Good Disneyland Books?

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Right now I am in the FULL Disney planning swing. Every free chance I get I either think about, talk about, or plan for Disneyland! But noooo, I'm not obsessed or anything. It's perfectly healthy.

Anyway, I can't always come on these boards to satisfy my craving, so I thought I should get some good books about Disneyland to help pass the time when I'm not here!

What books about Disneyland would you recommend? Right now I'm 100% into planning, so Disneyland vacation planning books would be great! But I'm also open to any books about Disneyland history, Fun facts, I hear there are hidden mickey books? Anything really would be fine! I would also prefer that it's not a book I would have to order online(like if it were a few years old). I'd like to be able to pick up these books at my local Barnes&Noble or something. But of course, if it's a REALLY awesome book I just shouldn't pass up but could only get online, feel free to throw that my way too. Thanks folks!

 

[l’amore bella]

I really like "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland." It's filled with great tips to that are helpful when you're planning a trip to Disneyland.

 

[Pomlover2586]

I highly recommend "Mouse Tales" and "More Mouse Tales" these two have a lot of hidden facts/trivia/ and rumored tales within them. Also "Disneyland Detective" is very good!

 

[specialks]

There are 4 books I really enjoy looking at:

1) I also really like "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009 (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)" ISBN-10: 0470285664. There are some errors in the book and there is a whole thread on the boards about the errors. I can't find the posting right now but maybe you could look for it.

2) "Birnbaum's Disneyland Resort 2009 (Paperback)" ISBN-10: 1423110501. It has some really great photos of the areas and rides. This is the "Official" Disney guidebook.

3) "Fodor's Disneyland and Southern California with Kids, 9th Edition (Special-Interest Titles) (Paperback)" ISBN-10: 1400019214.

4) "Disneyland's Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to the Disneyland Resort's Best-Kept Secrets (Paperback)" ISBN-10: 1887140700. Great book that helps you look for some hidden Mickeys while in the park.

Most of these (not Hidden Mickeys) are around 30% off at the online store that begins with an 'A' and is also the name of a rainforest in Brazil. Also, if you order $25 you get free shipping.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I love the Disneyland Encyclopedia! It would be a great read before you go. It tells every attraction that ever existed at DL. Love that book! Amazingly, my DH just told me the other day that he knew someone who wrote a book on DL. When he told me the name I ran and got my copy of the DL Encylopedia. I couldn't believe that he knew the guy who wrote this book all this time! I would have given him my copy for him to sign! Anyway, too late now because I don't know if he will be seeing him again.

At DLR this trip I picked up two books that seem good. Disneyland Then, Now, and Forever has great pics of Disneyland all through the years. I also got Behind the Magic 50 years of DL. I haven't read that one yet but it looks good. These are more history of DL books. Don't know if those are just available at the parks though. You might keep your eye out for them when you go.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

was looking forward to getting the new Hidden Mickey DLR book for our trip but it looks like they pushed back the release date from Aug. 25 to Sept. 16....the last day of our trip!

 

[gcatt]

What about books that take place at Disneyland, or include Disneyland as part of the action? The perfect book for my kids would be "Nancy Drew and the Disneyland Secret," or something like that -- however it doesn't look as if our intrepid sleuth has ever ventured to DLR. Any ideas for kids/tweens' books that have a Disneyland setting?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I love the Disneyland Encyclopedia! It would be a great read before you go. It tells every attraction that ever existed at DL. Love that book!

I have this one and love it too!

 

[PinkBudgie]

What about books that take place at Disneyland, or include Disneyland as part of the action? The perfect book for my kids would be "Nancy Drew and the Disneyland Secret," or something like that -- however it doesn't look as if our intrepid sleuth has ever ventured to DLR. Any ideas for kids/tweens' books that have a Disneyland setting?

There is a book called Disneyland Hostage, a mystery adventure for kids that is one of a series. I have never read it so can't say how it is. They have it at Amazon. It says for grades 6-8.

 

[cannp123165]

I would definitely recommend the Unofficial Guide. Mouse Tales makes for some interesting reading too.

 

[disheadz]

Disneyland Encyclopedia is great and of course the Unofficial Guide...

 

[disneydreamer74]

I like the Disneyland Passporter. IF you are a OCD planner like myself, it is perfect. It is a guidebook and an organizer in one. There are envelope page thingy's in the back to put all important info-hotel confirmations, tickets, etc.There is a rubberrband around the spiral book to hold it closed. I swear by this book and I will use it again for upcoming trip. It has plenty of space for each day of your trip to write down all reservations, etc. I go mine last year on Amazon for like $10.00. Great price.

 

[Sherry E]

I want to get the 3 books that Pink Budgie mentioned (the Encyclopedia and the other two). Where were those, Budgie? In Disneyana? Or somewhere else?

This is not a book, but if you want to see where a BUNCH of the Hidden Mickeys in DLR are (not all of them, but way more than the ones mentioned in the book), check out this Hidden Mickey website:

http://www.hiddenmickeysguide.com/catalog.php?id=27.

The link is to the Disneyland Section, but there is also a section for California Adventure, the 3 hotels, Downtown Disney, the parking structure, etc. The HM book only really gives you a few of the Cast Member "confirmed" Hidden Mickeys. But this website will show you all kinds of them all over DLR that are unconfirmed. The CMs want us to find them on our own so they don't want to spoil the fun, and sometimes they will manipulate landscapes or details to almost look like a Hidden Mickey even if it really is not one! There could be Hidden Mickeys in anything - food, plantlife, dark corners of rides, cement, carpets - but some of them are impossible to find, and without this Hidden Mickey website I would not know about most of them!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

One of the best books about Disneyland history is "Disneyland: The Nickel Tour" by Bruce Gordon & David Mumford. It is out of print since 2000 and while there are copies around, the prices start around $250 and go up from there. I requested it from our local library as an inter-library loan and am currently sitting here in CA reading a copy from the Nashville Public Library. So if you are in Nashville, I am reading as fast as I can (it is very detailed) and will return it soon! -- Suzanne

 

[Eeee-va]

What about books that take place at Disneyland, or include Disneyland as part of the action? The perfect book for my kids would be "Nancy Drew and the Disneyland Secret," or something like that -- however it doesn't look as if our intrepid sleuth has ever ventured to DLR. Any ideas for kids/tweens' books that have a Disneyland setting?

I believe Keith Robertson's children's book "Henry Reed's Journey" has the title character traveling across the country, I think, and includes some of Disneyland. I believe it's out of print now, though--it was published in 1963, so when I read it in the 1980s I did not understand why they had a scene taking place on mules. I didn't think kids would like it today but one website has a review from someone who says she's a teacher, saying how eager her students were for her to read the next chapter. Not sure what the motivation would be in putting up a false review of an out-of-print book, so maybe it IS fun for kids? I don't remember if I still have my copy or not but I'll look for it Sunday.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I want to get the 3 books that Pink Budgie mentioned (the Encyclopedia and the other two). Where were those, Budgie? In Disneyana? Or somewhere else?

Disneyland Then and Now is all over the stores at DLR. They had them at World of Disney by the register, but I saw them everywhere. It is a hard cover book and sells for $25. I used my Disney Dollars on it. The other book is soft cover and is $10. I think it came out as part of something for the 50th anniversary. It has less pics but the lady at the shop said it had more info. I haven't started that one yet. I bought that one at the little collectable store that is next to Market House. I don't remember the name. They had a little section of books there.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I want to get the 3 books that Pink Budgie mentioned (the Encyclopedia and the other two). Where were those, Budgie? In Disneyana? Or somewhere else?

I got the Disneyland Encyclopedia on Amazon....

 

[Sherry E]

Disneyland Then and Now is all over the stores at DLR. They had them at World of Disney by the register, but I saw them everywhere. It is a hard cover book and sells for $25. I used my Disney Dollars on it. The other book is soft cover and is $10. I think it came out as part of something for the 50th anniversary. It has less pics but the lady at the shop said it had more info. I haven't started that one yet. I bought that one at the little collectable store that is next to Market House. I don't remember the name. They had a little section of books there.

I almost got the "Then, Now and Forever" book back in 2007, but didn't. So I have to decide if the Fun Card is going towards that or if I am saving it for the holidays! It sounds like you may have gotten the "Behind the Magic" book at Disneyana. They do have small book section - actually I have gotten some of my best souvenirs at that shop in the past - and that sounds like where that book would be carried. They used to sell the really great books like "The Art of Mickey Mouse" (love the picture that Charles Schulz drew of Snoopy and Mickey Mouse together) and "The Disney Poster" and "The Disney Villain."

I got the Disneyland Encyclopedia on Amazon....

I almost ordered the Encyclopedia from Amazon recently. I love that not only does it list every single ride and attraction that ever was, but it also lists every restaurant and every shop too, correct? I love to remember the shops and restaurants of the old days that I may have forgotten. I wonder if it mentions Space Mist anywhere (that was the punch they used to sell in Tomorrowland at a little refreshment stand which is no longer there). Anyway, I convinced myself that maybe I would be able to find it at DLR and could use my Fun Card on it, but I have not heard if DLR is selling it anywhere. They must have it somewhere - World of Disney, maybe?

There are also some great books with recipes from many of the restaurants in DLR. I have an old one. I want an updated one. That $69 will not last very long!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I didn't see the Encylopedia at DLR, but I did see it at Compass Books in DTD. Don't know if they take the fun card or not. It doesn't have the latest attractions like Tinkerbell Hollow and a few others because the book is now a year or two old. DH said the guy was considering doing an update. ( That still kills me that I didn't get the chance to have DH tell him how much I like the book!) It also has all the Disney Legends in it and talks about what they did and what window they have on Main Street.


It must have been Disneyana I got the other one from. I was also looking at a small matted print of the Tikki Room poster and almost got that there. They also had a book called Spinning Disney that I might look up and buy with my Barnes and Noble gift card. Has anyone read that one?

 

[MickeyEars]

I just purchased the Disneyland Encylopedia a couple of days ago and it's a great book!!! Yes, it does list all the restaurants and shops. I'm glad that I saw it mentioned here on this thread so thanks for the head's-up!!!

Carla