WDW Books -not tour guides!

[fuse04]

I would love to read about WDW, not the usual tour guides but more about how WDW came about and developed over time but also about operations, the size of the logistics just amaze me and how the parks operate such as the trash system at MKM (no not the website ). Can anyone recommend any good books which talk about the WDW?

Also any suggestions as to a biograpghy on Walt?

thanks

 

[OKW Lover]

For WDW - I read "Since the World Began" a few years ago and found it pretty interesting.

For Walt - Bob Thomas wrote "Walt Disney: An American Original" several (15?) years ago thats a pretty good summation of his life work.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I'm reading Project Future by Chad Emerson right now. It just came out this year and it's about the beginning of WDW. Other sites Walt was thinking of, buying the land in Orlando, getting it built after Walt died. So it isn't the whole history, but it tells you about how it began and how it got done. I'm only on the 3rd chapter, but so far it's pretty good.

 

[mikelan6]

May I suggest "Spinning Disney's World" by Charles Ridgway and also "Realityland" by David Koenig.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I read the Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot, I thought that was pretty good. I plan to read the ones for the rest of the parks.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I'm reading Project Future by Chad Emerson right now. It just came out this year and it's about the beginning of WDW. Other sites Walt was thinking of, buying the land in Orlando, getting it built after Walt died. So it isn't the whole history, but it tells you about how it began and how it got done. I'm only on the 3rd chapter, but so far it's pretty good.

I've read Project Future and will be reviewing it on this week's show.

 

[717fan]

You should read "Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando". It's one of my all-time favorites.

 

[uncleleo]

If you haven't already, check out the book reviews at http://www.imaginerding.com, a blog maintained by a Disney fan who also happens to be a librarian. Scroll down to "George's Disney Library"; many of the selections are WDW-related.

Lee

 

[OKW Lover]

I've read Project Future and will be reviewing it on this week's show.

Looking forward to hearing about it. I'm always interested in reading more Disney stuff - especially some of the (more recent) history.

 

[Cyrano]

Here is a list of books about Disney/WDW that I have have.

"Douglas Frantz; Catherine Collins";"Celebration, U.S.A: Living In Disney's Brave New Town";"2000";"Owl Books (NY)";"Paperback";"9780805055610"
"Neil Harris; Erika Doss; Yi-Fu Tuan; Greil Marcus";"Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture Of Reassurance";"1998";"Flammarion";"Hardcover";"9782080136398"
"Imagineers";"The Imagineering Field Guide To Disney's Animal Kingdom At Walt Disney World";"2007";"Disney Editions";"Paperback";"9781423103202"
"The Imagineers";"Imagineering Field Guide To Epcot At Walt Disney World, The";"2006";"Disney Editions";"Paperback";"9780786848867"
"The Imagineers";"Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind-The-Dreams Look At Making The Magic Real";"1998";"Disney Editions";"Paperback";"9780786883721"
"Jeff Kurtti";"Since The World Began: Walt Disney World: The First 25 Years";"1996";"Disney Editions";"Hardcover";"9780786862481"
"Andrew, Lainsbury";"Once Upon An American Dream";"2000";"Univ. Press of Kansas";"Hardcover";"9780700609895"
"Kevin Markey";"Secrets Of Disney's Glorious Gardens";"2006";"Disney Editions";"Hardcover";"9780786855520"
"Charles Ridgway";"Spinning Disney's World: Memories Of A Magic Kingdom Press Agent";"2007";"The Intrepid Traveler";"Hardcover";"9781887140676"
"Jason Surrell";"Pirates Of The Caribbean: From The Magic Kindom To The Movies (Welcome Book)";"2006";"Disney Editions";"Paperback";"9781423107095"
"Bob Thomas";"Walt Disney: An American Original";"1994";"Disney Editions";"Paperback";"9780786860272

I've read Project Future and will be reviewing it on this week's show.

Looking forward to your review Kevin

 

[WaltD4Me]

I've read Project Future and will be reviewing it on this week's show.

Uh-oh, I may not be done by then! Don't give away the ending!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I just finished How to Be Like Walt. I got it for Christmas and enjoyed it. It highlighted certain parts of his life and then at the end of each chapter pointed out the qualities Walt had to get through what he went through. Very interesting because it turns it around to you and how you can apply that to your life.

Spinning Disney's World is on my list to read sometime.

 

[jessrose18]

I am currently reading "The Animated Man" a biography of Walt. Read lots of reviews on Amazon, people seemed to love it. So far only on ch 2 but I can tell you that it is very concise to the point and uses lots of direct quotes in his research. Comes across a little bit like a research paper, but in that way there is no room for author misinterpretation. Life story book focusing on early days in animation....will give full review when done. I am also wanting to read a book on beginings of wdw will check some of these out thanks!

edit: just bought a used copy of since the world began on amazon, thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[mainegal]

I've read Project Future and will be reviewing it on this week's show.

Just for fun, do a mini-review of "Cast Member Confidential".
Or should that go in the Dis Forums DisUnplugged show?

 

[fuse04]

thaks for all the great suggestions and will be looking forward to the review Kevin

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

I have to add my 2 cents for Spinning Disney's World. It was the first book I'd read that wasn't a tour guide or a trivia book. I enjoyed it very much! I'm going to have to look up a few more of these suggestions...thanks for the thread!

 

[5inwonderland]

Hi There!
I read Realityland as well and can vouch for it. I was fascinated by Walt & Roy Disney's early plans, the amount of work that went into their DisneyWorld venture, etc. It was a great, fun read!
Check it out

 

[Tap0033]

Another good book is Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell. Although this book is geared towards business management, it was interesting to found out how Disney World does business and how managers communicate to lower level positions to involve everyone.

 

[Cyrano]

Another good book is Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell. Although this book is geared towards business management, it was interesting to found out how Disney World does business and how managers communicate to lower level positions to involve everyone.

I agree an excellent read

 

[WaltD4Me]

Not exactly Imagineering, but "Pixar Touch The Making of a Company" is a really good book about the beginnings of Pixar and it's dealings with Disney.
I thought it was fascinating.