A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World: Volume 1

by Andrew Kiste, Bob McLain (Editor)

History Made MagicalIn A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World, Andrew Kiste not only pulls back the pixie dust curtain on some of the most iconic rides in the Magic Kingdom, but also pulls back the next curtain, revealing the historical and cultural influences that inspired Walt Disney and his Imagineers.

Did you ever wonder why Walt wanted a Jungle Cruise? Or how closely his pirates were based on real pirates? Or why the original conception for Tomorrowland didn't work out? Or how the Crystal Palace is really the work of a forgotten Victorian architect?

Learn the history BEHIND the history of such popular Magic Kingdom locations and attractions



Main Street, U.S.A.: It's always the Fourth of July on Main Street, and everything there has a purpose that might surprise you.

Jungle Cruise: Despite the skipper humor, this ride has its roots in European colonialism and the scramble for Africa.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Yo ho ho, me hearties, but did the real pirates of the Caribbean act like those in Adventureland?

Crystal Palace: The first two Crystal Palaces burned to the ground; how much is Disney's popular restaurant their carbon copy?

Tomorrowland: Disney's original plan to faithfully represent the future fell apart when the future didn't cooperate.

Find out where the Imagineers got THEIR ideas!

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel

140 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 23, 2015

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book much more than I actually did. It seemed like a perfect book for me - all about Disney World! But the title was a little misleading, in my opinion, because I was expecting it to be about the history of Disney World, not the possible historic events that inspired some of the different attractions, restaurants, and areas of Disney World.

My edition of the book was actually the bind up of volumes 1 and 2, which is not an option on GR, but my feelings towards both parts remains the same, so I am only doing one review for the book.

There were definitely aspects of the book that I found interesting. As someone who does not have a very strong background in history, I am always interested to learn more about different historical events. However, going back to what I said earlier, I was really expecting this to be more about Disney World itself, as opposed to a history book, which made it frustrating at times to read.

Additionally, it seems like the author was unable to make up his mind on if he wanted the book to be historical, ride walkthroughs, or autobiographical, as he incorporated all three elements into the book, in a way that I don't think was beneficial to what he was trying to accomplish. By trying to teach the reader the history that inspired different attractions, there was no need for personal anecdotes recalled from prior trips with his family. I can understand the point of the ride walk through was to explain the history for each part of the ride, but I felt that the way that it was written was a little jarring.

Moreover, I don't think the book was edited very well, as I saw typos and some facts were contradicted. I also noticed that there were many instances in which the author claimed something was controversial, but then didn't explain why it was controversial, which just made it confusing.

On a more personal note, most of the attractions that were spoken about in the book were ones that I have little interest in, which made my interest in the book as a whole decline, solely because it was more challenging to get through those parts.

If you're a fan of history and of Disney, I could see this book being a decent resource because it does bridge the two. But if you're looking for more information on the history behind Disney World itself, this book is not for you, as there is very little in terms of actual Walt Disney World history.

[Dolores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat interesting but he used the words "historically inaccurate" WAY TOO MANY TIMES and he also repeated some of what he had previously said which made it a little wordy

[Megan Spaulding · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book in December of 2018. I'm sure there are history readers that love this book. I thought it was so dry and boring that it took me 5 years to finish. It's not Disney history, it's the history behind the inspiration for the attractions. For example: the dumbo section is largely about the history of the circus, the pirates section about pirates, spaceship earth about civilization, etc. I am glad to be finished and am glad there are people out there who love it. I'm just not a history buff I suppose.

[Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting for the Disney fan

Some places of the Magic Kingdom feel like a travel through time. These books teach us about the history behind the attractions we all love.
I will surely keep on reading Kiste books!

[Trish Bachman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is NOT an insider look at some of Disney World's most popular attractions, but rather a look through a historical lens. Disney fans will LOVE the detailed scenes in this book.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am heading to Disney World next week and thought I would pick up one of my books as a good refresher. I knew this would be about history, but I didn’t want a history lesson throughout the entire book.

I skimmed most of it. This one will be donated.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

For hardcore Disney nerds, this is an interesting look at both the history of Disney World and the historical details that inspired attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise.

[Ashley Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adore Disney. I'm fascinated by history. I should've LOVED this book. The fact that I didn't is saying something.

The author's passion for both Disney and history is clear, but it unfortunately read like an overzealous term paper. The biggest problem is that the author goes so deep into the various histories that he's unable to tie everything back to Disney . . . which is the whole point of the book. He goes on tangents that are completely irrelevant. The best part of the book was by far the first section about Main Street, USA, because he kept the focus on only the bits of history that related back to Disney World.

The author really needed to consider his readers more. The appeal of the book was based on it's in-depth exploration of Disney World—needless to say, it was disappointing that the actual information about Disney was in short supply.

[rhiannon ⛈️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was expecting. I thought it would be about the history of the parks, not historical things that inspired the parks and rides. But it turns out I still enjoyed this because I happen to really enjoy any type of history. Wouldn’t recommend to people who don’t enjoy history. But if you enjoy history and Disney you’ll enjoy it.

Also I got this in bind up so I’m technically only halfway through the physical book.

[Carrie Pugh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry but I had to stop reading this! I was expecting the history of the rides not a discussion of agree each motif came from. My hopes of this book was thoughts from imagineers on how each story came to life not an entire chapter on a building in London that the author said several times has nothing to do with the build of the Crystal palace.

[Lupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Disney and you enjoy history, this is a different angle on both because it combines world and US history with Disney architecture. I learned quite a bit about both, but I'm not sure most people would appreciate this.

[Katelynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a history nerd, I loved all the historical parts. But what kept me really intrigued were all the interesting details the author included about the parks. It was like a literary Easter egg hunt where the author does all the hard work and shows you where all the best eggs are.

[Shauna Daponde · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the combined Volume 1 and Volume 2 version, my review is based on the two books together. I give it 2.5 stars.

I was really excited when I saw this book, I couldn't wait to read it. The description of the book made it sound like each attraction would get a brief, general description, and Walt Disney's real life inspiration for the attraction, with some historical information. I love Disney and history so this sounded so interesting, I wanted so badly to love this book.

The book started off just how I thought it would. The first couple of chapters were very interesting. Then, sadly, I think the author got lost and completely forgot what he was doing. The author switched from giving a brief description of the attraction with Disney's inspiration of the attraction, to describing every last detail of the attraction and some historical information. Most time the historical information that the author used I wasn't quite sure how it pertained to the attraction.

After suffering through the chapter on the Carousel of Progress, I was hoping that the rest of the book wouldn't be as bad. When I got to the chapter on Spaceship Earth I almost gave up on the book completely. I finally managed to finish it and was just left completely disappointed. This book had the potential to be great if the author had stuck with the format used in the few chapters.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've traveled to Walt Disney World more than 75 times in my lifetime. After years of being entertained as a child going to the parks, I found myself wanting to know more about the internal magic that fuels the park. I always have the heaviest backpack of our party because I carry around books like Susan Veness's The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World and Steven Barrett's Hidden Mickey guides. Similarly to the content of those books, the author entices the reader to stop and pay attention to the details (for it is in the details that we find what truly makes Walt Disney World magical). Kiste clearly has an in-depth knowledge of American history which enables him to inform the readers of specific events that shaped what Imagineers and Walt Disney ultimately placed in the Disney Parks. Delve into this book if you want to gain a deeper understanding of what inspired the park that, in turn, inspires so many others with its enduring magic! This book is definitely one I will add to my backpack!

[Hettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start with the positives: this book made me miss Disney World terribly. The descriptions of the rides, atmospheres, and queues just take me back. I quickly devoured this book just because it gave me that lovely 'Disney feeling'. However, this book has some errors (I would recommend taking the chapter about the Crystal Palace with a pinch of salt, and the POTC entry was based on what appeared to be rather limited research including inaccurately stating the century the ride is based on). Also, some of the language used (especially in Jungle Cruise) is rather racist in nature and uncomfortable to read. It was even worse when the author attempted to excuse their language by saying it was 'period accurate', and terribly horrible descriptions of black-face which attempt to brand it as nothing more than a slight controversy. The chapter on The Carousel of Progress is rather drawn out. So - all-in-all - this book is great to give you that nostalgia for Disney, but not a particularly great non-fiction history

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a combined review of all three books. First, the concept was interesting and not what I was expecting when I got the books. Instead of a history of the actual WDW attraction/land/resort, this book is more about the historical facts that led to the inspiration of these places. It also pointed out historical inaccuracies.

It was broken up into different sections. You can definitely use this as a history lesson, but also guidebook in some areas like Liberty Square and Frontierland. I would like to go back to the MK with this book in hand to look a bit more closely at certain areas.

Some reviews complain of repetitiveness. It’s there, but only noticeable if you read cover to cover. If you flip around to the sections that interest you, as is easy to do with this book, the repetition becomes more necessary.

Overall I liked them. They were entertaining for me, who is both a fan of Disney and history.

[Blake Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed with this book. I was expecting a book of the history of Walt Disney World, but I feel like I got more American/world history given to me. It’s well written, and the author is definitely passionate in what he is talking about, but I wanted there to be more about DISNEY!! I’m not going to lie, I skipped the Spaceship Earth section because almost all of it had nothing to do with Disney. It was all world history. If I wanted to read about world history, I would have picked up a different book... My favorite sections included the Enchanted Tiki Room and Main Street, USA. Overall, the book was fine, but swayed too far off from what I expected.

[Daphne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely give up on a book, but I simply couldn't make it through this one. I'm a lover of anything Disney, and pride myself on my vast knowledge of Disney trivia. I thought this would be right up my alley! Unfortunately, it's mostly history, with a short link to Disney at the end of each chapter. And I like history! I like nonfiction! But it has to be interesting, which this just is not. At least, it's not framed in an interesting manner. It reads like a history textbook, and I don't think that's anyone's preferred reading material, really. It also just feels a little like false advertising...

[Nick West · Rating 2 out of 5]

"A Historical Tour ..." examines the historical context and accuracy of different areas in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Volume 1 covers Main Street USA, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland, with the longest entries covering Pirates of the Caribbean and the Carousel of Progress.

The book is only about 100 pages long, but it took me 6 weeks to read. That's not because it was dense or difficult ... honestly it's because I was bored. It just flat-out was not interesting. As a history buff and a Disneyphile I thought this book would be right up my alley, but it just missed the mark for me.

[Lila · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author, a high school history teacher, is bound and determined to pull history lessons out of Disney World. He is undecided if he wants to write a memoir of his visits to Disney World, a history of Disney parks, or a guide for his students, so tries to do all three. It would make more sense to start with Disneyland and use some historical order, thus avoiding the repetition in the book, but then I was born in L.A. in 1955, so am the same age as Disneyland and have my biases. The book is best where it asks critical historical questions about how the park represents historical change.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

Too much time spent on attractions that I am not familiar with. I will probably try to find and read Volume 2. But I honestly skipped chapters. The first four chapters were good. Most people who have visited to Magic Kingdom would be familiar with the explanations of the attractions described. But I have seen The World of Tomorrow attraction, and the chapters on that were long and tedious. Too bad. A good thing gone long can be bad.

[Danny Theurer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very well done work on the real-world historical roots behind some of Disney World’s attractions. It would be perfect for an individual not familiar with US or world history before their trip to Orlando. The hard parts for me to swallow were Kiste’s pedantic moments, like the one where he goes on at length about the incorrect ratio of bearded to non-bearded characters portrayed at an Epcot ride.

[Brian Bedwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives more detail about the rides appearances and attributes than the actual history behind the rides. The best portions of this book were Jungle Cruise and Pirates and even that was a very vague description of historical accuracy.

If you have Kindle Unlimited that is the best way to read this book because you can read Vol. 1,2, and 3. Otherwise it's like $8 from Barnes and Nobles for just the first and second Volumes.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good info on the park, but the extra information about history irrelevant to Disney was odd. It felt like it was not necessarily researched, just kind of summarized and assumed by the author. It also seemed like his opinion on certain rides was just that, an opinion. I did learn some things about the rides I didn’t know and will look forward to paying attention to some of these details when I go again soon.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the deep dive into different attractions, but it sounded like the author wanted to show off his knowledge rather than provide insight. He gets hung up on some details - like how the carousel of progress family hasnt aged over the 100 years of the story. Like, it’s a template for an american family. The aging isn’t the point, he’s just nitpicking.

I found it an interesting critical read, as it’s pretty informative but some of his points should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Victoria Hauff · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Disney fanatic I was excited to read this but the author clearly didn’t have a vision for what he wanted the book to be. It was sometimes just a description of the ride itself, but mostly just lengthy descriptions of the history that the rides were somewhat based on, often going off on tangents. I was hoping to learn more about the history of the rides themselves. Learned some interesting facts but overall the book was all over the place and had to skip over a lot.

[Ric Eberle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, not at all what I thought it would be. From someone who worked at the Magic Kingdom, A couple of the facts were not quite true, but most people would not know that.

Some of the historical facts are interesting, some of the facts are way to long and for me, who cares ?

A lot of research was done on the historical facts.

[Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, interesting book. It took the author a little bit of time to hit his stride, but come the Pirates of the Caribbean section, it was obvious he had a system down. The last chapter about the Carousel of Progress was kind of dry, and it was a bit of a struggle, but there was still lots of good information there. I'll probably pick up Volume 2 eventually.

[Madison Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of interesting information that provides readers with a historical background that enriches what we know about the attractions and lands of Disney World. At times the information gets to be a bit dull and tedious, but overall I learned a lot of interesting details I would have never known!

[Katie Ferreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that this book was good. It offered a lot of cool information, that you actually don't know and probably haven't heard before. The only hing that I did not enjoy about this book is that it could get pretty boring. It took me a while to get through, but I overall enjoyed this book.