The Vanishing Act: David Copperfield’s Lost Disney-MGM Studios Attraction (with Chris Cox) (Ep. 546)

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August 25, 2025 • 62 mins

Len Testa and Jim Hill welcome award-winning mind reader and performer Chris Cox (BBC and Broadway) for a deep dive into one of Disney’s most fascinating “what could have been” stories. The ambitious plans for David Copperfield’s Magic Underground restaurant How the New York flagship nearly opened before money troubles pulled the plug Michael Eisner’s enthusiasm for magic and themed dining in the 1990s Why Disney-MGM Studios was slated to host Copperfield’s magical dining experience How timing, costs, and the decline of themed restaurants caused the project to vanish From collapsing billboards in Times Square to a restaurant where your table might levitate, this is the story of the Disney dining experience that almost was — and why it disappeared. SHOW NOTES Support Our Sponsors Unlocked Magic Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The Vanishing Act: David Copperfield’s Lost Disney-MGM Studios Attraction (with Chris Cox) (Ep. 546)