We still have a few Vegas Expeditions to come! In the mean time what Expedition would you like to see next? Follow me on Instagram for updates! instagram.com/expeditionthemepark
Not a Vegas-specific one, but a deep dive into the history of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls would be neat. It’d be fun to see how it grew over time to be the wacky tourist trap destination we know today.
Honestly, "family friendly" Vegas was the best. As you said, rarely was any of it actually FOR kids, it was just stuff that kids could also do. All of these incredibly themed and well-executed experiences are sorely missed in what's becoming an ever increasing sea of repetitive shopping centers, overpriced restaurants and pointless night clubs. So much of the charm, personality and fun of the resorts in Las Vegas has been removed and replaced with nothing. I'm hoping Area15 brings about a new renaissance of themed experiences with the opening of the HHN attraction.
It also served as a way to keep eyes on the different things in the areas, and made the entire thing more attractive for couples and similar that either didn't really gamble or only one of them did. I never made it out to Vegas during that period, but I did end up in Atlantic City at several points and saw a lot of annoyed family members with fewer things to do in the area with a lot of comments about Vegas, at least, having other things to do for the rest of the group. But I was there, mainly due to work things and tended to avoid the casinos as they didn't interest me that much
During the "family period" in Las Vegas we took out children and I still remember the great experience of the Caesar's Magical Empire. When you got onto the elevator you really felt that you went down 10 or 15 stories. The characters were so believable and the way you ordered your dinner and then your menu card went up in flames was so memorable. I can't believe a great experience like that was priced so a family could easily attend regularly.
How did I never know this thing existed when I’ve got family that’s worked at Caesar’s since the late 80s!? This thing looked incredible I wish I could’ve experienced it!
I was about 10 when my family went to this, it was AMAZING, we did it twice and the dude with the spikey wig was our magician, it was super personal, also super expensive
I thought the exact same thing! My family was all-in on the Disney-fied Las Vegas of the 90s and early 00s. Caesars Palace was always one of our stops too because of the forum shops and arcades. Parents had zero qualms about letting us free there while they played slots (this was pre-cellphone so it was substantially less convenient). Oh well… sounds like it was like the only cool thing we didn’t experience at Caesars.
I went to Las Vegas a total of 12 times throughout the 90s to see each new attraction and offering as they opened. From the opening of the Mirage to the opening of Treasure Island to the Star Trek Experience to new Fremont Street. I definitely remember Ceasars Magic Empire and its impressive size and scale. I will never forget the elevator ride down, past the rocks and hidden treasures. Love it or hate it, 90s Las Vegas was an amazing time for themed entertainment.
You should do a mini-series on the different family-friendly attractions that we've seen through Las Vegas! It's a very unique and "what-if" era in history of the city.
Thank you for your documentation and tribute to this amazing attraction that I was proud to be a part of. Yes, I have more stories about this experience than you could ever imagine. Even in the design phase, they kept asking if we could put slot machines in the bars! We kept trying to explain the storyline about it being set back in time. Ultimately, the bean counters in charge always balanced every square foot of casino space versus how much money a slot machine would bring in. When that becomes the standard. It’s hard to compete with those numbers. It will always remain a highlight of my creative life and I’m proud to have helped bring it to life for so many people to experience!
@@ExpeditionThemePark lol… that could take days! We went through so many iterations creating the dinning chamber shows with props they had already purchased that didn’t work, then having to create new effects after the budget was gone. Then we spent even more time working out the scheduling matrix to make sure everyone got to see every element as efficiently as possible. It was so well thought out that everything functioned better when it was packed then whet it slowed down!
It’s so short sighted. I rarely set foot in Caesar’s anymore. I was in there multiple times for this experience. Same can be said for so much more across the strip, none worse than the complete dethemeing of Ti.
I thought this was a fever dream from my childhood for the longest time. It was such an awe creating experience when i was a kid and then when I tried finding more information about it when i was older, I could hardly find anything. I still compare my time at that Caesars Magical Empire against any offering that disney or universal creates.
I live in Vegas. I remember my parents taking me to this when I was about 10 or 11. I remember it was incredible. This whole video put me on a huge nostalgia trip haha. I don’t go to the strip often but I’ve pointed out the archways that used to lead to this attraction. Most have never heard of it and I get excited to tell them about what it was.
Loved this so much back when Vegas was a worthwhile vacation spot. My big brother (RIP) was in a wheelchair and every time we went, no matter the host, they would announce "make way Caesar's chariot!" and he got vip treatment to the head of the line and the head of the table, unlike most unfriendly to disabled people attractions of the time. Plus, Isabella has an extensive knowledge of karaoke requests as well as classical music. Great memories and food there.
This was one of my absolute favorite attractive in Vegas when I lived there. It was the default choice for birthday dinners for years. I was crushed when it closed. I’m not done watching, so I don’t know if it’s covered in the video, but my understanding is that some of the creative people behind this went on to form Mystique Dining, another magic and dinner show across the US. Not nearly as elaborate, but a similar concept for the dining portion.
Ironically hilarious that building shopping venues was considered a joke before Caesars did it. Because if I won money in a casino the very first thing I would want to do is go shopping. Those owners were missing out on gajillions, that's crazy. Great video!
Honestly this is what Disney thought they were creating with the Galactic Starcruiser hotel…imagine if they had spent all that time and money on something like an immersive dinner show in Galaxy’s Edge instead of an out-of-touch hotel.
I wonder if the era of theme parks is beginning to draw to a close, maybe due to more digital entertainment for families and the cost. The dinner in this in 1981 was $75, so with inflation, I just checked and today it'd be a little over $250 per person in 2023 dollars. Paying for two adults and two kids would be a lot, (and always has been a lot, apparently), but the kids are potentially more entertained by tiktok.
@@Swordfish393 I think there's still plenty of room for theme parks these days, it just needs to built to a standard of quality and with care instead of making ride, slapping some cartoons or a movie star on it and calling it a day. A well made experience is worth it's weight in gold, the problem is the execs have driving need to soak people for every last red cent so if a cost isn't going to do that, it's not for them. As to kids wanting a tiktok not a magic show or a pseudohistorical walkabout, it's dependent on the kids I'd say. Even before I became a casual geek for theme park design and logistics, talk of magic and an 'adventure' in cool looking place like Indiana Jones would probably win out over sitting at home and playing video games most weekends.
@mathewevans9706 Indeed. Despite seemingly complete content with digital entertainment, everyone suffers screen fatigue and would want to mess with analog entertainment for a while. It's why LEGO hasn't gone under.
Man, I wish I could have gone to Caesar's Palace when the catacombs and magic shows were still open. It all sounds like such a magical, wondrous experience.
I miss the family friendly Vegas, it had a genuine quirky quality. Since so many resorts were willing to try just about anything, and had the capitol to do it.
Oh, Sam! You FINALLY got to doing my FAVORITE EXTINCT Vegas attraction! Oh, man! THIS WAS A FEVER DREAM of an attraction! Three Magic shows plus a Better than average restaurant meal and an environment that was a cross between Poseidons Fury and The Adventurers Club?!? I KNEW this was Doomed each and every one of the four times I got to do it, but I was So Grateful it was Still around each time we got to do it! A Really Fun Night was had each time by All!
@@riparianlife97701 I read that it was edited and was well out of his restraint in time, however he did almost die as the safety cord got stuck as he jumped so he almost got caught by the coaster.
I absolutely LOVED from Vegas was themed. There was so much to see and do at each casino. Just visiting each one felt like a different experience. Now, it's more or less if you go to one property, you've gone to them all.
As a kid in the 90s that LOVED magic and watched as many magic TV specials as I could, and even going to Vegas frequently with my family, being a big fan of the Race to Atlantis ride, I am shocked that I never even knew this existed until now. I would have lost my mind if I got to do it as a kid.
I was a 80's kid. I remember the Kinght Rider episode "Deadly Knightshade" that was filmed in Vegas with Lance Burton as the evil magician in the episode.
It was definitely too pricy for my family. Wish I had the chance to experience it but at least I had the chance to experience the Star Trek Experience.
@@toidIllorTAmI yeah I'm sure my parents wouldn't have been willing to pay those prices for Magical Empire. We did get to do the Star Trek experience as well, which I still remember loving every second of, and my mom was almost balking at that being $22 or something.
The family friendly era of Las Vegas is always fascinating to me. The place known as “Sin City” trying to lure families by building themed experiences that wouldn’t seem out of place in actual theme parks is a fun topic to explore.
Vegas was a lot better when the Mafia ran it....Once Jesus freak Christian Al-Qaeda took over it was downhill from there...Christian Al-Qaeda doesn't mind sin when they're the ones profiting from it.
As someone who's not even that much into theme parks OR casinos, it absolutely fascinates me too how a place known for excess and bad behavior basically briefly turned itself into Disneyland for a few years, for good and bad.
went a couple times during my childhood in the early 00s. past the heyday of family friendly vegas but most of it was still there. absolutely bizarre experience. sure i was attracted by the trappings of it all but every building smells like cigs & you can't open your eyes without seeing nudity somewhere. it is just so obvious to a kid that they're not really supposed to be there. kind of like a lost in the mall feeling but your parents are right there. basically the polar opposite of chuck e cheese
I remember going when we were younger, I don’t know if it was just because we went in the early introductory days or if we kept going on off days but when we went it was very barebones and some shows weren’t available because the performers weren’t available or something. The seance room sounds like it would have been cool to see and the fire show must have been nice. I do remember seeing a magic show with one magician but the biggest fun was had with the water tunnel that made you feel like the world was spinning as you walked through, simple trick but fun to try and challenge ourselves with.
This WAS the Magic Castle for Las Vegas. As with the Magic Castle, afterward dinner, you go to Magic acts, see fun things to see, and it's also fully immersive.
LAAAAANCE CAME BACK. Love it as always, great content and I'm still waiting to meet Lance to let him know of his fame on this channel. He might not be proud
The Magical Empire was part of my first Las Vegas trip, way back in the late 90's. I found it a truly excellent experience, particularly the Luminaria show, and it's sad that it didn't survive longer. One thing I don't think anyone's mentioned are the cool metal medallions you got given to determine which route, and therefore which dining room, you ended up in - I still have mine somewhere (and I used to have a couple of CME chalices from the gift shop, but they got broken over the years...).
This is amazing, I don’t remember this at all. I remember “family friendly” Vegas, but I never was able to make it during that time, I couldn’t afford to take 3 kids there. It’s a shame that things need to change so much but you have to keep up with the times!
I grew up in that city. Man...being a lil kid thru the 90s there was pretty fun. Then they took everything fun away. The planet hollywood speed coaster and the OG wet n wild closure rly hurt lmao
I was just talking about this. This shit was wild. They had that show during the dinning I was just talking about this. One of the coolest experiences I've had and that's coming from someone born in Vegas.
Thank you for making this wonderful documentary. UA-cam recommended this video to me and it brought back my childhood memory of seeing the magical empire back in 2001 during a family vacation. Being a kid growing up in the 90's who loves magic and watched every magic show on tv I could, getting to see this attraction in person was an incredible experience for me and my family. I'm sad to find out the attraction shut down later the same year I saw it, but my memory of it will always live on.
Expedition Theme Park! Better than half the things on all of my streaming apps! After this I'll rewarch the breakdown you did on the star trek experience!!!! Great work and happy Sunday!
How do I not even remember hearing about this? I was a kid here in the 90s and spent so much time at Forum Shops. I'm bummed I missed this, it seems so cool!
As an entertainer in Las Vegas I am watching the landscape change from "Adult things for adults" to "Childish things for adults". It's an interesting time.
I visit Vegas often, the Magic Castle as well, and have never heard of this!! Thank you for the video. And if it isn't too much trouble, a look back at the Star Trek Experience would be nice, since you brought it up. :)
Thank you for doing this one - as a kid who grew up during 'family friendly Vegas', I have a lot of fond memories of this era and none more-so than Caesars. I feel like if anything this was among the inspirations that made my art work today lean more heavily on the concept of magic and fantasy more than anything else. It was so sad to see this gone and wish it could still be here today, only things my mother and I have remaining being the coins they used to give you and the fancy drink cups she got from there. But, one can only hope perhaps the concept can be revived someday, be it by Caesars themselves or someone else.
Thank you for another wonderful "Vegas"-Centric Expedition. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace was quite the spectacle, during the '90s and into the New Millennium. The Animatronic "Gods" would delight patrons, and you could spend hours in such deluxe attraction-like stores, such as F.A.O Schwarz and the Warner Bros Studio. This video, celebrating the 'Magical Empire' Experience comes at the perfect time, ETP! After nearly 30 Years, the Once-famed Planet Hollywood Restaurant has closed within the Forum. It felt pretty cool, dining on some "Captain Crunch" Chicken Fingers, while sitting underneath a naked "Sly" Stallone Model from "Demolition Man," Haha. "Magical" times, indeed!
Great job as always. Once you started doing Las Vegas expeditions, I was hoping you'd do one on this attraction. I took one of the free tours back in the day and was pretty amazed by the place.
I was born in 1998 in Vegas and I got to experience the tail-end of "family friendly Vegas". I never got to see Caesars Magical Empire but the Merlin show at Excalibur, the pirate show at Treasure Island, and the Trojan horse at Caesars Palace were magical to me. I loved them so much and I'm really grateful I was able to experience them when I was young. I hope that the success of Area 15 will bring back immersive experiences like these in Vegas.
Another quality video done exceptionally well. Never stop putting in that clip of the magician on the coaster track. As soon as I saw the title, I was looking for it and this time it was more fitting then ever. We love your work.
I am a member of the Magic Castle and knew Milt Larsen. I was at the main bar at the Castle when Milt walked in with a model of CME. He explained all of the rooms, all of the gags, and discussed changes he wanted to make. After this workup by Milt, I resolved to be one of the first going thru the place. CME employed a lot of great magicians. It is a shame it closed.
Please oh please do a video on a dinner show in Australia, called Dracula’s specifically near Surfers Paradise. I went in 2008 and I wish I could share it with others.
Oh man I remember going to this attraction as a kid growing up in Vegas, but no one seemed to remember it! Thank you for this video to prove that I'm not crazy.
I remember the place well. Went there on a couple trips and even was on stage with one of the magicians performing there; Jeff MacBride. I recall the theming of Vegas quite well. My first vacation there was in 1991. Over the next four years or so, theming and ‘family friendly’ was king. Excalibur, Luxor, the theme parks at MGM Grand and Circus Circus. By the late 90`s, though, you could tell it was on the way out. The opening of the Bellagio signaled the growth of ‘luxury Vegas’ and then the “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” slogan. Over time, most of the cheap food offerings disappeared and gone were the days of 99 cent hotdogs, shrimp cocktails and margaritas. Celebrity chefs and high end entertainment took over. They were always there in some ways but the late 90s/early 00s really saw them taking over. It’s still a fun place to go but it’s far more expensive in nearly every way. Still, if I could, I’d be there tomorrow.
That was an excellent documentary, never knew about this attraction, it looked amazing,would love too have gone too it , great job thank you so much for presenting this 👌
The Forum Shops have always been a favorite and staple for my mom and I every time we've ever been in Vegas. With the changing skies and theming it's really pleasant to just SIT in the Forum Shops and just people watch and chat on top of shopping.
I love these 90s vegas ones. My parents brought us regularly during that era and its been scrubbed away so much that it's getting to a point that I often wonder if I'm just imagining these memory's I have.
OMG!! Thank you for this flashback! My date took me here for my high school prom in 1997. I don't have any pictures from that night. I had forgotten what most of CME looked like. All I remember, was that it was long and had a lot of magic shows. Oh and the spinning walk way, had me sooo dizzy I couldn't walk. Took a few minutes to realize you had to close your eyes to make it through. LOL!
During 2 visits to Las Vegas, the wife and I went to this attraction both times. The food was excellent the show was excellent. We were surprise when it closed down. The 24 person tables was I good idea, it was very nice and didn't seem crowded like other Las Vegas attractions.
something that was incredibly themed that i remember SO vividly as a kid was when we went to the Adventure Exhibit at the COSI muesuem!!! for the longest time i thought that i had just dreamt it up from how amazing the themeing was!
Vegas used to be one of my favorite places. As a kid or was my favorite vacation spot. But nowadays it's harder to justify going back, save for the tournament of kings. It's so sad to see all the inactive, hollowed out remnants of that first wave of really themed experiences
An excellent video! Thanks for making it! I love Las Vegas and I've been there a dozen times and there's always something new to do. Alas, I missed Caesar's Magical Empire, I wish I could have seen it. I'm not sure if you've done the Star Trek Experience yet but I hope you do. That was another wonderful attraction that I really miss. 🙂🙃🙂🙃
OMG yes! I remember seeing this place advertised from the “Worlds Greatest Magic” tv specials. I finally went to Caesars and the worker had no idea what I was taking about lol. Also the actor in the black wig looks very familiar I can’t figure iit out. I hope you also do the “Race to Atlantis” attraction that was also at Caesars
0:50 I've Been To The Caesars Palace In Las Vegas Nevada In The United States Of America During My The City Of Los Angeles California And Las Vegas Nevada And Disneyland Resort In Anaheim California Megatrip Back In March And April 2016 And It Was Super Awesome. Thanks Mate. PS This Famous Building Is Appears In The 2008 Academy Award Winning Paramount Pictures And Marvel Studios Children's Live Action Science Fiction Superhero Family Blockbuster Movie Of All Time. Iron Man The Movie. Awesome. X
I'm the same boat, dude. I'm always invited to theme park trips because I'll just enjoy the theming and watch the luggage while everyone else is on the rides. Back in 2019 my younger brother got me into the channel Defunctland in anticipation of our first time going back to Disney World in almost 30 years. I binged through his content in about a week, and ended up finding this channel and Yesterworld thanks to that. I still can't do rollercoasters but I'm voracious for theme park history and trivia.
My husband and I went to Caesars Magical Empire twice in the early years when we were dating. Had a great time, it was amazing! He remembers the “unlimited” wine glass that wasn’t really unlimited. They gave us a huge goblet that we got to keep but they only filled it a couple of times. But it was big. 😂
I remember the up close tricks during dinner and going to the Sultan's Palace. The magician that night was Valentino, who later did the Magician Secrets show on Fox. It was a better deal than Siegfried & Roy, sure they had the big animals but for $100 to watch home movies of them and the white tigers was a little much. As far as magicians go, I think the best value was Rick Thomas at the Trop.
I'm 42 years old and I had no idea this was even a thing in Vegas LOL... it looks like it was awesome even back then, like a cool combination of medieval times and a big budget magic show.
We still have a few Vegas Expeditions to come! In the mean time what Expedition would you like to see next? Follow me on Instagram for updates! instagram.com/expeditionthemepark
You guys should’ve done the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios Hollywood in honor of the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park today!
I would love to see an expedition on Pleasure wood hills i think that would be cool (Its A Underrated Park!)
I would like to see dreamworld Australia wipeout the world's first Vekoma waikiki wave super flip
A lot of us remember the entrance to Treasure Island. But what about the arcade in the back? It had many tips of the hat to Disney's POTC.
Not a Vegas-specific one, but a deep dive into the history of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls would be neat. It’d be fun to see how it grew over time to be the wacky tourist trap destination we know today.
Honestly, "family friendly" Vegas was the best. As you said, rarely was any of it actually FOR kids, it was just stuff that kids could also do. All of these incredibly themed and well-executed experiences are sorely missed in what's becoming an ever increasing sea of repetitive shopping centers, overpriced restaurants and pointless night clubs. So much of the charm, personality and fun of the resorts in Las Vegas has been removed and replaced with nothing. I'm hoping Area15 brings about a new renaissance of themed experiences with the opening of the HHN attraction.
so many unique attractions! I hope so also
Top tier comment I agree
It also served as a way to keep eyes on the different things in the areas, and made the entire thing more attractive for couples and similar that either didn't really gamble or only one of them did.
I never made it out to Vegas during that period, but I did end up in Atlantic City at several points and saw a lot of annoyed family members with fewer things to do in the area with a lot of comments about Vegas, at least, having other things to do for the rest of the group. But I was there, mainly due to work things and tended to avoid the casinos as they didn't interest me that much
Area 15 is a bit overpriced for the experience. I went to Omega Mart and it was underwhelming.
@@The113End I've heard nothing but the highest praise for Omega Mart and that it's well worth the cost and easily a 3-6 hour experience.
During the "family period" in Las Vegas we took out children and I still remember the great experience of the Caesar's Magical Empire. When you got onto the elevator you really felt that you went down 10 or 15 stories. The characters were so believable and the way you ordered your dinner and then your menu card went up in flames was so memorable. I can't believe a great experience like that was priced so a family could easily attend regularly.
It was a gem!
How did I never know this thing existed when I’ve got family that’s worked at Caesar’s since the late 80s!? This thing looked incredible I wish I could’ve experienced it!
Right?!
I can't wait.. I think this year or next year, Universal will have a year round haunted attraction in Vegas.. I bet it will be amazing.
I was about 10 when my family went to this, it was AMAZING, we did it twice and the dude with the spikey wig was our magician, it was super personal, also super expensive
I agree! we did everything there but I never heard of this?!?
I thought the exact same thing! My family was all-in on the Disney-fied Las Vegas of the 90s and early 00s. Caesars Palace was always one of our stops too because of the forum shops and arcades. Parents had zero qualms about letting us free there while they played slots (this was pre-cellphone so it was substantially less convenient).
Oh well… sounds like it was like the only cool thing we didn’t experience at Caesars.
I went to Las Vegas a total of 12 times throughout the 90s to see each new attraction and offering as they opened. From the opening of the Mirage to the opening of Treasure Island to the Star Trek Experience to new Fremont Street. I definitely remember Ceasars Magic Empire and its impressive size and scale. I will never forget the elevator ride down, past the rocks and hidden treasures. Love it or hate it, 90s Las Vegas was an amazing time for themed entertainment.
One of the best
You should do a mini-series on the different family-friendly attractions that we've seen through Las Vegas! It's a very unique and "what-if" era in history of the city.
I have done quite a few
Thank you for your documentation and tribute to this amazing attraction that I was proud to be a part of. Yes, I have more stories about this experience than you could ever imagine. Even in the design phase, they kept asking if we could put slot machines in the bars! We kept trying to explain the storyline about it being set back in time. Ultimately, the bean counters in charge always balanced every square foot of casino space versus how much money a slot machine would bring in. When that becomes the standard. It’s hard to compete with those numbers. It will always remain a highlight of my creative life and I’m proud to have helped bring it to life for so many people to experience!
Wow thank you Ray, it is so amazing to hear from you and i wish i could hear every story you have! What you created is loved still by so many.
@@ExpeditionThemePark lol… that could take days! We went through so many iterations creating the dinning chamber shows with props they had already purchased that didn’t work, then having to create new effects after the budget was gone. Then we spent even more time working out the scheduling matrix to make sure everyone got to see every element as efficiently as possible. It was so well thought out that everything functioned better when it was packed then whet it slowed down!
It’s so short sighted. I rarely set foot in Caesar’s anymore. I was in there multiple times for this experience. Same can be said for so much more across the strip, none worse than the complete dethemeing of Ti.
I thought this was a fever dream from my childhood for the longest time. It was such an awe creating experience when i was a kid and then when I tried finding more information about it when i was older, I could hardly find anything. I still compare my time at that Caesars Magical Empire against any offering that disney or universal creates.
it was real!
I live in Vegas. I remember my parents taking me to this when I was about 10 or 11. I remember it was incredible. This whole video put me on a huge nostalgia trip haha. I don’t go to the strip often but I’ve pointed out the archways that used to lead to this attraction. Most have never heard of it and I get excited to tell them about what it was.
It’s iconic!
Sorry you live there
I love to tell people about the Star Trek experience! I really wish they brought that back. Fun times.
Loved this so much back when Vegas was a worthwhile vacation spot. My big brother (RIP) was in a wheelchair and every time we went, no matter the host, they would announce "make way Caesar's chariot!" and he got vip treatment to the head of the line and the head of the table, unlike most unfriendly to disabled people attractions of the time. Plus, Isabella has an extensive knowledge of karaoke requests as well as classical music. Great memories and food there.
This was one of my absolute favorite attractive in Vegas when I lived there. It was the default choice for birthday dinners for years. I was crushed when it closed.
I’m not done watching, so I don’t know if it’s covered in the video, but my understanding is that some of the creative people behind this went on to form Mystique Dining, another magic and dinner show across the US. Not nearly as elaborate, but a similar concept for the dining portion.
I have a new series on dining locations on my list to do in the future and that is one of them
@@ExpeditionThemeParkI would love to see a series like this!! My boyfriend and I are diehard extinct themed dining fans
Ironically hilarious that building shopping venues was considered a joke before Caesars did it. Because if I won money in a casino the very first thing I would want to do is go shopping. Those owners were missing out on gajillions, that's crazy.
Great video!
Right?!
I’ve never been to the forum shops so it’s funny to see video and realize the Miracle Mile shops absolutely ripped them off.
My wife says the same thing 😂
"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" either winnings or loosing lol
Honestly this is what Disney thought they were creating with the Galactic Starcruiser hotel…imagine if they had spent all that time and money on something like an immersive dinner show in Galaxy’s Edge instead of an out-of-touch hotel.
Yeah!
Disney had the Adventurer's Club. No dinner, but the same overall concept
I wonder if the era of theme parks is beginning to draw to a close, maybe due to more digital entertainment for families and the cost. The dinner in this in 1981 was $75, so with inflation, I just checked and today it'd be a little over $250 per person in 2023 dollars. Paying for two adults and two kids would be a lot, (and always has been a lot, apparently), but the kids are potentially more entertained by tiktok.
@@Swordfish393 I think there's still plenty of room for theme parks these days, it just needs to built to a standard of quality and with care instead of making ride, slapping some cartoons or a movie star on it and calling it a day. A well made experience is worth it's weight in gold, the problem is the execs have driving need to soak people for every last red cent so if a cost isn't going to do that, it's not for them.
As to kids wanting a tiktok not a magic show or a pseudohistorical walkabout, it's dependent on the kids I'd say. Even before I became a casual geek for theme park design and logistics, talk of magic and an 'adventure' in cool looking place like Indiana Jones would probably win out over sitting at home and playing video games most weekends.
@mathewevans9706 Indeed. Despite seemingly complete content with digital entertainment, everyone suffers screen fatigue and would want to mess with analog entertainment for a while. It's why LEGO hasn't gone under.
Man, I wish I could have gone to Caesar's Palace when the catacombs and magic shows were still open. It all sounds like such a magical, wondrous experience.
An experience for sure
Now I kinda wish I didn't watch this video because I would never have known what I missed. This attraction looks like it was amazing. I'm sad now..
Awww me too!
I miss the family friendly Vegas, it had a genuine quirky quality. Since so many resorts were willing to try just about anything, and had the capitol to do it.
It’s true
My uncle proposed to my aunt at this attraction and they had their wedding reception here. It was so much fun to experience
that is amazing!
Oh, Sam! You FINALLY got to doing my FAVORITE EXTINCT Vegas attraction! Oh, man! THIS WAS A FEVER DREAM of an attraction! Three Magic shows plus a Better than average restaurant meal and an environment that was a cross between Poseidons Fury and The Adventurers Club?!? I KNEW this was Doomed each and every one of the four times I got to do it, but I was So Grateful it was Still around each time we got to do it! A Really Fun Night was had each time by All!
Ahhh thats amazing to hear!
17:50 Ah yes, because if there was one thing Julius Caesar was known for, it was the number of wizards he employed.
"that was stupid... that was really stupid"
There was a cut in the video. The roller coaster train never got close to him.
Vegas sure is
@@riparianlife97701 I read that it was edited and was well out of his restraint in time, however he did almost die as the safety cord got stuck as he jumped so he almost got caught by the coaster.
So what was stupid? did I miss something outside of the guy in the roller coaster
@@joshuatoro8977 No he's just referencing the Magician with the roller coaster magic trick
I absolutely LOVED from Vegas was themed. There was so much to see and do at each casino. Just visiting each one felt like a different experience. Now, it's more or less if you go to one property, you've gone to them all.
The best!
As a kid in the 90s that LOVED magic and watched as many magic TV specials as I could, and even going to Vegas frequently with my family, being a big fan of the Race to Atlantis ride, I am shocked that I never even knew this existed until now. I would have lost my mind if I got to do it as a kid.
I was a 80's kid. I remember the Kinght Rider episode "Deadly Knightshade" that was filmed in Vegas with Lance Burton as the evil magician in the episode.
It was definitely too pricy for my family. Wish I had the chance to experience it but at least I had the chance to experience the Star Trek Experience.
@@toidIllorTAmI yeah I'm sure my parents wouldn't have been willing to pay those prices for Magical Empire. We did get to do the Star Trek experience as well, which I still remember loving every second of, and my mom was almost balking at that being $22 or something.
The family friendly era of Las Vegas is always fascinating to me. The place known as “Sin City” trying to lure families by building themed experiences that wouldn’t seem out of place in actual theme parks is a fun topic to explore.
The best
Always fun to explore such a strange and interesting era yeah.
Vegas was a lot better when the Mafia ran it....Once Jesus freak Christian Al-Qaeda took over it was downhill from there...Christian Al-Qaeda doesn't mind sin when they're the ones profiting from it.
As someone who's not even that much into theme parks OR casinos, it absolutely fascinates me too how a place known for excess and bad behavior basically briefly turned itself into Disneyland for a few years, for good and bad.
went a couple times during my childhood in the early 00s. past the heyday of family friendly vegas but most of it was still there. absolutely bizarre experience. sure i was attracted by the trappings of it all but every building smells like cigs & you can't open your eyes without seeing nudity somewhere. it is just so obvious to a kid that they're not really supposed to be there. kind of like a lost in the mall feeling but your parents are right there. basically the polar opposite of chuck e cheese
As someone who loves all things Vegas, it's nice to see videos of different attractions.
Thanks
I remember going when we were younger, I don’t know if it was just because we went in the early introductory days or if we kept going on off days but when we went it was very barebones and some shows weren’t available because the performers weren’t available or something. The seance room sounds like it would have been cool to see and the fire show must have been nice. I do remember seeing a magic show with one magician but the biggest fun was had with the water tunnel that made you feel like the world was spinning as you walked through, simple trick but fun to try and challenge ourselves with.
This place looks amazing and gives me vibes of an attraction that’s just closed at Islands of adventure. Thanks for this as always Sam.
Thank you Mark
I have a family now and I remember the family friendly Vegas with fond memories. I wish I can take my family there. This attraction looks awesome.
This WAS the Magic Castle for Las Vegas. As with the Magic Castle, afterward dinner, you go to Magic acts, see fun things to see, and it's also fully immersive.
LAAAAANCE CAME BACK. Love it as always, great content and I'm still waiting to meet Lance to let him know of his fame on this channel. He might not be proud
I loved CME!!!!! I went to it for my 21st bday back in May 1997. It was absolutely fantastic!!!!!!
I wish I could have experienced this! We need a comeback of highly-themed Vegas.
The Magical Empire was part of my first Las Vegas trip, way back in the late 90's. I found it a truly excellent experience, particularly the Luminaria show, and it's sad that it didn't survive longer. One thing I don't think anyone's mentioned are the cool metal medallions you got given to determine which route, and therefore which dining room, you ended up in - I still have mine somewhere (and I used to have a couple of CME chalices from the gift shop, but they got broken over the years...).
Yeah, many people still have them i think! Such a great thing to take away
This is amazing, I don’t remember this at all. I remember “family friendly” Vegas, but I never was able to make it during that time, I couldn’t afford to take 3 kids there. It’s a shame that things need to change so much but you have to keep up with the times!
I grew up in that city. Man...being a lil kid thru the 90s there was pretty fun. Then they took everything fun away. The planet hollywood speed coaster and the OG wet n wild closure rly hurt lmao
I was just talking about this. This shit was wild. They had that show during the dinning I was just talking about this. One of the coolest experiences I've had and that's coming from someone born in Vegas.
Great video. Loved how you took it full circle
Thank you for making this wonderful documentary. UA-cam recommended this video to me and it brought back my childhood memory of seeing the magical empire back in 2001 during a family vacation. Being a kid growing up in the 90's who loves magic and watched every magic show on tv I could, getting to see this attraction in person was an incredible experience for me and my family. I'm sad to find out the attraction shut down later the same year I saw it, but my memory of it will always live on.
Star Trek the Experience was AMAZING!! I went to Vegas 4 times just to experience it. I hope you cover it in a video one day!
I have a video on it from a few years ago!
@@ExpeditionThemePark Thanks for letting me know, Sam. I’ll go look it up!
I'm glad so many of these experiences can be preserved through great videos like this!
Thank you
Expedition Theme Park! Better than half the things on all of my streaming apps! After this I'll rewarch the breakdown you did on the star trek experience!!!! Great work and happy Sunday!
Thank you Corey!
That was a great video! So many great memories here and great to see some friends in the video too! Thanks for sharing!
💥BOOM!!!💥™
How do I not even remember hearing about this? I was a kid here in the 90s and spent so much time at Forum Shops. I'm bummed I missed this, it seems so cool!
As an entertainer in Las Vegas I am watching the landscape change from "Adult things for adults" to "Childish things for adults". It's an interesting time.
I visit Vegas often, the Magic Castle as well, and have never heard of this!! Thank you for the video.
And if it isn't too much trouble, a look back at the Star Trek Experience would be nice, since you brought it up. :)
I had forgotten about this completely. It was extremely fun experience .
Thank you for doing this one - as a kid who grew up during 'family friendly Vegas', I have a lot of fond memories of this era and none more-so than Caesars. I feel like if anything this was among the inspirations that made my art work today lean more heavily on the concept of magic and fantasy more than anything else. It was so sad to see this gone and wish it could still be here today, only things my mother and I have remaining being the coins they used to give you and the fancy drink cups she got from there. But, one can only hope perhaps the concept can be revived someday, be it by Caesars themselves or someone else.
Thank you for another wonderful "Vegas"-Centric Expedition. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace was quite the spectacle, during the '90s and into the New Millennium. The Animatronic "Gods" would delight patrons, and you could spend hours in such deluxe attraction-like stores, such as F.A.O Schwarz and the Warner Bros Studio. This video, celebrating the 'Magical Empire' Experience comes at the perfect time, ETP! After nearly 30 Years, the Once-famed Planet Hollywood Restaurant has closed within the Forum. It felt pretty cool, dining on some "Captain Crunch" Chicken Fingers, while sitting underneath a naked "Sly" Stallone Model from "Demolition Man," Haha. "Magical" times, indeed!
Thank you, i really enjoy your channel.
They had a very "ROMAN" themed mall in Tokyo that stood for 20 years until last year. Highly inspired by the mall.
Landmark made the hello kittyland, Sanrio Puroland. It's a sight to see and then there is a newer area that was not and you can tell.
Ah that’s a shame! Hope you are good Scott
Great job as always. Once you started doing Las Vegas expeditions, I was hoping you'd do one on this attraction. I took one of the free tours back in the day and was pretty amazed by the place.
Thank you guys!
I distinctly remember how bad the echo/acoustics were for the talking statues, you couldn't understand a single word of the show
I love this Lance Burton clip and will never get sick of you sneaking this in!
he always finds a way!
I was born in 1998 in Vegas and I got to experience the tail-end of "family friendly Vegas". I never got to see Caesars Magical Empire but the Merlin show at Excalibur, the pirate show at Treasure Island, and the Trojan horse at Caesars Palace were magical to me. I loved them so much and I'm really grateful I was able to experience them when I was young. I hope that the success of Area 15 will bring back immersive experiences like these in Vegas.
Another quality video done exceptionally well. Never stop putting in that clip of the magician on the coaster track. As soon as I saw the title, I was looking for it and this time it was more fitting then ever. We love your work.
I Hope you and Jackie are having fun, Missed the uploads. Another great Video!
Thank you so much
I grew up in Vegas. Thank you for all your videos! You do such an incredible job detailing everything!
Thank you so much
Another great one, Sam. You always find the best subjects for these.
Thank you!
13:39 Thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for calling it the Pepper's Ghost effect and not calling it a "hologram."
[ Credibility +50 ]
Aha right?
WTF! I never knew this was at Caesars Palace - this just looks so ahead of its time! Thank you so much for creating this episode!
Omg, I went to this as a kid! My dad worked at Caesars and we were comped tickets. It was a blast, I loved every second of it.
This was awesome! Literally NO idea this ever existed!
Loved it! Did not know that Magical Empire existed
I am a member of the Magic Castle and knew Milt Larsen. I was at the main bar at the Castle when Milt walked in with a model of CME. He explained all of the rooms, all of the gags, and discussed changes he wanted to make. After this workup by Milt, I resolved to be one of the first going thru the place. CME employed a lot of great magicians. It is a shame it closed.
Please oh please do a video on a dinner show in Australia, called Dracula’s specifically near Surfers Paradise. I went in 2008 and I wish I could share it with others.
Please do Meow Wolf! I finally saw a glimpse of it on here and I’m stoked!
Oh man I remember going to this attraction as a kid growing up in Vegas, but no one seemed to remember it! Thank you for this video to prove that I'm not crazy.
thank you !
I lived in LV during this time and I don't even recall so much as a television commercial for this.
Another great video as usual.
Thanks again!
I remember the place well. Went there on a couple trips and even was on stage with one of the magicians performing there; Jeff MacBride.
I recall the theming of Vegas quite well. My first vacation there was in 1991. Over the next four years or so, theming and ‘family friendly’ was king. Excalibur, Luxor, the theme parks at MGM Grand and Circus Circus. By the late 90`s, though, you could tell it was on the way out. The opening of the Bellagio signaled the growth of ‘luxury Vegas’ and then the “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” slogan. Over time, most of the cheap food offerings disappeared and gone were the days of 99 cent hotdogs, shrimp cocktails and margaritas. Celebrity chefs and high end entertainment took over. They were always there in some ways but the late 90s/early 00s really saw them taking over. It’s still a fun place to go but it’s far more expensive in nearly every way. Still, if I could, I’d be there tomorrow.
Yeah, not cheap at all anymore!
Walt Disney would have loved Caesar's Magical Empire. He would have hated the prices though. Those prices would make Walt turn in his ghostly grave.
That was an excellent documentary, never knew about this attraction, it looked amazing,would love too have gone too it , great job thank you so much for presenting this 👌
Thank you so much
The Forum Shops have always been a favorite and staple for my mom and I every time we've ever been in Vegas. With the changing skies and theming it's really pleasant to just SIT in the Forum Shops and just people watch and chat on top of shopping.
The coolest mall!
the way you teased lance's jump was top notch :)
He always pops up!
I love these 90s vegas ones. My parents brought us regularly during that era and its been scrubbed away so much that it's getting to a point that I often wonder if I'm just imagining these memory's I have.
Thank you Sam!!! I loved watching the vlogs while you guys were exploring Vegas on Jackie’s channel!!! Keep it up
Thank you!
Great video ! Did not know about this attraction . Wish I got a chance to visit it beck in the day
Thank you!
OMG!! Thank you for this flashback! My date took me here for my high school prom in 1997. I don't have any pictures from that night. I had forgotten what most of CME looked like. All I remember, was that it was long and had a lot of magic shows. Oh and the spinning walk way, had me sooo dizzy I couldn't walk. Took a few minutes to realize you had to close your eyes to make it through. LOL!
That must have been a fun date!
That ending music was really hitting the childhood feels…
I remember going as a kid and being in awe.
I used to visit Vegas around that timeframe a lot yet, I never heard of this. I would have loved to have gone there. Too bad I missed it.
Love all these Vegas attraction videos.
Keep it up!
Thank you!
During 2 visits to Las Vegas, the wife and I went to this attraction both times. The food was excellent the show was excellent. We were surprise when it closed down. The 24 person tables was I good idea, it was very nice and didn't seem crowded like other Las Vegas attractions.
I was lucky enough to go to Caesar’s Magical Empire in the late 90’s. It truly was an incredible experience.
You are an amazing storyteller and producer thank you for always doing an amazing job, you deserve everything and more sir!
something that was incredibly themed that i remember SO vividly as a kid was when we went to the Adventure Exhibit at the COSI muesuem!!! for the longest time i thought that i had just dreamt it up from how amazing the themeing was!
Amazing!
Just looked this up because of what you said and wow, this looked so cool! Reminds me a bit of stuff they have at Tokyo Disney Sea.
I've been trying to remember the name of this for years, it was so awesome
I feel like I really missed the best Vegas had to offer. Area 15 is AMAZING though.
One more excellent video
Thank you
thank you so much
Vegas used to be one of my favorite places. As a kid or was my favorite vacation spot. But nowadays it's harder to justify going back, save for the tournament of kings. It's so sad to see all the inactive, hollowed out remnants of that first wave of really themed experiences
An excellent video! Thanks for making it! I love Las Vegas and I've been there a dozen times and there's always something new to do. Alas, I missed Caesar's Magical Empire, I wish I could have seen it. I'm not sure if you've done the Star Trek Experience yet but I hope you do. That was another wonderful attraction that I really miss. 🙂🙃🙂🙃
Thank you so much
I love your vids!
OMG yes! I remember seeing this place advertised from the “Worlds Greatest Magic” tv specials. I finally went to Caesars and the worker had no idea what I was taking about lol. Also the actor in the black wig looks very familiar I can’t figure iit out. I hope you also do the “Race to Atlantis” attraction that was also at Caesars
I will!
I remember the Race to Atlantis! I feel like I'm reliving my high school years all over again.
0:50 I've Been To The Caesars Palace In Las Vegas Nevada In The United States Of America During My The City Of Los Angeles California And Las Vegas Nevada And Disneyland Resort In Anaheim California Megatrip Back In March And April 2016 And It Was Super Awesome. Thanks Mate. PS This Famous Building Is Appears In The 2008 Academy Award Winning Paramount Pictures And Marvel Studios Children's Live Action Science Fiction Superhero Family Blockbuster Movie Of All Time. Iron Man The Movie. Awesome. X
I've been binging your videos the past couple weeks they're great! I don't even like riding rollercoasters
Thank you!
I'm the same boat, dude. I'm always invited to theme park trips because I'll just enjoy the theming and watch the luggage while everyone else is on the rides. Back in 2019 my younger brother got me into the channel Defunctland in anticipation of our first time going back to Disney World in almost 30 years. I binged through his content in about a week, and ended up finding this channel and Yesterworld thanks to that. I still can't do rollercoasters but I'm voracious for theme park history and trivia.
My husband and I went to Caesars Magical Empire twice in the early years when we were dating. Had a great time, it was amazing! He remembers the “unlimited” wine glass that wasn’t really unlimited. They gave us a huge goblet that we got to keep but they only filled it a couple of times. But it was big. 😂
still got it?
Unfortunately no! We keep acquiring more glasses and lacking space! Had to get rid of some.
Yes, the "unlimited" was three glasses at best. Still a truly amazing experience and great performers.
I'm glad my mom kept her wine glasses from all the casinos and resorts. Really wish I could have experienced this.
The desperado clip never fails to make me laugh LMFAO
I remember the up close tricks during dinner and going to the Sultan's Palace. The magician that night was Valentino, who later did the Magician Secrets show on Fox. It was a better deal than Siegfried & Roy, sure they had the big animals but for $100 to watch home movies of them and the white tigers was a little much. As far as magicians go, I think the best value was Rick Thomas at the Trop.
I remember the Vegas Grand Prix. It was a good time but I was really young.
I'm 42 years old and I had no idea this was even a thing in Vegas LOL... it looks like it was awesome even back then, like a cool combination of medieval times and a big budget magic show.
Problem with Las Vegas' attempt to rebrand is that the city has always been associated wity debauchery
Bravo on another great video!! Please keep them coming. I've missed them❤
thank you so much
im gonna go there personally after work and ask managers about it on video if possible.