TMSM Mythbusters: Glow Glow Made with Magic Everywhere and Room With a Ride View

Glow Glow Made with Magic Everywhere

In 2012 Glow with the Show was introduced at Disneyland, and in 2013 it made it’s way across the U.S. to Walt Disney World. In 2014 Disney announced that the name of Glow with the Show would be changing to Made with Magic (MwM) and that additional interactive items would be added to the merchandise line up. Tonight’s myth or perhaps more so misconception is that Made with Magic works with ALL of the Disney Parks night time events.

First before I get into tackling the myth let me take a moment to explain to you HOW MwM works. When Glow with the Show was first introduced I absolutely fell in love with the concept, so when we went Disneyland in August 2013 I purchased my very first set of Mickey ears. When it was announced Walt Disney World would have Glow with the Show I bought a set of ears from there too. Now, yes my Disneyland ears do in fact work in Walt Disney World, and my Walt Disney World Ears work in Disneyland. But there were a few modifications made to the design between 8/2013 and 12/2013 when I purchased mine. For example the foam cushioning on the inside of the World ears is more “head fitting”, and where the Land version has the power switch as a push button on the bottom of one of the ears, it is inside the hat on the battery pack on the World set.

How the MwM items work is actually pretty simple. Made with Magic uses infrared (IR) technology. Inside the MwM item is an IR receiver that Disney “directs” a series of signals to. These signals tell the MwM how and when to work during the show. Viewing areas of each show is divided into zones, and each zones has a broadcaster, and each hat a unique serial number. During the show each zones is sent IR signals that tell each MwM item what to do. The items can interact with each other as well.

Now that you know HOW Made with Magic works, let’s tackle the myth at hand. Recently I came across a forum discussion where a future park guest was inquiring about the Made with Magic items available online at the Disney Store’s website. In the comment section of said thread someone asked if they would work with specialty fireworks. Another reader replied that the Disney Store’s website seemed to describe “that these items will work at any Disney theme park location and for any of the shows” but they weren’t sure if that was the case.

At Walt Disney World MwM currently works in the Magic Kingdom during Wishes Nighttime Spectacular, Celebrate the Magic and Holiday Wishes. They also work in Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Fantasmic! and during the holiday season Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. In Disneyland MwM works in Disneyland during Fantasmic! and the Disneyland Resort Fireworks, it also works in Disney California Adventure Park during World of Color. There are times when Disney will announce special events and engagements where MwM will work. For example during the January 2013 Disney Vacation Club member cruise on the Dream guests were able to see what was then Glow with the Show at sea! Though it would be awesome to have the MwM items come to life during all of Disney’s nighttime regular and special engagement events, but this just isn’t the case.  Currently Made with Magic does not work with Hollywood Studios Fourth of July, Frozen or Star Wars Weekends fireworks or even during Illuminations at Epcot.

So while it is in fact true that the Made with Magic items you purchase in either Walt Disney World or Disneyland can be used at either park, the idea that they work with ALL of Disney’s night time shows is in fact a busted myth.

Room With a Ride View

Recently we received a question from a Main Streeter asking if “there is a hotel inside the Pirates of Caribbean ride in Disneyland?” This myth or misconception has popped up several times over the last few years that I know of because this wasn’t the first time I have see it. I honestly THINK this idea comes from the differences in the Disneyland ride itself as well as some of Disneyland’s unique features.

First let’s start with the differences in the two coast’s rides. Pirates in Disneyland is a longer ride than those of us who tend to frequent Disney World are use to it has more scenes and two drops. Walt Disney World’s Pirates building is themed after Spanish style fort. Disneyland’s Pirates building looks like a New Orleans residence that visibly has two or more stories. Where as Disney World’s ride has you return to the fort up an escalator style ramp, Disneyland’s ride returns you to the ground level of the ride. Walt Disney World’s building only holds a gift shop and restroom area that the public can access. Disneyland’s ride is in fact part of another Disneyland attraction, it STARTS with the ships passing through the back of the Blue Bayou restaurant where riders can actually see other guests eating their dinner.

As I mentioned before Disneyland’s Pirates ride has a visible second story that guests can in fact access. THIS I believe is where the idea that there is a hotel connected to the Pirates ride truly comes from. Originally this space was intended to be a private apartment for the Disney family, but after Walt’s passing it later became the Disney Gallery which was an art store and museum space until 2007. The Gallery was closed to make way for the Disneyland Dream Suite. In 2008 during the last “Year of A Million Dreams” event Disneyland guests were randomly selected to stay the night in the Dream Suite. Winners were able to enter the suite using either an elevator or the outside stair case near the entrance of PoTC. The two-bedroom suite has signage outside of it that alerts park guests to it’s existence as well as a patio that faces the Rivers of America.  On many occasions suite guests were seen sitting on the patio watching Fantasmic from the suite.

To this day Disneyland still gives out stays in the Dream Suite as a prize through various promotions. So while there is in fact a room that guests can stay in at Disneyland above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, this suite generally can not be rented out like a room at Disneyland’s three resorts, making this Disney myth or misconception, busted.

Made With Magic images from DisneyStore.com
Park images from Disney Parks Blog, Wiki, and Main Streeter Byron N

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Michele

Michele Atwood is the Owner/Editor of The Main Street Mouse and its subsidiaries. Co owner of the House of Mouse Expo & Lost Princess Apparel. Author of the books “Moving to Main Street U.S.A.” “How Many Sleeps Till Disney?” and “How Many Sleeps Till Disneyland?”
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.

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