Books about Disney World

I'm starting my countdown to (a July trip to) Disney rather early because feeding off this stuff just makes my days a lot easier. It's hard to just reach into memories of about 8 or 9 trips i've made there in the last 20 years. So I went and watched the Free promo DVD. And read the Birnbaum book. Printed out menus so my friends and I could plan which places to eat. And now I want to keep reading...

So I know there are a lot of books out there about Disney architecture, Imagineering, etc. One of them on my wish list is Designing Disney's Theme Parks : The Architecture of Reassurance. Another is The Walt Disney World Trivia Book : Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic. I remember looking at the Disney section at a Barnes and Noble a few years back and seeing a book about Imagineering. Plus the loads of books about Disney himself and his animators. I'm just looking to gobble up all the info, history and trivia I can. Like most of you here (one reason why i'm religious now with this site), i'm really into seeing trivial things like old park maps, abandoned World Showcase countries, construction photos, etc. etc. SO please hit me up with any great books that you think would be a nice read.

ooohhh...

Welcome! You`re in the right place! I did a list a while ago on my book collection.. see if a search will find it?

Also, have a look at my collection here to see what some of them look like!

Hey, Marni -- what's the one that is just to the right of "Since The world Began"? Looks like "Building A ??????"

Its `Building a Dream - the Art of Disney Architecture` by Beth Dunlop, published by Harry Abrhams 1996 - a really good hardback.

marni1971 said:

ooohhh...

Welcome! You`re in the right place! I did a list a while ago on my book collection.. see if a search will find it?

Also, have a look at my collection here to see what some of them look like!

Click to expand...

Did you make the binders on the bottom left? What's in them? That is a great collection. I really should organize my stuff. It is scattered everywhere which is why I am curious about those binders.

marni1971 said:

Its `Building a Dream - the Art of Disney Architecture` by Beth Dunlop, published by Harry Abrhams 1996 - a really good hardback.

Click to expand...

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, to alibris.com I go.

Thanks!

By the way -- how is the "First Decade" book. I already have Since The World Began. How does it compare (debating spending the money)?

Hidden Mickeys : A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets is a great book. It gives you the location of tons of hidden Mickeys and turns it into a scavenger hunt style game.You can pick it up at the parks or on Amazon.

I'm away from my book shelf, so I can't check. However a couple of books I have that I can't spot in Marni's collection are:

Vinyl Leaves No photos and very wordy, but some interesting stuff.

One Day at Disney Not many words, but lots of great photographs from all the parks around the world.

Although it's about Disneyland, not WDW, I have to say Randy Bright's "Disneyland : Inside Story" is one of the greatest books ever...period. It's a surprisingly candid account of the making of Disneyland, and the photos are absoultely amazing. It's a coffee tabel sized book, long out of print - used copies start at like $125 at Amazon.

It's something to keep your eye out for - you never know when you'll find a good deal. It's an amazing book - I've read it so many times I couldn't count.

AEfx

Ringo; I made the 2 sets of binders you see. The white ones on the left have my Guest Services replies in (from pre net days), vacation guides, park maps, any collected printed matter. The ones on the right are the Attraction scripts for SSE (all 3), Horizons, WoM, JII and a few others - I just printed a cover and bound them together.

brkgnews - you mean the blue first decade book at the top? Its the hardback resort guide that comes out each year, from 1981. Interestingly, it covers more of WDW`s construction, and has a few pages about the utilidors, CEP, Treefarm, AVAC but nothing you havn`t read before. It has got quite a few pictures not seen anymore, so if you see it cheap on it is worth adding to a collection. Since the World Began is still on of my favourites.

Desperad07; here is the list... with year and ISBN numbers where available (my fingers are burning!)

Project Florida, Walt DIsney Productions 1967. Not commercially available
Master Planning for Walt DIsney World, Walt Disney Productions 1969. Not commercially available
Preview Edition Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Productions 1970
Pictorial Souvineer of Walt DIsney World 1972
Pictorial Souvineer of Walt DIsney World 1972 2nd ed
The Story of Walt Disney World, Walt Disney Productions 1976 2-76-3
Walt Disney World: The first decade 1981
Walt Disney World EPCOT Center, Walt Disney Productions 1982
Walt Disney Worlds`s EPCOT Center - Creating the new world of tomorrow 1982 0 8109 0819 0 1st ed
The Art of Walt Disney 1983 0 8109 8052 5 2nd ed
A pictorial souvineer of Walt Disney World 1989 Disney 0127 100005 1189
Walt Disney World 1989 Disney w0127 10003 989
Walt Disney World 20 magical years Disney w0127 10003 1190
The Disney Touch 1991 1 55623 385 x
The Man Behind the Magic 1991 0 670 82259 0
The Music of Disney (part of 3cd box set 1992)
Walt Disney - Hollywoods Dark Prince 1994 0 06 100789 7
Walt Disney World 1994
The Art of Walt Disney 1995 I 85227 503 0 3rd ed
Since the World Began 1996 07868 8219 0 (pb) 6248 3 (hb)
Building a Dream - The Art of Disney Architecture 1996 0 8109 3142 7
Walt Disney Imagineering 1996 0 7868 6246 7
Designing Disneys Theme Parks - The architecture of reassurance 1997 2 08013 639 9
The Disney Touch 1997 0 7863 1002 2 2nd ed
Team Rodent 1998 0 345 42280 5
Michael Eisner - Work in Progress 1998 0 14 0 28198 3
The Making of Disneys Animal Kingdom Theme Park 1998 0 7868 6402 8
The Celebration Chronicles 1999 0 345 41752 6
Celebration, USA 1999 0 8050 5560 6
Walt Disney World, a souvineer for the new Millenium 1999 0 7868 5406 5
Once upon an American Dream - The story of Euro Disneyland 2000 0 7006 0989 x
The Keys to the Kingdom 2000/1 0 06 662109 7
Married to the Mouse 2001 0 300 087071 hb 098286 pb
What would Walt do? An insiders story about the design and construction of WDW 2001 0 595 17203 2
Inside Disney 2002 0 7645 6443 9 2nd ed
Disneyland Paris AA guide 2002 0 7495 3374 9
Disneyland Paris 2002 souvineer guide
Disneyland Paris from sketch to reality April 2002 1st ed
Disney the ultimate visual guide 2002 0 7513 3913 x
Designing Disney (John Hench) 2003 07868 5406 5
The Imagineering Way 2003 0 7868 5401 4
The Haunted Mansion 2003 07868 5419 7
The Art of Walt Disney 2004 I 85227 230 9 4th ed