Birnbaum's Walt Disney World 2013


Birnbaum Travel Guides - 2012
    Since ours is the only guidebook that's official, this book includes the most accurate information on prices, changes, and new attractions for 2013: --The Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is undergoing a massive expansion. We offer expert coverage of all the new attractions and eateries in this evolving wonderland, including The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster (an E-ticket addition to the park's attraction lineup), and the boisterous Be Our Guest dinner experience in the brand-new Beast's Castle.--Disney villains are causing trouble and only YOU can stop them! Birnbaum delivers the details of a new, interactive role-playing game known as Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. In this high-tech adventure, Merlin the Magician recruits park guests to help defeat an army of Disney villains.--There is a new resort in town: The colorful, "value" property dubbed Art of Animation. Birnbaum's description will help you decide if this family-friendly resort is for you--and show how to book a room or suite that suits your budget.--The Disney Dining Plan is ever-changing. Trust Birnbaum to deliver the latest on this popular program.--Downtown Disney is in the midst of a metamorphosis. Birnbaum describes the latest changes and additions to this shopping, dining, and entertainment district. Among the newest draws is Splitsville, WDW's go-to destination for bowling, billiards, and more. We will give you the skinny on this new play zone, plus many other additions to the Downtown Disney landscape.--Many classic Disney resorts are offering new layers of luxury--from princess or pirate rooms to wellness suites--and we have the scoop on getting the royal treatment at Walt Disney World.

Disneyland Then, Now, and Forever


Bruce Gordon - 2005
    Rewind your Mickey Mouse watch back to the 1950s and travel with us through the decades as the wondrous story of Disneyland unfolds via fascinating, behind-the-pixie dust stories and incredible imagery. Like a visit to the park itself, it's a trip you'll never forget, ensuring that the spirit of Disneyland will remain--then, now, and forever. Filled with color photos of how the park looked at its opening and through the changes of the years up to the present day in 2005.

Dream It! Do It! (The People, The Places, The Projects): My Half-Century Creating Disney's Magic Kingdoms


Martin Sklar - 2013
    He spent his first decade at Disney as "the kid," the very youngest of the creative team Walt had assembled at WED Enterprises. But despite his youth, his talents propelled him forward into substantial responsibility: he became Walt's speech writer, penned Walt's and Roy's messages in the company's annual report, composed most of the publicity and marketing materials for Disneyland, conceived presentations for the U.S. government, devised initiatives to obtain sponsors to enable new Disneyland developments, and wrote a twenty-four-minute film expressing Walt's philosophy for the Walt Disney World project and Epcot. He was Walt's literary right-hand man.Over the next forty years, Marty Sklar rose to become president and principal creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, and he devoted his entire career to creating, enhancing, and expanding Walt's magical empire. This beautifully written and enlightening book is Marty's own retelling of his epic Disney journey, a grand adventure that lasted over half a century.

Stories from a Theme Park Insider


Robert Niles - 2011
    

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide


Stephenie Meyer - 2011
     This comprehensive handbook-essential for every Twilight Saga fan-is full-color throughout with nearly 100 gorgeous illustrations and photographs and with exclusive new material, character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more.

The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia: A guide to the flora, fauna, and fun of the world's greatest theme park!


R.A. Pedersen - 2011
    From the minutiae of Future World to the farthest reaches of World Showcase this guide covers it all in intimate detail. No stone is left unturned, and no legacy tile left unmocked. With a little bit of wit and a whole lot of heart you'll be led through the splendorific sprawl of the most endearing monument to humanity that has ever been created. Highlights include: A history of each pavilion and the forces that shaped its existence - or the end thereof. Insight into the inner-workings of the park. What makes it tick and why things happen the way they do. A scene-by-scene analysis of Horizons, quite possibly the most beloved attraction in the company's history and all of the World Disney World resort.

Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park


Jeff Kurtti - 2007
    Using his innate talent for combining disparate skills and personalities, he assembled a creative team that blended imagination with engineering. Walt called this group his "Imagineers."Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park introduces a core group of the originators of Disneyland and the other Disney parks. It explores their individual relationships with Walt and each other, their creative breakthroughs and failures, and their rivalries and professional politics. This candid narrative of their lives and contributions to a very special form of entertainment illustrates why, half a century later, their work continues to be vital and important to millions of people every day, and all over the world.Lavishly illustrated throughout with rare and never-before-seen artwork and photographs, Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park will further enrich the reader's appreciation of the exceptional talent behind Disneyland's creation and ongoing evolution.

Better Than Fiction: True Travel Tales from Great Fiction Writers


Alexander McCall SmithTéa Obreht - 2012
    - An exciting new anthology of travel literature - Features international authors, including Alexander McCall Smith, Joyce Carol Oates and DBC Pierre - Brings to life the idea that travel can inspire, entertain, enlighten and change lives

The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney's Dream


Sam Gennawey - 2013
    Despite his successors' battles with the whims of history and their own doubts and egos, Walt’s vision maintained momentum, thrived, and taught future generations how to do it Walt Disney's way.

Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World


Chad Denver Emerson - 2010
    This iconic resort is now located in what once was thousands of acres of swamp and marshland. Through spy-like moves and innovative strategies, Walt Disney and his cadre of creative leaders turned this massive swamp land into today's Disney World. This books shares the amazing behind the scenes story of how Disney's Florida resort, code-named Project Future, rose from the marshes of Central Florida to become one of the world's most popular theme park resorts.

The Ride Delegate: Memoir of a Walt Disney World VIP Tour Guide


Annie Salisbury - 2014
    Annie Salisbury was one of these Cast Members, in charge of making the very best magic for those who could afford it.In The Ride Delegate, her memoir of life as a Disney World VIP tour guide, Annie shares some of her most memorable experiences: The Middle Eastern royal family who needed a room at the Contemporary where all thirty-seven of them could pray, right now The wealthy woman who used cancer as an excuse for why her family should be able to ride It's a Small World until they were ready to get off The mysterious VIP (dubbed "Dr. No" by Annie) who arrived for his afternoon tour in a private plane at a private airport in the swamp The famous football player who didn't understand why he couldn't ride Universal's Incredible Hulk Coaster at EPCOT Plus, you'll learn about the perks and privileges of being a VIP Tour Guide, from corn dogs to illicit cash, and the lengths to which Disney will go to keep its VIP guests happy Come get a taste of what Disney World is like for those with deep pockets—and personalities to match—and meet the eccentric, outrageous guests who turned Annie's dream job into a reality show.

Little Known Facts About Well Known Places: Disneyland


David Hoffman - 2008
    

One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe


Bruce Steele - 2019
    Step behind the scenes to immerse yourself in one "ordinary" day at Disney. In addition to the book, the Disney+ team was on hand to capture stories along the way. A full-length documentary and 52 short-form episodes expand the profiles and delve deeper into the essence of what it's like to be a Disney cast member. On a Thursday in 2019, a small army of photographers and videographers scattered across the globe to capture what goes on beyond those tantalizing "Cast Members Only" doors - whether eavesdropping on historic endeavors or typical tasks. All the photos in this book were taken on that single Thursday, beginning early in Tokyo and following the sun around the world through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and dozens of places throughout the United States. More than 40 hours after it began, the day ended as the sun set on the Aulani resort in Hawaii. On that day, some 80 Cast Members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, kitchens, cubicles, TV studios, labs, locomotive engines - and some even more surprising and diverse work spaces. They also shared their stories: childhood dreams and chapters, career pivots and triumphs, workaday hurdles and joys. It was just a day in the life, as extraordinary as any other day at Disney. As any Cast Member can tell you, a Disney job is less a destination than a limitless journey. And for just One Day at Disney, we can all tag along for the ride.

Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets


Steven Barrett
    Author Barrett adds to the fun of finding them by turning the search into six scavenger hunts, complete with clues, hints, and points to be scored. You'll find more than 200 new Mickey sightings in this edition over 1,000 hidden Mickeys in all. Fun for all ages!

The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion


Jeff Baham - 2010
    Packed with photos, Baham's book contains everything there is to know about the Mansion, with never-before-told stories and comprehensive coverage of the Haunted Mansion's colorful past and its chilling presence at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and other Disney theme parks.The Machine in the GhostsBeginning with the Haunted Mansion's original (but never realized) incarnation as "Bloodmere Manor", Baham pulls back the shroud on the clever effects that haunt the Mansion, including Ken Anderson's plan for a cyclorama-enhanced Headless Horseman, Yale Gracey and Rolly Crump's creative wizardry and "happy accidents", Bob Gurr's Doom Buggies, the technology behind Madame Leota's crystal ball, and the controlled chaos of the Ballroom Scene.You'll learn why X. Atencio's idea for a raven narrator was ditched in favor of the now infamous Ghost Host, whether a screaming man caught in a spider web once dwelt in the Mansion, and how technology exorcised the Hatbox Ghost.Only Ghost Stories, of CourseThere's more to the Mansion than mere mechanics. More than perhaps any other Disney attraction, the Haunted Mansion is powered by story: the scenes and spirits you witness from your Doom Buggy all play roles in the overall narrative of the Mansion, and if you don't know the story, you'll miss out on a lot of the fun, and a few of the scares, too.Baham clues you in about such things as why the Mansion is there, who built it, how it became haunted, and the dastardly deeds done by some of its residents in their corruptible, mortal states.A Taste of What's InsideFrom the comfort of your Doom Buggy you'll read: How Walt's boyhood experience with the haunted Sauer Castle may have inspired Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Insider accounts of the creative clashes between Disney Imagineers over whether the Mansion's haunts should be humorous or horrific An analysis of the ride, scene by scene, with insight into how the effects work, delightfully eerie trivia, and anecdotes from Mansion Imagineers and Cast Members The stories behind some of the Mansion's many denizens, including the Hatbox Ghost, the Knight, the Sea Captain, the Raven, the unhappy couple Constance and George, and the Ghost Host himself Extensive, exclusive commentary by Mansion designer Rolly Crump A summary of the most notable Mansion collectibles released by Disney over the years There's always room for one more, and this time you're it: come experience the Haunted Mansion with the "lights on" and learn its ghostly history, its sinister secrets, and why this Disney attraction continues to happily haunt fans young and old.Cory Doctorow [BoingBoing.net]: Baham is one of the most trusted, established experts on the Haunted Mansion, a trufan’s trufan.Guillermo del Toro [Award-winning film director, co-creator The Strain]: Having delved into Disney lore for decades and having been immersed in the Haunted Mansion world since age 3, I thought I knew pretty much everything there is about my favorite Disneyland ride ever. I was wrong. Prepare to be enchanted, bewildered and mesmerized by this beat-by-beat account of the Haunted Mansion’s creation. A haunted tour that is both scholarly and thrilling. An “E” ticket ride to the darkest, most glorious regions of Disney’s imagination!