Walt's Disneyland: A Walk in the Park with Walt Disney

Really nice medium sized paperback Disneyland book that covers the park during the years of planning and opening. It manages to cover most of the attractions that Walt Disney had a hand in creating. It’s also filled with endless quotes from Walt regarding the attractions, as well as quotes from those that knew him and were working with him to bring Disneyland to fruition. It felt they were the authors of this book. Each chapter is also a land from Disneyland. The borders of the pages are themed to coincide with that particular land.Overall, I found this book to be really entertaining. I wasn’t sure at first as the bulk of it seemed to cover Main Street USA and Town Square. That was about the first 70 pages or so with the rest donated to the other lands. But there was enough information about the other attractions that I found this to be fascinating.One of the things I gained from Walt Disney from this was his attention to detail. This isn’t surprising as that’s something I’ve always pointed out with others about Disneyland. And that is the detail that is in the park. You’re always noticing something you hadn’t noticed before. I’ve been going to Disneyland since the 1970’s. I was born in 1973 in Southern California. And I can remember when I was a tiny tot my parents would be thumbing through the different lettered tickets that existed back then before you could buy one ticket to enter the park.Another thing I noticed from Walt’s quotes in this was his strong interest in giving the public a magical experience, which means he despised crowds and long lines, and would work to find ways to reduce that. He would stand in the lines himself and walk around the park alone as if he were a guest. He’d hide behind sunglasses and hat hoping no one would notice him there. Sometimes that would work and other times someone might say, “You look like Walt Disney.” In those days there was no internet or constant images of him floating around so that could be the reason behind the uncertainty.The other thing that stood out was Walt’s high standards required of employees to make the experience magical and inviting as well. I’ve found that Disneyland today doesn’t have that anymore as I’ve encountered really horribly rude cast members. This is to the point that not only was it shocking because it came out of nowhere, and unwarranted, but it ended up tainting the park for me. I never forgot it still to this day. And this happened in the latter years post 2000’s. The Disneyland today could benefit from reading this book. They squeezed the magic out of it. Luckily, I’ve been to Disneyland so many times throughout my life that the best times were pre-2010. After that, it started to skyrocket downhill. They really need to figure out what they’re going to do with this crowd situation.In the 1990’s I had an annual passport and I always thought myself and my friends were the only ones. Because even during those days, the park wasn’t as horribly crowded as it is now. Now it’s like a crowd mob there. Throughout the 1990’s and even the early 2000’s there would be days I’d go to Disneyland and it was empty all day. No ride line was more than 10-15 mins max. Was able to do the whole park before 6pm, it would be that empty. It was such a magical place to be. And everyone was friendly there. Those days seem to be long gone and I’m not sure why or what changed. But bringing that up because reading this book made me understand Walt Disney more, and understanding him enough that he’d be appalled to see the way it is now. His messages in this are now far away from what he intended. Not to mention what Disneyland did to Tomorrowland in the latter years. Gutted out his People Movers, America Sings, Adventures of Inner Space, Mission to Mars, the Rocket Ships when they were up on the second floor above the People Movers.This is a beautiful keepsake book if you’re a fan of Disneyland or want to learn the history of the park. It is like being a fly on the wall going on walks with Walt Disney through each of the lands in his park. He seemed like such a great man in general. He had high standards, a keen eye for detail and understood what people would like. He was also a kid at heart in the end with an incredible imagination that he could turn into a concrete idea.

The media could not be loaded. I haven't even read it yet, I enjoy looking at it so much. The mid-century borders, the page tones that feel like a callback to the different colored E-Tickets; the photographs that make me recall how the Park looked in my childhood. And then there are all the pictures of Walt, whose voice and smiling manner I remember from watching The Wonderful World of Disney. It's going to be another experience diving into the words. Can't wait!

Love any books written by Marcy Smothers and Walt’s Disneyland does not disappoint. Reading the book is like walking through Disneyland with Walt Disney himself and you learn so many fascinating facts and history about his Park. I love that the book is softcover so you could actually take it to the park and use it as a walking guide. The book is also full of amazing rare and Beautiful photos of Disneyland and Walt Disney enjoying Disneyland. This book should be in every Disney fan’s library.

Marcy Smother's book was a great read! The layout design and typeset was eye-catching and made her words easy to read and entertaining. The design of her book was perfect. I will definitely have it on my person when I visit Disneyland, so I can put myself in the same spots that Walt Disney was photographed. The stories she wrote about Walt's journey to build Disneyland were well written, full of humor and history. She did her research. I wish that all Disney-related literature could be as entertaining and informative as her book was.

Wonderful. Great reminder of what Disneyland was and should remain. May Walt Disney and all his vision live on forever. May Bob Chapin and his bean counting soon be gone. Before he ruins this "gift to a weary world" (Julie Andrews. Love that this official "Disney Editions" book pays tribute to Walt Disney and keeps the legend alive, even though the Disney family is no longer involved in the company. This is a beautiful book and very low priced as it is a paperback. Although not a coffee table book, it is high quality throughout.

For any disney fan !

This is a wonderful and colorful history about the Disneyland park and its beginnings presented by the man who dreamed it all into reality. The book is chock full of both color and black & white photos, quotes and thoughts by the man himself as he explores all aspects of his first Magic Kingdom. A very nice journey for any Disneyland fan.

I love this book. So glad I bought it.

O livro detalha cada atração dos parques nos seus primeiros anos de funcionamento, com o olhar de Walt Disney. Há ótimas fotos de arquivo, algumas ocupando páginas inteiras. Tem grande valor histórico e retrata uma época da Disneyland que criou as bases para os parques temáticos que temos hoje em dia.

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This book is a treasure trove of the stories and photos of Walt Disney at his beloved Disneyland Park - the only Disney Park he actually set foot in. If I have one criticism it is that it isn't a much larger format coffee table kinda book with better paper quality for the pages, as this tends to effect the sharpness of the images somewhat. However, that aside this is ideal for any student Disney has a rich resource And for any diehard Disney family just wants to know everything that there possibly could be to know about Walt Disney and the theme park he promised would "never be completed as long as there is imagination left in the world". Every Disney fans dream

A good book with a few little known facts even for the most hardcore Disneyland fans (I think!). Recommended.

Love this book!