A visit to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is an exciting and thrilling day for guests of all ages. But behind the exhilarating rides, delicious treats, Cinderella’s Castle, and the joyful characters, a villainous scheme is being hatched by none other than, Hades! To save the Magic Kingdom, Merlin is looking for volunteers to become honorary sorcerers to fend off that villainous foe!

So, how does one become a Sorcerer of the Magic Kingdom? It’s easy! Assemble your team, and head over to the Fire Station located next to City Hall. Here, Cast Members will give each member of your party a pack of 5 spell cards and a portal map. These spell cards will be used to fight Hades along with his crew of baddies. The Fire House Cast Member will set up your game, which is linked to the Magic Band of your choice. Once they’ve set up your game, there is a practice portal and the Cast Member will show you what to look for at each portal, and how to hold out your cards to perform the spells.

Once you’ve received your pack of cards, it’s time to head towards your first portal. First, you’ll tap the Magic Band at the portal keyhole to activate the portal. Merlin will magically appear, and brief you on which dastardly villain you’ll be up against. Each land of the Magic Kingdom is home to 5 different portals. During your game, you’ll visit each portal as you battle villains such as Cruella, Maleficent, Ursula, Dr. Facilier, and even Chernabog! After you complete a portal, it will show a picture of your next location. Using your paper map, you’ll venture to the next portal until you complete all 5 in the land. Once you’ve defeated the villain, you’ll have the option to continue on your quest to fight another villain.

After you’ve fought the villains in Fantasyland, Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, and Liberty Square you will have completed the beginner level of the game! There are three levels to Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, so making sure you know which Magic Band you link your game to is very important. Don’t have enough time to complete your game on this visit? Don’t worry! You can continue your game during your next magical visit. We’ve continued several of our quests over the years by bringing along an older Magic Band that had the game linked to it.

Not only is visiting the portals and fighting villains fun for the whole family, but collecting the cards adds to the challenge! There are 70 different cards to collect. Cards 61 through 70 can only be acquired by purchasing the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom booster pack from Shop Disney, or in the Emporium. There might be other stores that sell them on occasion, but those are my go-to locations. Guests attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can also receive a special Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Party card. These cards are limited to 1 per guest, per party night. Just stop by the Fire House during the party, and they’ll mark your party wristband.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is a lot of fun for the whole family. It’s a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle. The game is free, and usually takes about 30 minutes or less to complete each land. My nephew and niece especially like it because you can also trade duplicate cards with the Cast Members at the Fire House. Sometimes, there are even more experienced Sorcerers who hang out at Tortuga Tavern and trade cards as well. We’ve learned lots of valuable tips by talking to them, or other players at the various portals.

So, the next time you visit the Magic Kingdom, make sure you swing by the Fire House and join the Sorcerers! Merlin needs all the help he can get!

JessicaM@travelwiththemagic.com