Disney4me Posted 1 hour ago Report Posted 1 hour ago We were ROBBED, friends. Somewhere out there is an alternate timeline where Disney World has a full-blown magic-themed restaurant — levitating tables, disappearing diners, grand illusions between bites of steak — and we are NOT living in it. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney World has never been shy about restaurants where the food is only half the fun. You can eat in a drive-in movie at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, dine in the Beast’s castle at Be Our Guest, or look down at Earth from orbit at Space 220. But back in the 1990s, a restaurant on the drawing board would have been in a league of its own. So let’s pull back the curtain on the Disney World restaurant that vanished before it ever appeared. First Things First: Who Is David Copperfield? If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, you probably remember the TV specials. David Copperfield was one of the biggest names in entertainment, period. This is the guy who made the Statue of Liberty disappear on live TV in 1983, walked through the Great Wall of China, and flew across the stage like gravity was just a suggestion. And here’s the fun part — Copperfield has often named Walt Disney as one of his role models growing up. Then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner was a big fan of Copperfield too, and the two had reportedly been talking for YEARS about how to combine big-time illusion with Disney magic. In the mid-’90s, they finally found their answer. ©IMDB Copperfield’s Magic Underground Copperfield wanted to branch out beyond the stage, and his big idea was a chain of magic-themed restaurants called David Copperfield’s Magic Underground. Think gothic architecture, shocking illusions, and BIG magical stage performances — all while you eat dinner. This wasn’t some small side project, either. The team behind it was seriously impressive: Food and service were designed by Joe Baum, the legendary New York restaurateur. The magical setting was being created by architect David Rockwell. The business side was a partnership with a company called LateNite Magic, Inc. The flagship location was going to be a 20,000-square-foot underground food-and-entertainment complex in New York’s Times Square, at Broadway and 49th Street. Additional locations were planned for London, Frankfurt, Sydney, and Chicago. But the SECOND location? That was going to be in, you guessed it, Disney World. Hollywood Studios The Disney World Location That (Almost) Was In 1996, Disney announced that David Copperfield’s Magic Underground would open at Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) in summer 1998. Disney even staged promotional photos of Eisner and Copperfield with a set of blueprints floating in mid-air. (Very on brand.) Here’s what we know about the plans: Size: A 30,000-square-foot restaurant seating around 500 guests. Location: Near Hollywood Boulevard, with entrances both inside AND outside the park. Similar to how Rainforest Cafe works at Animal Kingdom today, you wouldn’t have needed a park ticket to eat there. Hype: A billboard was put up just to the right of the Disney-MGM Studios entrance announcing the restaurant was coming soon. More to come: There were also plans for a Magic Underground location at Downtown Disney (near the AMC theater, by Pleasure Island), plus a Copperfield Magic Underground store selling magic tricks. Can you IMAGINE?! A magic-themed restaurant right around the corner from the Sci-Fi Dine-In and the 50’s Prime Time Café. Hollywood Studios would’ve had the most entertaining dinner lineup on property. From back when Hollywood Studios went by a different name… Okay, But What Would It Have Been LIKE? This is where it gets really painful, because the plans sounded INCREDIBLE. Eisner described the menu as American and international fare served alongside grand illusions. Copperfield later said it would include the steaks and pizza he’d enjoyed during his travels around the world. (Honestly? Steak, pizza, and a magic show sounds like a perfect night out to us.) ©Wattpad The restaurant was designed to feel like you’d snuck into Copperfield’s secret workshop through a secret entrance. In-house magicians would perform close-up magic right at your table, and a big main stage would host the larger illusions. The New York location was going to look like an 1880s New York waterfront warehouse holding pieces of the Statue of Liberty — including a 2,000-pound replica of Lady Liberty’s face. The builders even carved FAKE cracks into the exterior stonework to make it look old. Streets of America So… What Happened? The Times Square location never took off. So the whole thing went POOF and disappeared… but not in a cool magical way. More like an “everything’s over budget, and people are mad at each other” sort of way. By 1997, the New York project was running into trouble. Construction stopped after cost overruns burned through the roughly $26 million budget. The creative team and investors reportedly butted heads. Not to mention, the ’90s theme-restaurant craze was starting to cool off. The project went bankrupt by 1998, with investors reportedly losing more than $30 million. Construction on the Times Square restaurant had gotten VERY far along, but the doors never opened to a single customer. Once the New York flagship collapsed, Disney canceled its agreement with Copperfield and quietly took down the billboard outside the park. ©Wattpad But Hey… At Least We’ve Still Got AbracadaBar! If you’re feeling a little cheated by the universe right now, we get it. But Disney World DOES still have one magic-themed spot to visit: AbracadaBar on Disney’s BoardWalk. AbracadaBar opened in July 2016 in the space that used to be Seashore Sweets, tucked between Flying Fish and Trattoria al Forno. And it comes with a great backstory. Keep an eye on the posters on the walls, too, since a few of them are enchanted. And look for fun Easter eggs throughout the lounge, including a Society of Explorers and Adventurers fez and Dumbo’s magic feather. Just know going in that AbracadaBar is more of a cozy-themed lounge than a full-on show. No live magicians are performing. Think more Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar than Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. But with themed cocktails and all those details to spot, it’s still a fun stop for any magic fan. AbracadaBar Will Disney World Ever Get a Magic Restaurant? Who knows! Disney has been adding more immersive dining over the years, so we’re not ruling anything out. For now, David Copperfield’s Magic Underground lives on as one of Disney World’s most fascinating “what ifs.” And honestly, a restaurant where tables levitate and guests disappear sounds even better nearly 30 years later. Until then, we’ll be at AbracadaBar, raising a glass to the magicians who vanished… and the restaurant that did too. For more Disney World history and current news, be sure to follow us at DFB! 5 Rejected Disney World Ideas We Need To Talk About Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! WE KNOW DISNEY. YOU CAN, TOO. Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever! GET YOUR GUIDE NOW Would you have eaten at David Copperfield’s Magic Underground? Tell us in the comments! View the full article Quote
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