What Might Have Been: Copperfield and Disney Team

 

Lady Liberty to Greet Diners

You will be greeted by the visage of Lady Liberty as you push through the throng of expectant diners crowding the foyer of David Copperfield’s Magic Underground.

The location is perfect for the theme restaurant at the corner of Broadway and 49th (about a block off Time Square) in the city so nice they repeated its name.

Mr. Copperfield’s partner is perfect for this type of creative and imaginative venture: Walt Disney Studios and David Copperfield and food! It does not get much better than this unless you can have Minnie perform close-up while feeding you peeled grapes like a harem girl.

Wow! Where did that come from? Sorry. I don’t really even like grapes and I’ve never dressed like a harem girl, per se.

The restaurant’s facade contains cracks and evidence of incredible structural pressure courtesy of the Disney Imagineering Crew. Mr. Copperfield wanted the interior to look like an 1880’s New York waterfront warehouse containing parts of the Statue of Liberty. Disney wanted it to be the first of many Magic Underground restaurants around the US and then the world.

Unfortunately, the chain of Copperfield’s Magic Underground never came to pass. Construction began on the first location at Broadway and 49th but was abandoned before the doors could open to the first customer.

Jim Hill Media has a wonderful photo essay on the started but uncompleted venue. He promises we’ll read why Disney and Mr. Copperfield abandoned the project in later issues of his fascinating website. Check out the story of what could have been by visiting his website.

 

Lady Liberty to Greet Diners

You will be greeted by the visage of Lady Liberty as you push through the throng of expectant diners crowding the foyer of David Copperfield’s Magic Underground.

The location is perfect for the theme restaurant at the corner of Broadway and 49th (about a block off Time Square) in the city so nice they repeated its name.

Mr. Copperfield’s partner is perfect for this type of creative and imaginative venture: Walt Disney Studios and David Copperfield and food! It does not get much better than this unless you can have Minnie perform close-up while feeding you peeled grapes like a harem girl.

Wow! Where did that come from? Sorry. I don’t really even like grapes and I’ve never dressed like a harem girl, per se.

The restaurant’s facade contains cracks and evidence of incredible structural pressure courtesy of the Disney Imagineering Crew. Mr. Copperfield wanted the interior to look like an 1880’s New York waterfront warehouse containing parts of the Statue of Liberty. Disney wanted it to be the first of many Magic Underground restaurants around the US and then the world.

Unfortunately, the chain of Copperfield’s Magic Underground never came to pass. Construction began on the first location at Broadway and 49th but was abandoned before the doors could open to the first customer.

Jim Hill Media has a wonderful photo essay on the started but uncompleted venue. He promises we’ll read why Disney and Mr. Copperfield abandoned the project in later issues of his fascinating website. Check out the story of what could have been by visiting his website.

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