Changes to the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom

[beckyd13]

Can someone explain to me the changes recently made to the Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom card game? We like collecting the cards, but I think I read somewhere that you can no longer pick up a pack per day and instead have to activate a portal before returning for new cards.

So... by activating a portal, does that mean we just have to use the cards once, or do we have to play an entire game before we can get new cards now?

Just wondering! Thanks in advance!

 

[SureAsLiz]

You can pick up a pack of cards a day, but the current portal has to be activated first. This simply means you need to can the band/card, go through the portal (you don't even have to play if you don't want. Just let it run through the story), and then you can pick up a card.

No need to defeat the current villain. No need to even bring past cards with you.

 

[Goddesstree]

In order to get new cards each day, you have to play one scene beforehand - not that very day, but sometime after you get a new pack of cards. We would get cards our first day, play a portal or two, then get new cards the next day, play a portal, etc.

 

[SureAsLiz]

In order to get new cards each day, you have to play one scene beforehand - not that very day, but sometime after you get a new pack of cards. We would get cards our first day, play a portal or two, then get new cards the next day, play a portal, etc.

The way it is supposed to work is that you need to activate a portal on the day you want to receive the cards before receiving them. So if I go in today, I activate a portal and get a new deck. If I go tomorrow, I have to active a new portal, even if I played several yesterday.

Sometimes CMs will let you bypass this process if the line is especially long, but I have seen many people turned away from their free pack until they activate their portal - no matter how many they played the day before

 

[Goddesstree]

The way it is supposed to work is that you need to activate a portal on the day you want to receive the cards before receiving them. So if I go in today, I activate a portal and get a new deck. If I go tomorrow, I have to active a new portal, even if I played several yesterday.

Sometimes CMs will let you bypass this process if the line is especially long, but I have seen many people turned away from their free pack until they activate their portal - no matter how many they played the day before

Then they changed it from August - we only had to play at some point from the new pack to the next new pack.

 

[11290]

The way it is supposed to work is that you need to activate a portal on the day you want to receive the cards before receiving them. So if I go in today, I activate a portal and get a new deck. If I go tomorrow, I have to active a new portal, even if I played several yesterday.

Correct. The system will come up (in red on the computer screen) as "not eligible for a new spell pack" if a portal has not been opened on the day you request a new spell pack. This has not changed.

 

[karrit2000]

I've always been told I had to activate a portal before picking up my cards each day. I've never been given cards unless I went to my current active portal first. I've been playing for several years.

 

[GaryDis]

Is there a beginner's guide somewhere? This is something we'll want to do, but I'm totally lost in this conversation.

 

[DreamIsaWish]

And I have to say it's a really irritating system. If the firehouse is the primary place to pick up cards, then you have to go deeper into the park to play a portal and then come back to get the cards. Sure, you can go to the one in Liberty Square, but (1) it only has one station and had a long line every time we went, and (2) it's more intuitive and convenient to pick up cards on your way into the park with a quick stop at the firehouse. I wish it worked like Goddesstree describes. That would be way more flexible and still force folks to keep playing the game to get cards.

 

[MrInfinity]

In order to get new cards each day, you have to play one scene beforehand - not that very day, but sometime after you get a new pack of cards. We would get cards our first day, play a portal or two, then get new cards the next day, play a portal, etc.

you have to go deeper into the park to play a portal and then come back to get the cards. Sure, you can go to the one in Liberty Square, but (1) it only has one station and had a long line every time we went, and (2) it's more intuitive and convenient to pick up cards on your way into the park with a quick stop at the firehouse. I wish it worked like Goddesstree describes. That would be way more flexible and still force folks to keep playing the game to get cards.

The way Goddesstree describes it is exactly how it worked for us. You arrive, you get cards. You play some. You go another day, you get new cards, you play some. This is how the CM described it (every day we got the speech) and it's how it worked. There was never a case where we would have to enter the park, and activate a portal with our previous cards before we could go get new ones. If you beat all 9 villains in one day, you can even get a 2nd set of cards on the same day. We did not have enough time to do this in one day, we could only get thru I think 6 was our best.

You cannot just keep getting cards and not play. If you do this, you wont be eligible beyond the first pack. But you don't have to play the next day, presumably you'll play the day you got them, as that's what they're for.

 

[SureAsLiz]

Is there a beginner's guide somewhere? This is something we'll want to do, but I'm totally lost in this conversation.

If you just do a search for Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, there will be several guides that pop up.

It's confusing written down, but when you get to the park, the CM will explain everything and it makes much more sense.

The jist of it is that Hades has recruited villains to help take over the Magic Kingdom and you, with Merlin as your guide, must travel the kingdom and defeat the villain using hero spells (cards)
The game is played at portals placed around the park (Main Street, Fantasyland, Adventureland, and Liberty Square/Adventureland), and the cards are used to cast spells. When holding the card up to the portal, the system will recognize it and spells specific to the character will be activated (Aurora has flowers, Lumiere shoots fire, things like that)

When you begin the game, you get a pack of 5 cards per person. There are 60 free cards total, and 10 that can be purchased. Every day you enter MK, you can pick up a new pack of cards and continue on the mission, but to pick up the new pack of cards, you have to activate the next portal in your mission (at the end of each portal, it tells you where to go next).

And I have to say it's a really irritating system. If the firehouse is the primary place to pick up cards, then you have to go deeper into the park to play a portal and then come back to get the cards. Sure, you can go to the one in Liberty Square, but (1) it only has one station and had a long line every time we went, and (2) it's more intuitive and convenient to pick up cards on your way into the park with a quick stop at the firehouse. I wish it worked like Goddesstree describes. That would be way more flexible and still force folks to keep playing the game to get cards.

I'm not discounting what you said, but I have never had an experience where Liberty Square had a longer wait than the Firehouse. Since less people know about it, you are far less likely to have to wait on first timers being trained. So while the line may seem long, it's usually just people picking up their daily pack so the line moves quickly. It has easy access to Adventureland, Liberty Square, and Fantasyland where 90% of the game is played, and it's out of the way so you don't have much curiosity traffic.

 

[Magpie]

We were there just this past December. We stayed a week. After the first day, where we had to activate a portal with our band because we'd forgotten our cards, we were able to pick up our cards, play, and then return a day or two later to pick up our cards and play again. After the first day, we never had to play first and then get our cards. We could always do it the other way around. In fact, we had a cast member remind us to play before leaving the park, so we could pick up our next pack without hassle the next time we visited.

Also, the firehouse line was always the longest. The Liberty Square station was often deserted. Once, I saw about three people in line, but that was it.

 

[bookgirl]

I read recently that your game is spcific to your band and using a new band restarts you. Also if it's been 6 months since your last visit you have to start over.

I just started last Oct, played for the first time but if I'm in WDW this year it will be June at the earliest.

So do I really have to start all over?

 

[11290]

I read recently that your game is spcific to your band and using a new band restarts you. Also if it's been 6 months since your last visit you have to start over.

I just started last Oct, played for the first time but if I'm in WDW this year it will be June at the earliest.

So do I really have to start all over?

If you bring the old band (key) the game can be transferred to your new one if you wish. You can go back generally as much as 18 months on the game before having to start a new game.

 

[glk2009]

We played in early December and it worked the same as Goddesstree. We defeated the 9 villians over the span of our trip and were given a bonus pack of cards at the end, it wasn't just during one single day.

We found both the Firehouse and the Liberty Square location to be busy, but the Firehouse line moved faster since there were usually two CMs working vs the one CM at Liberty Square.

My DD8 loved the game and that a highlight of our trip for her!

 

[TechRavingMad]

Thanks for the info on the change. This will be helpful for my son when we go.

 

[matheke]

And I have to say it's a really irritating system. If the firehouse is the primary place to pick up cards, then you have to go deeper into the park to play a portal and then come back to get the cards. Sure, you can go to the one in Liberty Square, but (1) it only has one station and had a long line every time we went, and (2) it's more intuitive and convenient to pick up cards on your way into the park with a quick stop at the firehouse. I wish it worked like Goddesstree describes. That would be way more flexible and still force folks to keep playing the game to get cards.

There is a portal right by the fire station at the Emporium. That is the portal I use on our first day at the MK. Don't forget the game also take place on Main Street.

 

[11290]

There is a portal right by the fire station at the Emporium. That is the portal I use on our first day at the MK. Don't forget the game also take place on Main Street.

Also one at the Train Station, behind the stairs.

 

[bookgirl]

If you bring the old band (key) the game can be transferred to your new one if you wish. You can go back generally as much as 18 months on the game before having to start a new game.

Thanks. I figured to actually go play a portal (I remember where I ended) then go get a new pack. Was worried I'd have to do the double back, if I get to go in June it will be because I'm in Orlando on business so I'll only be doing quick runs into the park when I'm done for the day.

 

[DreamIsaWish]

There is a portal right by the fire station at the Emporium. That is the portal I use on our first day at the MK. Don't forget the game also take place on Main Street.

I was under the impression you had to play the correct portal for where you are in the game, which is frequently Adventureland and Liberty Square. How do you play a portal on Main Street if that's not the next one in your game?