Book Recommendations

BrandonH · Post by **BrandonH** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:44 pm

I have a few book recommendations from Amazon relating to Disney theme parks, and I was wondering what you thought of them. Are any of them must-buys for fans of the parks/attraction, is there any overlap between the titles, and is any of the information in these books available online?

Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
101 Things You Never Knew About Disneyland
Mouse Under Glass: Secrets of Disney Animation and Theme Parks
Mouse Tales
More Mouse Tales
Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Sescrets, History, & Fun Facts Behind the Magic

Any input is appreciated. I find observations from UD members much more helpful than random Amazon.com reviews.[/i]

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:24 pm

Not sure about the others, but I can highly recommend the first two. They offer an extensive coverage of the rides, more so than the movies, and that is probably what you are wanting more than the movie info (if you are posting in this forum)! The author, Jason Surrell, has a forthcoming book about 'Disney's Mountains' that also sounds interesting.

By the way, I started a thread about Park books a little while ago, including some forthcoming ones and a couple of reviews I did for recent ones:

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=14688

Hope that is some help.

Mr. Toad · Post by **Mr. Toad** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:56 pm

Mouse Tales. Full of inside information and funny stories.

FantasiaMan · Post by **FantasiaMan** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:30 pm

The Disney Imagineering book is pretty interesting to read.

MichaeLeah · Post by **MichaeLeah** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:29 pm

I also have Imagineering and I think it is fantastic. I also own The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and I think they are both excellent. They are a lot of fun to use in the parks.

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:44 am

MichaeLeah wrote:I also have Imagineering and I think it is fantastic. I also own The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and I think they are both excellent. They are a lot of fun to use in the parks.

Ok, I have that one too. Completely forgot about it. You've forced me into doing a mini book review thingy.

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0 ... ZZZZZ_.jpg" height=100width=77">
Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look At Making the Magic Real
While I don't actually own this one, I have it out on permanent loan from the library I work in. It is an essential volume full of sketches, concept art and many attractions that never came to be from around the world. The only problem is that is was obviously written under tight scrutiny by Mr. Michael Eisner, as they are constantly praising him throughout the book.

<img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/07868 ... 71406_.jpg" height=120 width=120">

Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens (Disney Editions - June 2006): After many delays, this book finally arrives in glorious hardcover format. If you've ever been to a Disney park, you'll appreciate that a lot of effort has gone into making it bright and beautiful and green all the year 'round. This book is far more than just a collection of photos showcasing these gardens, although it does serve that function in part, but it is really more of a gardening guide for the reader. It isn't quite like your traditional garden book either, but it does provide handy hints as to how to make your own potting mix, when the right time to plant is and so forth.

After a brief introduction about the history of the parks, the book goes on to cover specific topics such as building an entry arbor; selecting the right plants for your region; planting a productive potting garden; and getting the right colour/border mixture. From there, a great section entitled 'Setting the Mood' examine the ways in which you can re-create the 'feel' of a Haunted Mansion through to Tomorrowland by choosing the right plants and arranging them. The 'International Flora' section concentrates largely on the World Showcase at the Walt Disney Resort in Florida, while the final section, enticingly titled 'Trade Secrets', examines how they make those topiary animals and floral portraits, such as the one at the Main Entrance of Disneyland. Maybe one day your garden will look as good as Disney's - of course, I'd be nice to have the land and money they have too.

Probably for serious Disney Park enthusiasts only, and those that have an eye for gardening. To be honest, I just enjoy looking at the pictures.

<img src="http://albums.mouseplanet.com/MPPromoti ... dCover.jpg" width=77 height=100>

Around the World with Disney (Disney Editions - May 2006): Previously available as a Theme Park exclusive, this attractive hardcover volume does just what the title promised - takes you around the world with Disney. With the exception of the Hong Kong park, all of the theme parks are represented: Disneyland, Walt Disney World Florida, Tokyo and Paris. By no means a perfect book - it spends some 12 pages on the Carousels of the parks, while it only spends 8 on the unique and variety Haunted Mansions, Pirates of the Caribbean and Tower of Terror combined - it reads more like an in-park souvenir guide than a serious comparison of the parks. If you are content to simply look at pictures of the theme parks, and given how far I am from a Disneyland pictures will have to suffice for now, this is a beautifully presented pictorial of the Disney parks that is easy to recommend as a gift or a coffee table book. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a more in-depth overview of the park, you may have to look elsewhere.

This next review I've taken from my older summary (with Luke) of the books of 2005:

<img src="http://www.laughingplacestore.com/image ... /6036M.jpg" width=74 height=100>

Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever
Disney Editions, May 2005, SRP: $24.95

Disneyland celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2005, and you can bet that the merchandising machine is taking advantage of it. While we all wait for the visual wonders that the long-delayed Secrets, Stories & Magic of the Happiest Place on Earth DVD will hold, Disney Editions has brought a glorious 190-page celebration of the history of the California Resort. In much the same vein as the long out-of-print Disneyland: The First Quarter Century and Disneyland: The First Thirty Years, Imagineer Bruce Gordon and marketing executive/Disney expert Tim O'Day bring us a nostalgic look at the history of the original Disneyland Park, and its California Adventure extension. After brief introductions from actress Julie Andrews, who is the Honorary Homecoming Ambassador, and Michael Eisner, former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, we are given a wonderful visual and textual history of the park. Accompanying the informative text is an enormous collection of sketches, maps and early construction photos of many of the major attractions that now populate the park. In addition to those rides and attractions that still remain, we get an inside look at long-extinct attractions such as Submarine Voyage and Indian Village, which predates both Bear Country and Critter Country. Indeed, the best part of this book is the wealth of images of a Disneyland past, along with a section dedicated to unbuilt attractions, such as International Street and Liberty Street. Even the most dedicated Disneyland aficionado is bound to find something new or exciting about this book. This is about as close to a definitive Disneyland book that we are going to get for a long time. Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever is presently available through Disney Theme Parks and Downtown Disney only.

Another previously park exclusive that has JUST become available through Amazon is the magnificent Art of Disneyland. This is currently sailing over the waves to me right now,

An excellent review of that can be found here.

Other books I can recommend if you can track them down on ebay:

- Disneyland: The First Quarter Century
- Disneyland: The First Thirty Years
- Any of the souvenir books

goofystitch · Post by **goofystitch** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:45 pm

I can reccomend "Walt Disney Imagineering," "Designing Disney" by John Hench, "The Imagineer's Field Guide to Epcot," as well as the Pirates and Haunted Mansion book. They were all fantastic!

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:53 am

Just got this one so I thought I'd do a bit of a review:

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1 ... 44093_.jpg" height=120 width=120" align=left>Art of Disneyland (Disney Editions - September 2006)/140 pages/Jeff Kurti & Bruce Gordon

With Disneyland celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2005, Disney wasted no opportunity to publicize that milestone. With some excellent books being published over the last year - including the comprehensive park-exclusive Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever (reviewed above) - Disneyland fans have been spoiled for choice.

This latest entry, another one that was previously exclusively available in the theme parks but has now been released to the wider market, is one of the most beautiful yet. Rather than taking a nostalgic look at the different eras of the park, or even the technical aspects of the ride-making and Imagineering, this concentrates purely on the concept art that has either been used a model for beloved rides and attractions (or even the park itself), or has at the very least inspired the Imagineers to reach for the stars.

After a brief introduction from recently retired Imagineering legend Marty Sklar, the reader is taken through the park land by land with concept art; sketches and paintings of what would eventually become - and sometimes not become - fixtures of our favourite theme park. Covering everything from initial park concept art to Indiana Jones, artists include such big Disney names as Mary Blair, Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle, John Hench and Herbert Ryman and commentary is provided where appropriate. While there is some repeition with previous books on the marker - particularly the aforementioned Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever - and Disneyland buffs are sure to have seen much of this material before, the sheer volume of art and coffee table value alone is enough to keep most fans interested.

Gurgi30 · Post by **Gurgi30** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:45 pm

I'm not sure where to put this but I've seen reviews on here before. Anyways, I have the following four books and I have enjoyed them all.

The Imagineering Guide to EPCOT
The Imagineering Guide to the Magic Kingdom
Disney A-Z: The Official Encyclopedia (3rd Edition)
Leonard Maltin's The Disney Films (4th Edition)

I've pre-ordered the following:
Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park
The Imagineering Guide to the Animal Kingdom
The Disney Mountains: Imagineering At Its Peak

For those of you that read Disney books, is there anything that I have missed or that is coming out soon that I should look for? I've only started reading them lately and I'm looking for new Disney books to add to my collection. Thank you.

darth_deetoo · Post by **darth_deetoo** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:12 pm

The Art of Walt Disney

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination (although a bit heavy going)

Disney: The Ultimate Visual Guide - not the most in-depth read, but has some nice layouts, and is a good visual history of the Walt Disney Company (includes films and theme parks)

I also got a nice book secondhand, so I don't know what the availability is like now:-

Disney's Art of Animation - goes in depth behind the scenes on Beauty and the Beast

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:05 am

Couple of good threads on this from a while back:

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=16223

and

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... hp?t=14688

although the last one is a budget version of the first one

Gurgi30 · Post by **Gurgi30** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:27 pm

I was trying to find those links as I remembered the second one. I even used the Search function but I couldn't find them. Thanks for directing me to them.

Loomis: I really enjoy your book reviews. Ultimate Disney should set-up a book review page like the CD Roundup page where people can review the books that have released in the last quarter. BTW, have you read anything new lately that would be a good addition? I see that you haven't reviewed anything since last September.

Darth_Detoo: Thanks for the suggestions I'll check them out.

I decided to buy the following three books:
The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
Around the World with Disney
Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show

I'll report back after I've received them.

Gurgi30 · Post by **Gurgi30** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:20 pm

I forgot to mention a book that I suggest everyone check out. It's called Mickey and the Gang: Classic Stories in Verse. It's published by Gemstone Publishing and includes all of the stories that were published in Good Housekeeping between 1934 and 1944. It's mainly shorts retold but it does an excellent job. If you enjoy disney shorts or comic books this would be an excellent addition to your library. There are two versions. I got the softcover which has a list price of $29.99 and there is a Hardcover with a list price of $149.99. I would have loved to have gotten that one but it's way out of my price range. Here is the solicitation from Gemstone...

MICKEY AND THE GANG CLASSIC STORIES IN VERSE
by Various From 1934 to 1944, Good Housekeeping magazine transformed Disney's latest Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy cartoons into rollicking, rhyming short stories, each masterfully illustrated by watercolor artists Tom Wood and Hank Porter. Now all 124 of these legendary features are finally collected in one coffee-table size book - and grounded in history, via a wealth of contemporary Disney animation art and ephemera! You'll see hundreds of rare cartoon story sketches by Carl Barks and others; previously-unreprinted Floyd Gottfredson comics; rare Mickey merchandise and much, much more. Experience Disney's Good Housekeeping pages in context with the world of Disneyana their original readers knew! Available in Softcover and Limited Hardcover editions.

Loomis · Post by **Loomis** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:18 pm

Gurgi30 wrote:Loomis: I really enjoy your book reviews. Ultimate Disney should set-up a book review page like the CD Roundup page where people can review the books that have released in the last quarter. BTW, have you read anything new lately that would be a good addition? I see that you haven't reviewed anything since last September.

There was one brief book round-up done a few years back, which I'm proud to say I was involved in:

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/books-2005.html

As far as Disneyland/Disney parks books go, there haven't been many released since September last year.

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1 ... 03400_.jpg" align=left>There are a few much-delayed ones I'm waiting on including:

- Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park: Originally slated for a March 2006 release, this highly-anticipated Jeff Kurti book is considered lost by most, although I'm still holding out for that September 2007 release date that Disney are quoting...

Also due out later this year is the groovy-looking The Disney Mountains: Imagineering At Its Peak by Jason Surrell (the guy that did the Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion books). It promises tp look at all of Disney's 'Mountains', which will presumably include Splash Mountain, the Matterhorn and from the cover (pictured, left), Expedition Everest.

I wonder if this will also include Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? Whatever the case is, I'm really looking forward to something that is being billed as a "128 page" book. His last two books have been outstanding examples of Disney books, and this one is sure to be up there with the best.

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:49 pm

I only have "Building a Dream: the Art of Disney Architecture." I haven't had a chance to go through it though. Got it as a gift and was very happy to receive it though. I also have a book on EPCOT Center that came out before the park opened, I believe. That's great for looking back at the awesome rides that are long gone.

Besides that, I only have some Birnbaum's Walt Disney World books from various years, because I love getting those before a trip (though I probably only have 2 or 3, despite having made around 8 trips or so out there). And, I highly recommend the Disney Trivia books for someone who is heading out there. I have the first... 3 I think. I know I still need one, but I think it's number 4. I think they only made four.

kbehm29 · Post by **kbehm29** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:05 pm

The Walt Disney Trivia book is great - you can also bring it to the parks to waste time in the lines with.

The author of the book is really nice, too. He has a great board of his own. If you order the book through his website, he'll autograph it for you.

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 7:51 pm

kbehm29 wrote:The Walt Disney Trivia book is great - you can also bring it to the parks to waste time in the lines with.

The author of the book is really nice, too. He has a great board of his own. If you order the book through his website, he'll autograph it for you.

Is this a new/different one? The ones I have are soft back books that have had around 4 volumes (not sure if there were more, but I still need the 4th). They were different colors and I guess the first came out in the early 90s.

kbehm29 · Post by **kbehm29** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:45 am

The one I'm referring to only has two volumes, I believe:

The Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic by Louis A. Mongello
-and-
The Walt Disney World Trivia Book, Volume 2: More Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic (Paperback)
by Louis A. Mongello (Author)

His website, if I'm allowed to post it: http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:09 am

I have quite a collection of Disney books none theme park related, as the Theme Parks are not yet an area I have covered much. I have often thought of picking up many theme park books, espescially pondering recently over 'The Art of Disneyland'.

What I would ask, (and I'm sure Loomis will know), I tend to be more drawn to the days past of Disneyland, the 50s and 60s more than recent goings on. What books are more geared towards that period (I assume the Haunted Mansion and Pirates books will feature their histories) but what about everything else?

slave2moonlight · Post by **slave2moonlight** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:58 pm

kbehm29 wrote:The one I'm referring to only has two volumes, I believe:

The Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic by Louis A. Mongello
-and-
The Walt Disney World Trivia Book, Volume 2: More Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic (Paperback)
by Louis A. Mongello (Author)

His website, if I'm allowed to post it: http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/

Oh, so those are just about the parks! Man, I want those! The ones I have had a few different sections. They had Animation, Live-Action, Disney World, Disneyland, and possibly some others. I'm not sure if those are the actual section titles, but it was something like that.

DVDizzy Forum

Latest Movie Reviews

🎬 DVDizzy Top Stories️️

Book Recommendations

Book Recommendations

Disney Book Recommendations

Book Recommendation