Rides from concept to reality: can anyone recommend a book?

[Monkey Monkey]

I would love to see how a ride goes through the stages from idea to construction. It always amazes me to see the minor details in some of the rides - the ones that don't really make a difference in whether the rider enjoys the attraction, but makes the overall experience much more impressive.

If anyone has a book or documentary to recommend, I would really appreciate it!

 

[jasonk5]

I would love to see how a ride goes through the stages from idea to construction. It always amazes me to see the minor details in some of the rides - the ones that don't really make a difference in whether the rider enjoys the attraction, but makes the overall experience much more impressive.

If anyone has a book or documentary to recommend, I would really appreciate it!

I really enjoy Jason Surrell's books (Pirates of Caribbean: From Magic Kingdom to the Movies, Haunted Mansion: From Magic Kingdom to the Movies, and The Disney Mountains). Full of great pictures and excellent stories on the making of the ride from the concept to reality. I also have Since the World Began, which deals with WDW. It's a good book as well, but slightly more dry. I'm sure I have some more, but that's all I can think of for now.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Thanks so much, I will look those up on Amazon!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I've got a book I got at DL for the 50th Anniversary. It's got pictures of them making the whole park, including a lot of the rides. Not sure if you can find it anymore, but I really love it.

 

[RaeRae's Mommy]

I've got a book I got at DL for the 50th Anniversary. It's got pictures of them making the whole park, including a lot of the rides. Not sure if you can find it anymore, but I really love it.

Can you tell use the name of the book? Thanks

 

[Danauk]

I have 3 WDW Field Guides which are really good (MK, Epcot and AK) and I read they are bringing one of these out for DL in the summer which I plan to get. I am tempted to get the Disney mountains book too. I have just finished reading my Disneyland Paris from sketch to reality book which was excellent, very similar to the Imagineers guide to WDW which is also really good. I wish they did a similar book for Disneyland.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Can you tell use the name of the book? Thanks

Sure, I would have last night, but then realised my DH was sleeping and didn't want to rummage through the book case!

It's called: Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever.

By. Bruce Gordon & Tim O'day

Almost every page has some cool pictures, and tells the story of DL.

 

[RaeRae's Mommy]

Sure, I would have last night, but then realised my DH was sleeping and didn't want to rummage through the book case!

It's called: Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever.

By. Bruce Gordon & Tim O'day

Almost every page has some cool pictures, and tells the story of DL.

Thanks for the info.
I'm looking on Amazon and they have a release date of July 30, 2008. Do you think it's been updated?

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Here are some links:

"Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever" ($24.95) (to be released on July 30, 2008)
http://www.amazon.com/Disneyland-Th...=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210780914&sr=1-8

"The Disney Mountains: Imagineering At Its Peak" by Jason Surrell ($13.57)
http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Mounta...Peak/dp/1423101553/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in

"The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies" by Jason Surrell ($13.57)
http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Mansi...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210781332&sr=1-2

"Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies" by Jason Surrell ($15.61)
http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Carib...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210781332&sr=1-3

"The Disney Mountains" has some excellent chapters about the Matterhorn, Space Mountain, and Everest Expedition. A short chapter (2 pages) about the water park at WDW (Typhoon Lagoon) reads more like a Disney sales brochure, but on the whole it's very well done. And it has plenty of photos and colorful drawings, so children will also enjoy it.

"The Haunted Mansion" does a good job of explaining the different HMs at DL, MK, (Tokyo)DL, and DL(Paris). It has plenty of good photos and colorful drawings, although some photos might be a bit much for younger children.

"DL: Then, Now, and Forever" was on sale at DL, last summer, for $12. It's mostly a book of photos. It's a fun book, and it has photos and descriptions of many DL attractions throughout the decades; past and present; and some that never were.

HTH

 

[jasonk5]

Thanks for the info.
I'm looking on Amazon and they have a release date of July 30, 2008. Do you think it's been updated?

I have that book (DL, Then Now and Forever) as well. I'm not so sure that it's getting updated, as maybe Amazon is now able to sell it (previously a Theme Park/Disney Outlet exclusive?)

I also usually buy every book about Disneyland or Disneyworld when I visit the parks as well. This is a good book about the history of Disneyland. Not really specific on rides however that she was looking for. What's cool about it is that it traces what is in the park before the new attraction was there (i.e. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, before that Nature's Wonderland, before that Rainbow Caverns, etc.) I might have gotten the order wrong--a lot of good THAT book did for me!

Anyways, I believe the best books are the Surrell books. Hopefully he'll get around to all the rides!

 

[dbanzai]

There's a coffeetable-type book about Imagineering, which is okay, but I didn't feel it really showed you much about the process.

Are you only looking for books? There are some great DVDs out there. There's a History Channel episode of "Modern Marvels" that focuses on WDW, and discusses the creation of "Soarin'" and shows the erector-set model that one of the Imagineers made one Thanksgiving to develop the ride.

Also, there's one or two collections from the "Disney Treasures" collection, including a fairly new one with Imagineers and Marty Sklar and the likes talking about rides. I bought a similar DVD on my last trip, which talks about both DL and DCA:

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-T...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210869990&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-T...ef=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210869990&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Marvel...ef=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210870178&sr=1-4

The latter one I think may only be available at the parks right now...