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“Okay, are there any books with the word ‘Disney’ in the title NOT on your
birthday list?â€
“Of course, dear, the ones already on my shelf.
"
Silly husband.
Hi, I´m Pat, and you may have heard by now that I love Disney books. So much
so that yes, there were more than a few Disney books on the Amazon wish list.In
self defense, it wasn´t only Disney books... there also were some Disney DVD´s
on there too. I had to move the old kid books to the basement and the bookshelf
is still overflowing, so time for another Off the Shelf column!
These
are not professional reviews, so no stars or ears or other ratings systems. Just
more of a casual look at the titles in my collection. So, come along and check
out what I´ve taken Off the Shelf for us to enjoy today!
Today´s Books: The Imagineering Field Guide to The Magic Kingdom
and The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot
Authors: Alex Wright and the Disney Imagineers
Publication: Disney Editions, New York, NY. ©2005 (MK) and ©2006
(Epcot)
Amazon.com links:
These books are what Disney geeks like me dream of. Promising "Facts,
Figures, Photos, Stories, Concept Art and More," and written by "The
Imagineers," they are the guide for those who truly want the inside
story.
Both books start with "Imagineering 101," a brief history of Walt Disney
Imagineering, and a listing with descriptions of the current disciplines WDI
encompasses. The handy guide to Imagineering lingo is a great way to impress
your friends next visit; try this one in front of the new entrance to Pirates
of the Caribbean: "Well, when they held the charrette about plussing the
area development, it was decided that some fresh propping and new BGM would
really improve the wienie."
From that point on, the books travel from the front entrance through every
corner of the parks, back in time and to the present. Each attraction gets its
own treatment, in some combination of illustrations and photos, history and
explanation, facts and secrets. There is a lot packed onto each page!
I love how the books zoom in to focus on a small detail, like where the
bricks came from in the wall behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe, and then
soar back out again to explain how the path from the Haunted Mansion all
the way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is chronologically and
geographically themed. Or over in Epcot, how the red, white and blue color
pallet of the American Adventure actually uses four different shades of
white paint, and the reason Italy´s plaza is a mirror-image of the original is
because when viewed from across the lagoon, the buildings on that side of World
Showcase looked out of balance if the plaza was in it´s proper orientation. It
brings a sense of just how detail-oriented the Imagineers must be, making sure
nothing that the guest can see - large, small, or in-between - disrupts the
carefully created fantasy lands of the theme parks.
The books are printed in the size of a true field guide, approximately 7 1/2"
tall and 4" wide, perfect for carrying with you to the parks. But there is so
much detailed text, definitely read them before your trip and then take them
along for reference. Then you can discover if you can see with an Imagineer´s
eye.
My one complaint about these books: the tiny photos. Some of the concept art
photos are as small as a square inch. I would have liked to really be able to
see these rarely-seen pieces of history. The small size is hard to avoid
in the pocket-sized format of the book, with the amazing amount of text and
graphics on each page.
These guides will definitely find a place in my suitcase next trip, and I am
looking forward to the Imagineering Guides to Disney-MGM Studios and Disney´s
Animal Kingdom, whenever they may be published.
Have you read this book? Or do you have a suggestion for something I might
want to add to my bookshelf? Discuss it in our Disney
Books sub forums!
Pat is on the DisneyWorldTrivia.com staff, and you can read about her here.
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