What. A. Blast. I got a chance to go to the Magic Mansion last year after I heard that there was a magic show happening at the Dr. Phillips House in Downtown Orlando right around Halloween. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a nut for Halloween events, and even more so when they're under $30 (I'm 'thrifty,' what can I say!), so I was first in line to get tickets. The house was set up in a really unique way - with magicians at stations around the bottom floor and the large backyard patio. As an attendee you were able to walk around freely and stop at the different stations as the magician was 'performing.' These magicians were certainly not amateurs! Many of them had traveled from around the country to perform at the event and they really put on good, unique shows! There was also food and alcohol available for purchase outside at very reasonable prices ($3-$6 average per small dish). I honestly had a terrific time. I remember thinking that it was a shame that I had gone on the final night that year because I would have wanted to bring some friends and go again the next night! It was just really nice to be able to suspend reality for a few hours, while in a wonderful historic home in the heart of Downtown, being entertained by some incredibly talented (and funny) fellas. I'll absolutely be going again this year! read more

This was our second year attending the Magic Mansion and it just keeps getting better. And I have pretty high standards for my magic considering my love of Harry Potter and Magic: The Gathering game. (Kidding? I'll see myself out....) Anyway, I loved seeing some of the magicians I saw last year and seeing how more intricate their acts have gotten! I have yet to figure out how they do ANY of their tricks/illusions/magic/whatever it's called. Meraux (I hope I spelled that right) from New Orleans was a charmer as always, I think his name is Alex (he did tricks with red, foam balls last year) did some awesome card tricks, and Kostya killed it and got engaged on the last night (awww!), and there were some new ones that were funny and impressive! The best part was once they were about to close and the magicians are wrapping up, one tall redhead magician sat down with these two little kids to do a few tricks just for them. The impromptu side show was exactly what the entire night was about- skilled magicians who genuinely want to go above and beyond to give everyone a magical night. Can't wait for next year! read more

See all

How cool was this event! I'm a total big kid at heart and it was so nice to relax and enjoy some quality magic tricks and a little comedy! Thanks to Andi and Yelp Elite I got a chance to experience Magic Mansion's opening night acts! Suhhhh-weeeet! Magic Mansion is held at the Historic Dr. Phillips house in Downtown Orlando. This beautiful historic site is still used regularly as a hotel. Sites like this AMAZE me! I've lived in Orlando for 3 years and I frequent the Lake Cherokee area and I never knew about this beautiful piece of historic Orlando hiding next to Lake Lucerne. I was in nerdy awe!! Although we were only given access to the first floor and back courtyard it appears the home has 3 levels and after seeing how spacious and decorative the bottom level was I can only imagine what the other floors have to offer - I wish I could've gone on a little tour!! He he! Magic Mansion is hosted by See Magic Live! Orlando's top of the line magical performers! I first met some of these awesome guys at Yelp Elite's Magical Dining Month Kick-Off Party. Not only were they incredibly personable but they are skilled at their craft. My personal favorite - card tricks! And my favorite SML magician is Sebastian - he's a total pro and been in the business for 7 years to date. I was so happy to see Sebastian moving about the house wowing the masses. When visiting Magic Mansion you can wander about the house into various rooms and watch your favorite SML magicians in action at small tables. Or head out to the court yard where they hold nightly magic shows for larger groups and also where they have light bites for purchase. Inside upon entry you are able to purchase a beverage of your choice. I really enjoyed myself and this opportunity to experience a little magic and a little history in one spot. Every magician had something new to show his audience and made it their own. If you haven't been to Magic Mansion you need to go! Time is limited so get there NOW! read more

See all

Dude it's cool. If you like magic, this is your experience. So many awesome magicians wow-ing you around every turn. I dig the one on one set ups and the group/show setup mix. Also, the venue is very cool; Made it feel extremely intimate being in that venue. Check in was a little squashed because of the bottleneck in the front, maybe move it to the porch? My favorite part of the night was getting to see such a variety if tricks. From card tricks, rope tricks to glass tricks, there was a little bit of everything. It's distracting with so many things going on in one room, I know they have grown since they began this experience so hopefully next year they will spread it out better. It was hard to focus when the other group in the room was "ooooohhh"ing and "ahhhhh"ing. Just felt a little cramped at times. I did like that they had walk up stations so you could choose your own adventure and staggered the crowd shows through the night. Unfortunate I was only able to attend the night they were doing family night - what I didn't love about this, as a single person, was some of the shows were geared towards kids and not that impressive. Also, when I have a few glasses of wine and see things disappear in front of my face, I like to use curse words. So, I got a ton of side eye from parents. Oh well. Overall, what a fun experience, I can't wait for next year!! read more

See all

This event is held at the Historic Dr. Phillips house near downtown. Its on a dead end street, so valet is a must here. It's a beautiful house and of course has that historical character. I did notice they have a lot of tea pots on display, to sure what the reason is, but its quite lovely to see. You are free to walk wherever you are able to; around the house to view the acts of several different magicians. All have their own knack of hidden tricks, illusions and misdirections. There is also a main show that is held outside in the garden. They all put on a great show and it will be hard not to be fooled! You'd have to experience it to believe it. If you do get hungry, there is food for purchase that is pretty good and have great pricing. read more

See all

Thanks to Yelp, I was able to visit the Magic Mansion for the first time. The entire concept of this event is really cool. The mansion is located in one of the historic districts near downtown Orlando. The event runs from 6pm to 10pm and you can come in at any time and stay for however long you would like. There are food and drinks available for purchase and complimentary valet parking. They also provide packages which allow you to actually spend the night in the house as well. They also have a family night where the shows are very kid friendly and family oriented. When you walk in, there are greeters near entrance to give you an overview of what is going on at the time you arrive. They have a schedule of shows as well as individual shows going on in several different areas of the house. When we arrived, they were preparing for the final group show which is held outside in the backyard. The outside area is pretty big and really nice. The stage is a gazebo and they have seats set up for the audience to sit and enjoy the show. The outside show comprised of about 4 magicians all doing different illusions ranging from mind reading to card and rope tricks. It was very amusing; however I would recommend trying to get a seat as close to the front as possible. I ended up sitting towards the back and had a hard time hearing and seeing from time to time which made enjoying the tricks somewhat difficult. After the outside show was over, we went inside the theater room for a second show. This show comprised of three magicians. All were fun and had a quirky sense of humor which I enjoyed...I'm silly like that lol. I enjoyed all of them, but I will have to admit that Sebastian was my favorite J After the theater show, we went into one of the parlors where Carl Coppertop was thoroughly entertaining two little boys with card tricks. It was really amazing to watch him continuously make the little boys' cards keep reappearing at the top of the deck or move from one area of the room to another. It was equally amazing to watch how happy the tricks made the little boys. I loved it. The experiences was really great, I felt like a kid again myself. read more

See all

Magic. Magic? MAGIC!!! ::Insert jazz hands:: Holy moley, what a great experience from start to finish! Thanks to Andi P. and Yelp for introducing me to something different! It's always a nice treat to discover something new and exciting in Orlando! When entering the front doors, you can't help but to stand and stare at the different sights and happenings. The hostess at check-in gave me a mini program that included the night's itinerary and the first floor layout. The first floor was spacious, but a map was not necessary in order to navigate the property. The mansion was flowing with magicians and eager participants alike. What I appreciated most about this event was the personal customization of your experience. There were designated show time areas in a closed door setting and open "demos" that you could observe or partake as you please. For the stand alone magicians, they each performed at least 3 magic tricks per viewing party. The succinct amount of interaction definitely kept my attention and not once did I feel disenchanted. Because let's face it, there's only so many Jedi mind card tricks you can view before spacing out! I could go on and on about this event, but what's the point? You need to experience this for yourself! Watching a magician has a certain thrill of the unexpected. When you add a historic house and FL night time darkness, then you have an added mystique to your experience. Magic Mansion was definitely a worthwhile visit! Maybe it's even one that you should consider for a date, family night, or heck even a treat yo' self night! Side note, don't forget to bring cash for valet, drinks, or snacks! Now, be gone! ::poof:: ...yep, I know I am pretty horrible with these corny jokes. read more

I'm a little late writing my review here as Halloween was over a week ago. However, better late than never right? Magic mansion is quickly becoming my favorite Halloween tradition. The magicians are absolutely incredible. I specifically like Muro who is from New Orleans and has that wonderful accent. He is by far my favorite magician there. He is super friendly and funny and consistently does things that you know aren't possible, but cannot wrap your head around. You know, like not laying a finger on you while convincing you you're being touched or bending and breaking a fork by barely touching it at all. Magicians all seem to thoroughly love their craft. They take time out to speak to anyone who comes up to them while they are not performing and are incredibly energetic and friendly. The highlight was when one of the magicians spend about 15 to 20 minutes entertaining the cutest kid I've ever seen. Within minutes a crowd of about 20 people surrounded this spontaneously amazing display. None of this was scripted, the magician just started talking to a little boy and you could see the little boy come out in the magician. That is true magic. read more

I was really excited about Magic Mansion and this was the first year we went. Unfortunately, my husband and I (2 adults/no kids) went on the non-advertised family night. How the heck did people know it was family night? I really think it would have been a much more fun night if we went on a night without all the annoying kids. I hear the magic on other nights is not geared towards kids either. The magic we did see (after circling the area lost since the directions sucked) was pretty good. Looking forward to checking it out next year on an adult-friendly night. read more

So much fun! Kostya is captivating. Just when you think you've figured out where he is leading you in an illusion you find you were wonderfully wrong! Wow! This is sophisticated magic! read more