General Information:

Media Type: Book
Type: Parks - Picture
Release Date: 2019-12-03

Geek's Thoughts: Disney’s Land – Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park that Changed the World by Richard Snow. Published in 2019 this book takes you on a journey through the creation of Disneyland. Much of what is discussed in the book I had read in other books over the years but the author combines the stories into a narrative history of the creation of the park.

 

The book starts off like many do talking about the author and his connections to and memories of Disneyland. It then goes into a brief history of Walt Disney and the inspirations leading up to the park. This includes Mickey Mouse, railroading, the Lilly Belle and other entertainment/amusement parks. It then goes into the creation of Disneyland including some of the key people involved such as Buzz Price, C.V. Wood, and Joe Fowler. Other topics include the standard fair of how the park evolved, where it was to be built, financing the park. Chapters chronicle some of the construction challenges and stories leading up to opening day. The opening day ABC broadcast and festivities are featured. The book continue on through the 1959 expansion and Walt plussing the park.

A chapter that stood out to me is the one entitled Dateline Disneyland. In this chapter there is a play by play with transcription of the 90 minute opening day television special that aired on ABC. We have all seen the show and spending the time to read it in full was a unique angle that I appreciated.

I thought this was a good documentation of Disneyland’s creation and early years. If you have a large library of Disneyland history books most of what is discussed in this one you have read before, but there are a couple unique elements and I always find it interesting what stories are included and the framing of each.