Today, I’m taking things back to the sites roots and sharing a little bit of overlooked Disney history. Personally, these are the articles I enjoy sharing more that just about anything simply because I truly believe that learning about Disney’s past helps us appreciate the current and future aspects of the parks and resorts all that much more. So, today’s look back in time at a departed aspect of the Disney World experience brings us to a short “stage show” that slowly slipped away.
As many of you may know, or may have even experienced for yourself first hand in the past, Fantasyland features a tribute Sword in the Stone display for guests to test their “strength” or potential to become the king if you are able to draw the sword. However, at one point the experience went beyond the simple interactive exhibit we have today and featured a short little show with Merlin himself as the host.
Today, you can still pull the sword from the stone, but the experience and build up isn’t quite as elaborate or entertaining as the aforementioned show. In the early iteration and stage show sequence performance, Merlin took to the area around the sword in the stone in front of Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. As the short performance began, Merlin would welcome guests and explain his search for an interim leader while the King was off exploring another land. However, the proper leader would have to be able to pull the sword from the stone.
Largely for humors sake, guests were invited to attempt to pull the sword from it’s fixed position, but eventually one particular guest (typically a young child) would be “chosen” and the sword would magically rise from the stone as they pulled with all their might. Of course, this was simply a recreation of the classic film, but provided a certain level of joy for guests of all ages and provided many memories for quite some time not only at Walt Disney World but at Disney Parks around the world. Sadly, all of the shows have come and gone away across all of the Disney parks, but those memories will certainly last forever.
If you’ve never checked out the Sword in the Stone at Walt Disney World, which still exists despite the end of the show in 2006, I highly recommend heading over to capture a picture or even just to catch a glimpse of the sword and anvil glimmering in the sun behind the castle. You never know who may be able to surprise you and pull the sword out of the stone (at least a little bit, because it only comes partially out due to obvious safety concerns).
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