Best DL Books

[SarafinaPink]

So I am looking for recommendations on the best books written about Disneyland or Walt. I'd like to stay away from tour guide type books (as I have been enough times and visit the board to know the common stories and secrets), and would really like to focus more on the history of Walt and the park and some of the stories of people who worked there, and development of the rides and such. Anyone have any good recommendations?

 

[PrncesKMW]

"Walt Disney: An American Original" by Bob Thomas is very good. It also very closely mirrors the special on Walt that you can sometimes find on CNBC or MSNBC.

Also, Jeff Kurtti's "Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park" is interesting. It gives profiles on the different Imagineer's that worked on the theme parks, and the focus is mainly Disneyland.

 

[PinkBudgie]

The Disneyland Encyclopedia is my favorite. I believe it came out in 2007 so it doesn't have the latest attractions, but otherwise covers every store and attraction in DL since it opened. Very interesting.

For Walt, I enjoyed How to be Like Walt. It takes a character trait and talks about how Walt demonstrated this while going through his entire life story. Interesting and easy to read and makes you think about yourself at the same time.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I love The Disneyland Encyclopedia!

 

[rune_74]

I'm currently reading Walt Disney: The triumph of the american imagination by Neal Gabler and is just excellent. It goes in to a lot of detail back to walts great grand parents.

 

[AquaDame]

I'm currently reading Walt Disney: The triumph of the american imagination by Neal Gabler and is just excellent. It goes in to a lot of detail back to walts great grand parents.

Seconding this one - it delves very deep into his life as it is a biography with tons of things I had never heard about. The parks don't come into it until towards the end (of course) and it is very long, but very good and well thought out. He doesn't gloss over Disney's bad traits (thankfully not many or it might be harder to read, lol!) nor his good ones.

 

[aurorae]

i really like the Moustalgia podcast (not a book, unless you think of it as an audio book). They really get into the history and art of DLR.

 

[pinksand]

Seconding the Mousetalgia podcast. It's awesome.

 

[SarafinaPink]

Thanks, lots of great choices, now I just have to get reading!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Seconding the Mousetalgia podcast. It's awesome.

Uhm... I'm thirding the Moustalgia podcast. They interview some interesting people. You can go back and listen to past podcasts.

 

[tinkermomma]

I really like my Disneyland: The inside story. It's a coffee table book book from the 80's but it has some great history in it I haven't really seen a where else.

I'm pretty excited to check out this mousetalgiq podcast after hearing all this.

 

[PrncesKMW]

I fourth the Mousetalgia podcast! They are quite informative and soooo funny. I am going to the meet-up they are having at the D23 Expo. I usually am not into that sort of thing but I just have to meet them!

 

[colin25]

Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever is a really good book.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I fourth the Mousetalgia podcast! They are quite informative and soooo funny. I am going to the meet-up they are having at the D23 Expo. I usually am not into that sort of thing but I just have to meet them!

How fun. Do you think you'll get "penned"? One time Kristen talked about her "awkward moment" in the Tikki Room and I couldn't stop laughing.

Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever is a really good book.

I love that book too! Found it at DLR a few years ago.

 

[SarafinaPink]

Downloading Mousetalgia now! (omg it's a long one!)

 

[aurorae]

Each show is about an hour. You may want to browse back through the older shows to find ones where they reviewed books, or interviewed Disney Legend type people.

 

[pinksand]

You can search Mousetalgia's show archive for anything you're particularly interested in (a certain ride or show or Imagineer, for example). That's a good way to get into the Mousetalgia podcast. Then before you know it, you are hooked!

See you at the Meetup, PrncesKMW!

 

[SarafinaPink]

Well I just listening to the most recent podcast and you guys were right, I love it! I am downloading old episodes and am really excited about some of the interviews and stories that are in them!