Anyone who's spent at least twenty-four hours in Las Vegas knows one thing: Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. From the moment you grab your suitcases at McCarran International Airport's baggage claim and are inundated with images of the many shows in Las Vegas, you're being drawn to the Las Vegas show offerings. Ticket booths are everywhere, and world class shows are everywhere. And now, it seems, entire gifts shops based on the shows are ubiquitous as well--most being cleverly stationed right outside the theater of each show.

Not only does Criss Angel, star of Criss Angel--Believe Cirque du Soleil, have a Mindfreak store at the Luxor, but right outside of the Criss Angel Believe Theater is an entire store dedicated to Believe merchandise. Right outside the theater at Mandalay Bay where Lion King is being shown, there's an entire store dedicated to Lion King merchandise. From stuffed animals to Lion King chocolate bars, you'll find it at the Lion King store. Same with Phantom, Cher, Bette Midler, and all the rest.

It's like the attractions at Disneyland--you leave Space Mountain, for example, and as you exit you're ushered into the gift store featuring space-age merchandise. The real genius part is that even if you haven't ridden the attraction or in the case of Las Vegas seen the show, something just compels you to go in the store and buy something. In the Lion King store for example, there's an actual costume on display from the show, the exhilarating soundtrack is playing in the background, and scenes from the show are being shown on a big-screen TV in the store. Even if you had no interest in the Lion King up until that point, you're moved to be a part of the show experience.

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