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Daveylegs
11-21-2003, 06:16 AM
I never really went to Fantasy Land much until I went last summer with my young kids. I noticed the sword in the stone and wondered about it. Do kids ever actually get to pull it out? We tried to pull out the sword but it wouldn't budge. Someone please fill me in.

scottmen
11-21-2003, 06:34 AM
They have a show and select a grown up from the crowd who can't pull it out and then select a kid from the crowd who does. The kid becomes king for the day I believe. The sword does not come all the way out. The show is usually during the day. Its in the map I believe

Scott

termoo
11-21-2003, 08:05 AM
They have the Sword and the Stone Shows on the show schedule each day on your map. One year when my middle son was about 4 or 5 years old, this was the ONLY thing at Disneyland that he wanted to do. (He'd seen it on a Disney video) He was a sensitive and fearful child and an absolute "Sword in the Stone" maniac. He played it all the time at home (using the couch as a "stone" for his swords and then pulling them out) and was convinced that he would just be able to walk up to this stone and pull out the sword. After going to the show three times and not being picked (although my husband got picked once as the adult who couldn't pull out the sword!), we went and had a chat with Merlin after the show. I introduced him to my son, told him that he was a BIG fan, and took his picture with him. At the fourth show (believe me, it got old running back to Fantasyland every couple of hours!) we planted my son right in Merlin's view with me doing my best pleading, smiling, hopeful look--and Merlin picked him! Merlin then crowns him, gives him a medal to wear for the rest of the day, and a certificate proclaiming him the king. Afterwards, I thanked Merlin profusely, and told him he'd saved our trip. Never going out of character, he let me know that it was his pleasure and that my son certainly deserved the title of king. For the rest of the day, every CM made a huge deal out of "the king" upon seeing his medal. It truly made our day!

Of course, then my OLDER son thought maybe HE'D like to get picked... That's when we put our foot down!!! (My daughter couldn't have cared less--she just wanted to ride Dumbo again and again and again...)

tod
11-21-2003, 08:06 AM
Nobody ever pulls the sword out of the anvil. It seems to be half a sword, immobile, welded to something inside the anvil. When they do a show, it will pop up about six inches.

The rest of the time, you might as well try to pull the castle out of its foundation.

--T
:fez:

Bill Catherall
11-21-2003, 08:58 AM
So, if it's stuck in an anvil why do they call it the Sword in the Stone?

tod
11-21-2003, 09:05 AM
Originally posted by Bill Catherall
So, if it's stuck in an anvil why do they call it the Sword in the Stone?

The movie was called The Sword in the Stone.

Anybody see the movie lately? Maybe the stone in the movie is shaped like an anvil? If not, maybe the anvil is an homage to Warner Bros. :D

--T
:fez:

scottmen
11-21-2003, 09:42 AM
Originally posted by Bill Catherall
So, if it's stuck in an anvil why do they call it the Sword in the Stone?

The anvil is on a stone, and we can assume its a sword ala Braveheart and it goes through the anvil to the stone. :D

lilbitopxedust
11-21-2003, 10:05 AM
First off, as a BA in English, I hate to be nitpicky, but it's "The Sword in the Stone." This refers to the T.H. White novel on which the animated movie is based (it's a great book, if a little confusing).

The sword is set in a stone and an anvil because in the book and the movie, the test is to pull the sword out of a stone and anvil (don't ask me how you can put a sword through an anvil, I didn't write the book). The inscription on the stone (I think) reads, "Whoso pulleth this stone from this sword and anvil is rightwise King born of England."

So that's where the stone and anvil comes from, even though the book and the movie are titled "The Sword in the Stone."

merlinjones
11-21-2003, 12:26 PM
A legend is sung
of when England was young
and knights were brave and bold.

The good king had died and no one could decide
who was rightful heir to the throne

It seemed that the land would be torn by war
or saved by a miracle alone
Then that miracle appeared in London towne
the sword in the stone

and below the hilt in letters of gold were written these words:

Whosoever pulleth out the sword from this stone and anvil is rightwise king, born of England.

LifelongAngelsFan
11-21-2003, 08:21 PM
Does anyone know what Walt thought of this movie?

Our family likes it, but I rarely hear much about it, which leads me to believe that Walt or the public didn't like it.

Cadaverous Pallor
11-24-2003, 12:32 AM
I am sure Walt never came out and said something if he actually disliked a movie his company made.

Personally, it's not one of my favorites, as they turned the powerful legendary wizard Merlin into a bumbling fool. Bummer.