Here are some book to consider..........
Books about Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Architecture, Ride Engineering, and Careers
A Brush with Disney : An Artist's Journey Told Through the Words and Works of Herbert Dickens Ryman. This book is simply phenomenal. Herb Ryman worked for WDI for several decades, drawing the first aerial view of Disneyland (which Walt used to explain to the bankers what he was dreaming of doing) right up to concept art for Tokyo Disneyland. This book contains many, many gems from WDI's library, but it also traces Ryman's growth as an artist. In fact, you don't even get into the Disney material until half way through the book. It's an expensive purchase, but worth every penny. In the concept paintings for Disneyland and Walt Disney World (including Epcot) you can feel the magic behind the ideas that just doesn't translate into reality. Prepare to get goosebumps!
Walt Disney Imagineering : A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real, published in October of 1996, is required reading for fans of Imagineering. It is the only book about Imagineering written by the Imagineers! Full of color photographs and never-before-seen art, this book belongs on your bookshelf. Although the hardbound edition is now out of print, a new softbound version is available! (And it costs less, too!)
Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture is a book containing many great photographs of Disney architecture, including looks inside many offices not open to the public.
Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance covers an art exhibition touring North America, including many pieces from WDI that have not been seen in public before this time. Over 200 color and black and white images. It includes many pictures not in the Imagineering book.
The Celebration Chronicles : Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Property Values in Disney's New Town is a new book which takes a look at the planned city of Celebration, Florida.
Roller Coasters, Flumes and Flying Saucers chronicles the development of the modern amusement park ride, including discussion of some of the systems used on rides at Disney theme parks.
The Fantastical Engineer: A Thrillseeker's Guide to Careers in Theme Park Engineering. The title sort of says it all.
Books about the Theme Parks
One Day at Disney is a breathtaking photo essay of 24 hours in four Disney parks: while Disneyland Paris is going to sleep, Disneyland California is just waking up, and so on. Great pictures!
Since the World Began: Walt Disney World the First 25 Years, published for Walt Disney World's 25th anniversary, is a good history of the place so many have come to consider a "second home."
Mouse Tales: A Behind-the-Ears Look at Disneyland contains many tales from Disneyland cast members about what goes on backstage at Disneyland. Interestingly, the author had a bit of trouble with Disney's attorneys over this book.
More Mouse Tales: A Closer Peek Backstage at Disneyland is the brand new third book by the author of Mouse Tales and Mouse Under Glass.
Mouse Under Glass: Secrets of Disney Animation & Theme Parks is the sequel (of sorts) to Mouse Tales.
Birnbaum's 2001 Walt Disney World: Expert Advice from the Inside Source, yes, is a travel guide, but it's filled with all sorts of insider tidbits of interest to Disney fans of all ages.
Birnbaum's 2001 Disneyland Resort: Expert Advice from the Inside Source is the companion book covering Disneyland, California, including Disney's California Adventure.
Books on Disney Animation
Fantasia 2000: Visions of Hope is all about Fantasia 2000, a worthy sequel to the classic Fantasia.
Dinosaur: The Evolution of an Animated Feature looks at this life-like animated film released in 2000.
Disney's Winnie the Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear is a magnificent new book all about Pooh and his pals.
The Tarzan Chronicles goes behind the scenes to look at the making of this latest masterpiece from Walt Disney Feature Animation. Grab it here at 15% off the list price of $50.00!
The Art of Mulan is filled with lush images from this beautiful film.
The Art of Hercules : The Chaos of Creation examines the making of Walt Disney's Hercules.
The Art of The Hunchback of Notre Dame brings the streets of Eighteenth Century Paris to life on the screen. A controversial film set against an amazing backdrop of scenery.
The Art of Pocahontas. Although many were disappointed by this film, no one can deny The Colors of the Wind and Just Around the Riverbend contain some of Disney animation's most beautiful scenes.
Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making. This book, written by art curators at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, accompanied one of the first public exhibitions of animation art entirely from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs--amazingly, it is all owned by one collector. I had the opportunity to see this exhibition. To call it amazing is an understatement.
The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation is written by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of Walt's "Nine Old Men" who pioneered the art of animation. This is a large book full of artwork and information. It is a must-have for any fan of Disney animation.
Before the Animation Begins: The Art and Lives of Disney Inspirational Sketch Artists is a book covering the artists who inspire the overall look and feel of Disney films. Many pictures from Disney's animation archives and insights into the artists themselves.
The Disney That Never Was: The Stories and Art from Five Decades of Unproduced Animation covers fifty years of animation art and ideas that never made it off the drawing board. This book is full of beautiful artwork and makes you wonder what if Disney had made these films.
The Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters: From Mickey Mouse to Hercules is a brand new edition, soon-to-be-published, of the most comprehensive collection of information and "biographies" of every Disney animated character, including lists of every film each character has appeared in.
Books about The Walt Disney Company
Work in Progress Written by Disney CEO Michael Eisner (along with Tony Schwartz), this is the first book about Disney written from the top man's point of view. Brand new (released on Sept. 24, 1998), it has earned favorable reviews from readers and critics. Of course, because Eisner has a "pre-Disney" life, we learn about that as well.
The Disney Way: Harnessing the Management Secrets of Disney in Your Company. While the book listed below focuses on customer service, this book focuses on the entire management philosophy that can be applied to any business.
Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney's Success covers what makes Disney and Walt Disney World work. If you are interested in beating your competition, making your customers happy, and doing things right, this book is for you. I have read this book and found it worthwhile--it's short and well written. The author has included a few interesting tidbits about how Disney works "backstage" and the Imagineers do some neat things to make the guests' experiences magical.
The Disney Touch : Disney, ABC & the Quest for the World's Greatest Media Empire is the 1996 update of a corporate biography of The Walt Disney Company since Michael Eisner was brought in as CEO. This book is well written and entertaining.
Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire looks at Walt's brother, Roy, and the role he played in helping Walt build his kingdom.
The Unofficial Disney Companion is a reader's companion to the country's number-one tourist destination by the authors of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. The book takes a look at the vision and operation of the Disney empire, including anecdotal information about the park and Walt Disney himself. Note: I have not read this book myself, so I can't vouch for it.
Books about Walt Disney
The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life is more than a biography of Walt Disney. This book explores how Walt had a sizeable impact on American and even international culture. This book earned high praise from the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review.
Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination that Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom is all about Walt Disney's love of trains and how this passion led to the creation of Disneyland. This book has earned high marks from Amazon.com customers who are and who are not lovers of trains but who enjoy things Disney.
Trivia Books
Disney A to Z : The Updated Official Encyclopedia is the 1998 update to the comprehensive resource on all things Disney written by Dave Smith, Archivist of The Walt Disney Company. A must-have book for any Disney enthusiast.
The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book. The title says it all! Authoried in part by Dave Smith, Archivist of The Walt Disney Company.
The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 2. The sequel.
The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book 3. Another sequel.
But wait--There's More!
