Random Disneyland and Walt Disney World tidbits too time-sensitive or inconsequential to cram into a formal article.
Merlin Disappears
Posted 07-28-2009 at 11:10 AM by David Koenig
Amid a summer of Tinker Bell and Dumbo flying overhead, there’s been one longtime character who hasn’t been seen frequenting Fantasyland—Merlin the Magician.
Disneyland has, at least temporarily, retired the one-man show. “Unfortunately, Merlin and the ‘Sword in the Stone’ show are now history,” said one insider. “There will be no more shows where Merlin selects a child from the audience to pull Excalibur from the stone in front of the King Arthur Carrousel. Another casualty of budget cuts.”
For the show, largely unchanged since the five-piece Make Believe Brass band was laid off in 1994, the writing had been on the wall. “The shows were slowly cut back,” the source revealed. “‘The Sword in the Stone’ shows were every day, then only on the weekends, then just every summer and holidays. This summer Merlin did not return, and the axe finally fell in a cast member meeting this month.”
The move helps free up Entertainment dollars for the park’s ever-more-elaborate Halloween promotion, which will include a “Nightmarish” new fireworks show and Jack Skellington and Sally returning for a second year to greet guests in front of the Haunted Mansion.
In a related move, next week New Orleans Square’s Port Royal store will be switching places with Le Bat en Rouge. “Sales at Port Royal have been literally sinking and all that space could be better spent with Jack Skellington merch(andise),” a cast member said.
And for next year, expect to see Captain Jack Sparrow back in the park, as "Pirates of the Caribbean IV" begins production for a 2011 release.
Disneyland has, at least temporarily, retired the one-man show. “Unfortunately, Merlin and the ‘Sword in the Stone’ show are now history,” said one insider. “There will be no more shows where Merlin selects a child from the audience to pull Excalibur from the stone in front of the King Arthur Carrousel. Another casualty of budget cuts.”
For the show, largely unchanged since the five-piece Make Believe Brass band was laid off in 1994, the writing had been on the wall. “The shows were slowly cut back,” the source revealed. “‘The Sword in the Stone’ shows were every day, then only on the weekends, then just every summer and holidays. This summer Merlin did not return, and the axe finally fell in a cast member meeting this month.”
The move helps free up Entertainment dollars for the park’s ever-more-elaborate Halloween promotion, which will include a “Nightmarish” new fireworks show and Jack Skellington and Sally returning for a second year to greet guests in front of the Haunted Mansion.
In a related move, next week New Orleans Square’s Port Royal store will be switching places with Le Bat en Rouge. “Sales at Port Royal have been literally sinking and all that space could be better spent with Jack Skellington merch(andise),” a cast member said.
And for next year, expect to see Captain Jack Sparrow back in the park, as "Pirates of the Caribbean IV" begins production for a 2011 release.
Total Comments 5
Comments
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I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. My daughter was thrilled to be picked on one of our trips. We got there early to see the show ... but I told her that there was no way she would be picked, there are just too many kids who want to do it. And in fact, Merlin originally picked another little boy, and I cheered him on loudly. But that little boy was too scared and he didn't want to do it, so Merlin picked again. And this time the magic stick pointed at my daughter. "You were wrong Mom ... I DID get picked," she beamed. Such a nice memory.Posted 07-28-2009 at 01:04 PM by Tink Lover 
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i am really dissapointed. Disneyland used to provide so many places to "discover" things - even if they were in plain site. The Merlin show was another one of those pieces of entertainment that was brief yet special (as were many of the former NOS groups, etc). Now it seems the only entertainment offered is one on a massive scale to maximize audience exposure. I still don't see how a salary of a one man show (with a handler and maybe a technician) equates to being able to pay for a month of fireworks and new Space Mountain decorations. It's a smokescreen to remove least-favorite shows in the eyes of current management.Posted 07-28-2009 at 09:06 PM by olegc
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I'll most likely be in the miniority with this opinion but anyway - yes it is sad to see Merlin and the Sword in the Stone ceremony go - but what I am really tired about hearing is all the Nightmare Before Christmas stuff they are going to do for Halloween. Way too much emphasis on that for my liking and too many other good things going by the wayside. Just my opinion.
Posted 07-30-2009 at 10:58 AM by -
Maybe he went to Bermuda? But seriously this was a neat show. Even when my kids were to old or on a trip without kids we would stop, watch and cheer when Merlin performed. It was just fun! Seems that they are spending to many dollars on other things that a few dollars would be best spent elsewhere.Posted 07-30-2009 at 01:12 PM by DwarfPlanet
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You all don't have to be so pessimistic.
Posted 08-07-2009 at 09:36 AM by WDWLocal
