Main Street Magic Shop

At some point in many children's lives, the mysterious world of stage magic becomes the most fascinating subject on Earth. I wonder what percentage of today's adult park fans bought their very first magic item long ago on Main Street at Disneyland or Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

My first magic purchase was the famous "Linking Rings" illusion. Cold reality smacked me in the face when I found just how much hard work and practice most tricks require to pull off properly. I realized "gags" were easier to pull off than illusions, so I ended up gravitating toward snakes-in-a-can, ice cube bugs and Haunted Mansion Portraits.

Oh, yes, the Haunted Mansion portraits! Who else here remembers those great souvenirs from the 70's? Each had two faces--a normal daytime face and a hidden "scary" glow-in-the-dark transformation that could only be seen with the lights out! Now, that's an item in need of a comeback!