Disney Books

[javamoma]

I am looking for a few good disney books (biographys, imagineering, the parks, we are open to all topics) to read before our upcoming trip. I know they have talked about a several on the podcast over the years but nothing is coming to mind other than Lee Cockrell's book which I have alread read (and it was wonderful!). I wish there was a database in which I would search podcast archives for certain topics.

Any suggestions? I am also looking for childrens books as well for both kiddos.

Here are two of our favs we have already read:

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination

DD loves History Makers Bio: Walt Disney (this series of biographys is found at Barnes and Noble and are excellent!)

What do you and/or your kids like to read before a trip (besides watching all the movies and reading the disney story books.)

TIA!

 

[WaltD4Me]

I have read several Disney biographies, my favorites are Building a Company by Bob Thomas, this is Roy O. Disney's biography and I thought it was fascinating. He really was the behind the scenes "get it done" guy. If it weren't for Roy, there never would have been a Disneyland.

Also really good. Spinning Disney's World by Charles Ridgeway and In Service to the Mouse by Jack Lindquist.

Not Disney per se, but one of my other favorites is The Pixar Touch: Making of a Company by David Price. Really good behind the scenes look at how Pixar came to be and what went on with Disney and how Disney almost lost them.

For the kids, my nephew really liked these two.

The Man behind the Magic: The Story of Walt Disney by Katherine Greene

Who Was Walt Disney? by Whitney Stewart

 

[OKW Lover]

About 20 years ago there was a pretty good bio of Walt called Walt Disney: An American Original if I remember correctly.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Pirates of the Caribbean From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
The Haunted Mansion From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies

Those books discuss with pictures the history of these rides and also what the versions are like in other parks. It was here I first discovered that WDW's Haunted Mansion was not in a white mansion. It never occured to me that the building would be different. Very interesting books.

Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends
Designing Disney- Imagineering and the Art of the Show
How to be Like Walt
And I have Spinning Disney's World also

The rest of my books are Disneyland History. I love seeing pictures of "the old days" at Disneyland.

 

[javamoma]

Those all sound awesome and have been added to my amazon wish list! Thanks for the replies!

I did find a small book at the library about the imagineering of EPCOT. Pretty interesting.

 

[717fan]

My favorite Disney book is "Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World & Orlando"

 

[javamoma]

My favorite Disney book is "Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World & Orlando"

Looks good. I had not heard of this one. Thanks!

 

[BriarRosie]

One that I have currently on my Kindle I haven't seen mentioned already:

The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis. He used to work for Disney and is now a "Disney Historian", whatever that means. It's a fun collection of stories, a good book to put down and pick up on any chapter.

 

[kaligal]

About 20 years ago there was a pretty good bio of Walt called Walt Disney: An American Original if I remember correctly.

I've read a lot of books on Disney, some good, some not so good.

I think that's the best one to start with.

 

[PinkBudgie]

One that I have currently on my Kindle I haven't seen mentioned already:

The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis. He used to work for Disney and is now a "Disney Historian", whatever that means. It's a fun collection of stories, a good book to put down and pick up on any chapter.

I just finished that one. It is available to borrow from the Kindle library, which I did.

 

[FireDancer]

Disney War

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

Spinning Disney's World was my favorite so far. I also enjoyed Mousetrapped, by Catherine Ryan Howard . It's written by an Irish woman who worked at Disney for 18 months. Not all about Disney, really, but she's a fan so it's fun.

How old are your kids? There's a book in my classroom library, Mystery at Walt Disney World by Carole Marsh. My students enjoy it, and I read it to my own kids before our last trip. It'd be great for ages 8 and up. But my favorites for kids are the Kingdom Keepers set of books by Ridley Pearson. They're set in the parks, and are a really entertaining fantasy series. Probably ages 10 and up - I read the first one to my fourth-grade students and they enjoyed it. I had to show pictures of the different places they visited in the book for the kids that had never been there, but they seemed to follow along well anyway. There's a new one out set on the cruise line - it's on my list to read this summer. The biography I have that I feel is really accessible for kids is Who Was Walt Disney?

 

[kaligal]

Spinning Disney's World was my favorite so far. I also enjoyed Mousetrapped, by Catherine Ryan Howard .

I really enjoyed "Mousetrapped" and laughed out loud at least once.

 

[pittsburghmarc]

Project Future by Chad Emerson
Walt and the Promise of Progress City by Sam Gennawey
Since the World Began by Jeff Kurtti is a must in any fan's collection
And if you like the imagineering and design aspect of the parks, I strongly recommend...
Designing Disney's Theme Parks: the Architecture of Reassurance by Karal Ann Marling and
Designing Disney by John Hench

 

[javamoma]

Spinning Disney's World was my favorite so far. I also enjoyed Mousetrapped, by Catherine Ryan Howard . It's written by an Irish woman who worked at Disney for 18 months. Not all about Disney, really, but she's a fan so it's fun.

How old are your kids? There's a book in my classroom library, Mystery at Walt Disney World by Carole Marsh. My students enjoy it, and I read it to my own kids before our last trip. It'd be great for ages 8 and up. But my favorites for kids are the Kingdom Keepers set of books by Ridley Pearson. They're set in the parks, and are a really entertaining fantasy series. Probably ages 10 and up - I read the first one to my fourth-grade students and they enjoyed it. I had to show pictures of the different places they visited in the book for the kids that had never been there, but they seemed to follow along well anyway. There's a new one out set on the cruise line - it's on my list to read this summer. The biography I have that I feel is really accessible for kids is Who Was Walt Disney?

Oh my goodness! Each post has so many good suggestions and I only have 1 month until my trip!
The kids are 7 and 2 1/2. DD7 reads books that are at a reading level for 9/10 year olds. Would kingdom keepers be 10 and up due to reading level or content?

 

[TigerTown]

Disney War

I just started reading this one. Its really good so far.



I would also recommend the Kingdom Keepers Series. They are great audio books for the drive down to Florida!

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Highly recommend Kingdom Keepers for your 7 year old. I think it's older due to reading level not content. Also recommend Peter and the Starcatcher series. I enjoyed Project Future, Mousetrapped and Spinning Disney's World.

Laurie

 

[mjallemand]

Just bought these from Amazon.

 

[javamoma]

My library doesn't have any of these except for Kingdom Keepers. Looks like I'll be hitting up amazon too.

 

[bellaally]

Disney wars is the best book ever loved it very informative.