is someone’s first trip. This is someone’s last day in the park and they’re sad. Those people have come from another country and feel overwhelmed, strangers, and maybe they’re just a little scared.

That lady over there comes here every week, has a child who works here, and she’s coming 50 more times before Christmas. That man is here with his kids and it’s the first trip since his wife died. I’m not saying you have to care, but just understand everyone is here for basically the same reason you are. They love it, want to see it, want to have fun, paid a lot of money, and maybe just a little overwhelmed too… just like you. 

Just get your head right. I’ll be posting some tips and tricks, like a lot of other Disney-related sites. Things that work for me, didn’t work out. Things I’ve done that seemed like good ideas, some worked, some epically failed.  I’ve been there during cold, warm, hot, rain, sun, crowded and not. I’m not selling anything. I’m not going to make money because you’re reading this. I like to write. I’m the Regular Guy.