Editor’s Note: Lou’s email inbox is often full to overflowing with questions from listeners. As such, he has enlisted the WDW Radio Blog writers to assist him in answering some of your questions.
“Hi Lou, I was wondering if you can tell me how the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom works. Is free or does it cost money? How do you get more cards? Is it something you can collect as you go? Can you stop and pick up where you left off if you go to another park or if you come back to the Magic Kingdom in a different year? How do you start, and do you have to check in every time you start it again? Is it something only for younger kids? Because I am 18 turning 19 before we go again. See, I went to Disney for my first time last year and was watching people do it, and I thought it would be really fun to do another time. Well my other time is coming in January, and I was wanting to start doing it but my parents are afraid it might take too much time or is something that you really have to concentrate on. If you help me out or maybe even do a podcast on it would very much appreciated. – KENZIE”
Hey Kenzie, this is Chris from the WDW Radio Team. I love Disney’s animated movies, video games, new technology and collecting things. Using next gen technology (well, it was next gen a few years ago) to tell the story of Disney’s villains coming together to take over Magic Kingdom Park and how you and your hero cards can stop them, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom hits all of those chords for me.
The game is free to play, but if you want to get all 70+ cards, you’ll have to spend some money. You can get 60 of the cards for free by playing the game, but 10 cards are only available through booster packs, which you have to buy. Over the past few years, they have also released special cards for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (this year you can get Clawhauser from Zootopia). After you’ve paid for the events, you can get the cards for free, or you can find them on eBay.
To start the game, head over to the Main Street Firehouse (there is also a place to start the game in the Ye Old Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square). They will give everyone in your party a pack of cards and show you how to start the game. Then they’ll activate the game on your MagicBand or plastic ticket. This is the only time you can get cards until you finish the game. As a reward for defeating Hades, you get another pack.
Another great way to get cards is by trading with other players.
“Is it something only for younger kids?” Umm…I’m turning 31 in couple of months, so I hope not.
How much time it takes to play is up to you. If you want to play through the entire game, it will take a few hours to do and even then you can start a new game at a harder difficulty (there are three levels of difficulty). You don’t have to rush through it though. You can start the game, defeat the first villain and then take a break. If the next stage of the game takes you to Adventureland, but your Fastpass+ is taking you to Fantasyland, you can wait until you’ve made your way over to Adventureland to pick the game back up.
You can even leave the park and come back later or spread your game over multiple trips, though from what I’ve read, the game data connects to the MagicBand itself, not your My Disney Experience account, so you will need to bring that original band (or ticket card) back with you, even if you get a new band. You don’t need to check in anywhere, just go to the next portal Merlin instructed you to go to (If you forget which one to go to, just hold your MagicBand up to any portal, and it will tell you where you should go).
There are also some more advanced tips and tricks for the game, but those are the basics. Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is a lot of fun. Despite the fact that the game’s popularity seems to have waned over the years, there hasn’t been a time when I’ve played it that I have seen a portal stand empty for very long. There are still plenty of fans out there, and hope that they do more with it one day.
(All photos from author’s personal collection.)
What character would you like to see become a part of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom either as a card to collect or as a villain to fight?
Chris grew up during the Disney renaissance of animation and took his first trip to Disney World when he was ten. Even though he has loved Disney his whole life, his obsession didn’t start until he began planning a trip for his honeymoon. Right now, his primary job (at least the one that doesn’t pay the bills) is to indoctrinate his daughter with his love of Disney while at the same time convincing his wife to move to Orlando so he can become a tour guide in the parks.
