The Imagineering Story

by Leslie Iwerks

The highly acclaimed and rated Disney+ documentary series, The Imagineering Story, becomes a book that greatly expands the award-winning filmmaker Leslie Iwerks' narrative of the fascinating history of Walt Disney Imagineering. The entire legacy of WDI is covered from day one through future projects with never-before-seen access and insights from people both on the inside and on the outside. So many stories and details were left on the cutting room floor—this book allows an expanded exploration of the magic of Imagineering. So many insider stories are featured. ° Sculptor Blaine Gibson's wife used to kick him under the table at restaurants for staring at interesting-looking people seated nearby, and he'd even find himself studying faces during Sunday morning worship. "You mean some of these characters might have features that are based on people you went to church with?" Marty Sklar once asked Gibson of the Imagineer's sculpts for Pirates of the Caribbean. "He finally admitted to me that that was true." ° In the early days, Walt Disney Imagineering "was in one little building and everybody parked in the back and you came in through the model shop, and you could see everything that was going on," recalled Marty Sklar. "When we started on the World's Fair in 1960 and 1961, we had 100 people here. And so everybody knew everything about what was happening and the status of [each] project, so you really felt like you were part of the whole team whether you were working on that project or not. And, you know, there was so much talent here." A must-have for Disney Parks fans! Searching for that perfect gift for the #1 Disney fan in your life?

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Business, History, Design, Pop Culture, Technology

832 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Nel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to partners TLC Book Tours and Disney Books for this gorgeous gifted review copy!

WHOOWEE, is this one doozy of a book! Sittin' at whopping 731 pages, this one's not for the faint of heart! But it certainly IS for ultimate Disney fans like me! If you have someone on your Christmas list who adores all things Disney, here's your sign!

This story is loaded with intimate details about the incredible journey of the Imagineering team, from the early days with Walt Disney at the helm to its current-day operations.

Walt Disney Imagineering (once called W.E.D. Enterprises) was the "blending of creative imagination with technical know-how"... Imagination + Engineering. And in Leslie Iwerks' words, "𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑠𝑎𝑦 "𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟,' 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑘𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡."

It is amazing what these geniuses have accomplished, all to bring a smile to people's faces! From the earliest days, they were the most innovative group developing things such as:

*The first enclosed roller-coasters
*Audio-Animatronics
*AVAC (air-pressurized garbage cans where the trash is suctioned into an underground collection facility)

And they have continued to design the most high-tech inventions to date:

*4D software
*Magicbands
*Projection mapping on intricate buildings (GORGEOUS)
*Omni-coasters (coaster pods that can rotate a full 360° - SO FUN)
*Stuntronics (figures that soar up to 60 feet in the air - SO COOL)

All this ingenuity was begun because one man had the foresight and heart to create "The Happiest Place on Earth"!

"𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙. 𝐼 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑚𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘. 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛." -𝑊𝑎𝑙𝑡 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑛𝑒𝑦

For more of my reviews, please check out my blog at www.mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mamasgottaread.

[Sean Vaughn McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for anyone who loves Disney and all the work and imagination that goes into it. It is a monster of a book though at over 700 pages, but that just means the details are rich and wonderful. If you enjoyed the Imagineering Story documentary counterpart on Disney+ or are like me and enjoy anything Disney, then this book will make you very happy!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fascinating book on the evolution of Imagineering. It is insane how innovative and creative Imagineers are and how they are able to make something up and actually create it. I do see a sense of "magic" in what Imagineers are able to do. They're able to do things that are otherwise deemed impossible. They test the limits of technology and engineering as well as our own imaginations. The behind the scenes of all the Disney Parks and individual attractions was incredible to read about. Now, I need to go back to Walt Disney World!

[Faerietales_again · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read many books surrounding Disney history and imagineering, and this is by-far the most detailed one I’ve ever read. This book takes you from the very beginning of Walt Disney imagineering, right up until the opening of the Galactic Starcruiser (ironic in hindsight, that the most current chapter is the most outdated).

What was most fascinating about this book was the inside details about the creation of so many iconic attractions. With fun facts sure to surprise the most knowledgeable of Disney fans, this book is a must read for any hard core Disney fan.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars from me because I've always been interested in the whole idea of Imagineering. If you're not a big Disney fan or don't want to know the stories behind some of the parks and rides, this might not be for you. Iwerks, as the daughter and granddaughter of Imagineers had access to a lot of people and material to write this definitive book on the profession created by Disney. This took me nearly six weeks to read because I kept going down rabbit holes looking for ride POVs or pictures from the overseas parks. There is so much detail and backstory to everything Disney does-- from the parks to the hotels to the restaurants and even to the shops. It's amazing the way all of that has come together and how Imagineers invented the technology to make "Disney magic" when it really didn't exist. This book also drives home the idea that Walt Disney never wanted to just build a park and be done-- he always wanted there to be room for change and growth, which is exactly what has happened in the last several decades and continues to happen now. You can also see in this book how Disney has really set the standard for theme parks (many former Imagineers worked on Universal's Islands of Adventure and it's clear because that park stands out in comparison to the original Studios park). I also like how Iwerks emphasizes that when the parks went overseas, they worked to really incorporate the cultures of the countries in which they were building the new parks. It wasn't just about taking Mickey to Tokyo, but how to blend Japanese culture with Mickey and friends. On the whole, this is a must-read for Disney fans and the Imagineering curious.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an amazing read for any fans of the Disney parks! Clocking in at over 750 pages, this is a comprehensive look at the making of the magic, from the "Mickey Mouse Park" idea in Burbank to the "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" expansion in Anaheim and Orlando. The Disney Parks and Imagineering, particularly Disneyland, have always been my favorite aspect of the Walt Disney Company, and this read was great in retelling and expanding already familiar stories about the making of my favorite Disneyland attractions with stories of other ones. I've always had a deep appreciation to detail whenever I visit Disneyland, but reading the Imagineering Story will definitely make me look around a little differently on my next visit. And knowing that "Disneyland will never be completed", it'll make me a little more curious about what the next new e-ticket attraction WDI has in store.

[Erin Cavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

as a disney adult i had fun reading this book! it was a very disney approved story of imagineering, only pointing out negatives that were extremely obvious (california adventure, walt disney studios, etc) and presenting them as if they had been 100% fixed now but i went into it expecting that so i can’t complain!

i wish it had gone more in depth but also recognise it’s over 700 pages long lol

also there was never a jungle cruise in disneyland paris despite the author saying there was so that annoyed me a little lmao

[Holly Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew, this book was a journey and took me a couple of months to get through but it was worth it. As an avid Disney lover and fan of The Imagineering Story docu-series on Disney+, I was excited to read this and learn even more. It was a beautiful journey through the start of Disney, the parks, the projects, and everything in between. I found myself tearing up slightly at the end out of gratitude for the investment so many have made over the last 100 years. What a tribute.

[Abby Borcoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely massive book, probably the biggest I own! But so worth it, a more detailed version of the docu-series.

[Jess Pasquarello · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly detailed and in-depth history of the Disney parks across the world. There's a lot of fun tidbits and stories in this book. It's not a quick read by any means, but it's a feel good read for any Disney fan. Brings you a bit closer to the magic with each page.

[Alya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was truly right up my alley, and it will be for any die-hard Disney fan (or anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes stories regarding Imagineering).

[SarahEmily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally the best nonfiction book I’ve ever read.

[Wallace C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven but worth reading.

The chapters from the more modern eras feel kind of cold and corporate. Otherwise this is essential reading. I enjoyed the ride!

[Brandon Wainerdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, and a fantastic companion to a fantastic documentary series. I cannot say “fantastic” enough.

(This is also the physically biggest book I’ve ever seen.)

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at the library, saw it’s 725 pages, and gave myself permission to quit reading after 100 pages. Instead, I ripped through it in about a week. We went to Disneyland earlier this month, and I wanted a book about how they made the rides, and this is it! I admit to a bit of skimming during the heavy-dialog parts. The book is pretty “rah rah, go team”, but why the hell not?!? The Disney Imagineers have done some incredible things for decades!

[Hots Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instant classic. Easily my favorite nonfiction book of all-time. Inspired and inspiring.

Quality writing about the keystone projects, from the inception of Disneyland in 1955, to the modern park updates across the world: the inception of the EPCOT World Showcase, the stocking of animals in Animal Kingdom, the journey to wine in Disneyland Paris, Tokyo DisneySea in Japan, the failed Disney's America project, the penny-pinching that strapped California Adventure, and lastly Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Leslie Iwerks draws from a variety of sources, including many lesser-known and modern Imagineers. I like how she begins each chapter with the backstory of an Imagineer, detailing the dreams and winding paths that led each contributor to join Disney Imagineering. These warm introductions allowed each individual Imagineer to stand out in my mind.

I plan to update this review in the coming year (2025) with more detailed insights and snippets, but for now, there are too many positives to do justice: the nitty-gritty detail in building materials; the never-before-heard quotations from creative leaders across Imagineering; the unbiased treatment from era to era, from Walt through Eisner and Iger to post-COVID Chapek; the customer reception of various park updates; the international expansion and cultural divides that Disney needed to bridge, with Japan (Oriental Land Company), France, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and even Africa (for Animal Kingdom).

This book might be the best non-fiction story I've read. The level of visual detail -- minus even images and photographs -- comprehensiveness of storytelling, richness in primary sources, and quality of writing are unmatched. It doesn't reek of partial Pollyanna positivity that you find in most other Disney Editions.

If I had anything negative to nitpick, it'd be the inconsistency in chapter length, with some chapters like the China/Shanghai chapter and the projection mapping chapter drawing on endlessly with few sub-chapter headings to break up.

Worse of all, the book lacks a detailed table of contents, index, and glossary, making it near impossible to backtrack and find specific anecdotes, names, or mentions without your own set of notes and bookmarks. I plan to upload my own glossary and footnotes once I've transferred them to digital form, but for now, it's not a good reference book in its current form.

I've contacted Leslie Iwerks to offer sharing my index for a future edition of the book, but she hasn't replied. More to come!

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever wondered how they do the magic at the Disney theme parks, this book is for you!

Imagineering is a common term heard around the Disney Parks, but most people really don’t know that all goes into making the parks so magical. Originally established as WED Enterprises by Walt Disney himself, Imagineers are a group of creative geniuses that have learned how to blend storytelling, theming, and engineering to give theme park guests experiences that they will never forget. Leslie Iwerks’ father and grandfather were both Imagineers, so it is no surprise the stories that she has experienced firsthand that made her the perfect author to compile this book.

This book is about half history of the parks, rides, and attractions and the other half is the engineering behind it all. I’m not sure which part of the book that I enjoyed more. When I first picked it up, it looked daunting at over 700 pages, but once I was immersed within the content, I couldn’t read it fast enough. I love history and having experienced multiple Disney rides, I couldn’t wait to learn the story and engineering behind my favorites. This book has it all. And it’s not just about the rides either, it’s about Imagineering involvement in the Winter Olympics, 1964 World’s Fair, cruise lines, and starting up new theme parks in Europe and Asia. But if it is the rides your after, you get the real story behind some of the classics including Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Small World, and Tower of Terror, as well as some of the newest hit rides including Rise of the Resistance, Tron, and the Radiator Springs Raceway. Iwerks does a great job of telling both why and how the rides were designed.

It's also interesting that some of the failures were documented. I had no idea of some of the attractions that were scraped or abandoned. And then how they were able to transform that failure into something loved far and wide is just astonishing. If you love to learn the history and inner workings behind some of your favorite theme parks, you need to get this book. Great Christmas gift idea too!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Tyler Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the five star rating is due to an internal bias and fascination not only with the theme park industry, but with Walt Disney Imagineering in particular. Some boys play with legos; others blueprint roller coasters. I was the latter. When my family moved to Orlando in 2006, we became Walt Disney World annual passholders, and I can safely say after 17 years, I’ve visited Disney’s theme parks well over 500 times.

This book is an expansion of the acclaimed documentary series (of the same name) released a few years ago, and gives tremendously nostalgic and heartwarming insight into what is essentially the worlds largest and most dynamic design firm. Imagineering’s cast of hundreds (and at times thousands) of designers have spent decades on the cutting edge of emerging technologies, in an endeavor to create a place that for a few hours, conveys the message “everything will be alright” to a world that has lost its innocence. That fascinating culture, somewhat sheltered from their parent company’s corporate culture, is why the theme parks have such enduring power (at first, Imagineering was privately owned by the Disney family. After the later acquisition, when CEOs have disrespected that cultural dissonance, the results have been economically disastrous for their theme park division).

It’s extremely long (720 pages or so), but well worth the investment if you have any interest in the Disney company, the design industry, or just creativity in the context of corporate culture. The early portion is a nostalgia trip through the Walt Disney years. The latter portion, a look at the rapid and relentless two decades of expansion under Bob Iger. The middle portion reveals how cutting corners and maximizing profits, actually has the opposite effect; years of multi-billion dollar investments operating at huge losses. All of it is largely sheltered from controversy, on the one hand because it’s a love letter to the company, and on the other, because the Imagineering division itself is partly sheltered from the poor decisions of its executives. Imagineering is a safe space for artists and engineers to produce an unfiltered concentration of what’s at the Walt Disney Company’s essence; quality, immersion, technology, and above all, storytelling.

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

lembro de crescer em um mundo que mudava muito depressa. tenho memória de vinis, mas mais vividamente de cds, assim como recordo telefones fixos e celulares novos sendo lançados a cada semana. e tenho com muito afeto a lembrança de assistir fitas da Disney, que rapidamente se tornaram dvds.

a coisa sobre esse novo tipo de mídia é que ela te permitia ir além do filme, tinham menus com acesso a muitos bônus, e se era um dvd da Disney então, era possível que você encontrasse algum item secreto se apertasse os botões do controle remoto até mesmo sem querer. assim, você acabaria encontrando um vídeo novo, ou cenas de bastidores que, por algum motivo, eles queriam que você descobrisse como se descobre uma supresa. o tipo de coisa que fazia você ficar se perguntando “como a Disney faz isso?”

não tenho certeza se foram naqueles momentos que nasceu em mim essa curiosidade sobre como são feitos os projetos que ganham vida e um espaço no mundo e em nossos corações. mas eu cresceria para me tornar a pessoa que não está satisfeita em apenas ver o resultado, é como se eu quisesse praticar o impossível: voltar no tempo e ver o percurso criativo que a ideia ganha antes de se tornar algo concreto.

através dessa leitura, tive a chance de explorar algo que vem sendo minha obsessão [os parques da Disney] desde sempre e como eles se tornaram o que são, e entender que tudo se deve ao trabalho de muitas pessoas comprometidas com a excelência. foi uma linha do tempo começando com o projeto disneyland surgindo na mente do Walt, passando por sua partida abrupta e repentina, deixando um legado que as pessoas teriam que descobrir como levar adiante. e supreendentemente ou não, elas conseguiram, ainda que nem sempre acertem, ainda que isso seja a vida sendo a vida, onde é preciso experimentar, aprender e errar.

pensar na Walt Disney company chegando aos seus 100 anos com tantos marcos, é desejar se tornar parte disso. porque sentir a magia é uma coisa, entendê-la te leva além, mas fabricá-la… acho que é esse meu novo objetivo. talvez eu, um garoto de uma cidade pequena que vem se tornando um homem, seja uma peça importante para manter o sonho de Walter Elias Disney vivo.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

* Insert Fantasmic! exit music here *

This feels nothing short of a significant achievement. Coming in at 725 pages long, this took me almost 10 months to read.

That's right.
10 months.

As in almost an entire year.

I am not a slow reader by any means, nor am I an infrequent reader. The challenge with this book was that I simply didn't want to pick it up that often. Don't misunderstand - I was and am very interested in the content. The challenge here was with the DENSITY of that content and the seemingly minimal slash bordering on non-existent editing. Leslie Iwerks calls out at least 2 editors in her acknowledgements but I'm not sure how there could have been even MORE content she considered including.

About halfway through the book I realized that this must have been how my parents felt when I was in high school and was so excited about a topic I was researching for an essay that I actually couldn't bear to leave anything I discovered on the cutting room floor. To me, as the passionate researcher, every single thing I learned was gold, but to them as readers it was way too much to digest at once.

That was this book. Leslie poured her HEART AND SOUL into this and it was just not that interesting. Point blank period. Huge chunks of Disney history that translated well into her docuseries just did not hold up as a written book. My eyes glazed over many times and I had to literally set PAGE GOALS to make progress for 10s or 100s of pages at a time.

That all being said, there were some nuggets of wisdom that I tagged and will maybe return to in the future. The world of Imagineering is the world I want to be in all the time - personally and professionally - and I loved revisiting it, even if it wasn't in the format I would have preferred.

Bottom line: if you've watched the docuseries, don't bother with this book.
If you haven't watched the docuseries and considered reading this book, I'd recommend just watching the series.

And if you do decide to go ahead with this book, get ready to breathe a HUGE sigh of relief when you finally finish it.

[Sandra Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

My late husband Thomas E. Fitzgerald (not the other Tom Fitzgerald who was a writer, etc, for the Company and is heavily referenced in this book and the Disney+ documentary series about Imagineering also by Leslie Iwerks) was an Imagineer for over 20 years before his retirement immediately prior to his death in 2003. My Tom Fitzgerald was a Show Set Designer, Track Layout Designer, Overhead Rigging Designer, and fulfilled a tons of different projects for Walt Disney Imagineering. I was also employed at Imagineering as a Department Support Manager and Coordinator for multiple different departments over the cumulative course of over 10 years. So I approach this book from the point of view as an insider. The book is an excellent resource regarding Walt Disney, the design and development of Disneyland and multiple other subsequent Disney Parks and projects. It speaks directly with many, many of the right Imagineers to get the history and stories from. It’s not a short book - 883 pages or so - but if you have any interest in Walt Disney Imagineering history and development over the years from start to almost present day I highly recommend reading it. My only area of regret is personal, and that is the fact that in spite of his multiple projects for Imagineering all over the world throughout the years, including his design of all show sets and track layout for Spaceship Earth, Marlestrom, Big Thunder for Tokyo Disneyland, Toontown Train Station and multiple Toontown designs in Disneyland, Hollywood structures in Disney’s California Adventure, the exterior designs of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and show sets for The Great Movie Ride in Disney-MGM Studios Park in Florida including working with the original set design drawings from MGM’s The Wizard Of Oz and adapting them for the show sets along with the other show sets of his design that late, lamented attraction and so much more, my Tom Fitzgerald’s accomplishments have been totally lost to Imagineering history and my memories. But that’s just me. Read the book!

[Seth Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST READ for Disney Parks fans.

This definitive story tells the entire history of Imagineering, starting with lead up to Disneyland back in the 50s when Walt personally hand-picked a small group of Cast Members to help him bring his vision to life. You'll meet the characters behind the scenes that brought us the Parks then and now, from its humble (and not without challenges!) beginnings in Anaheim that brought Disney in-person lands and experiences to so many places around the world.

While this crew of magic makers were originally formed to bring the Parks to life, as the company grew, so too did this team's remit, extending to resorts, cruise lines, real estate, and shopping complexes both in and outside "the berm" (the Park boundaries).

You may have thought you knew it all, but chances are even hardcore fans will love hearing about:

Taking the best from Disneyland and bringing it to Tokyo
"The Florida Project", beginning with Magic Kingdom
The compass reset after Walt's death
EPCOT, Disney's MGM Studios (then, now Disney's Hollywood Studios), and Animal Kingdom
Eisner's support and drive to create the resort footprint central FL is now known for
EuroDisney (then, now Disneyland Paris)
The launches of Hong Kong and Shanghai, alongside the launch of Disney Cruise Lines
Themed lands, from Carsland to Star Wars Galaxy's Edge
and many, many more moments in this storied crew's portfolio

A perfect gift for the true Disney Parks fan who wants to hear more about how these amazing experiences came to be, and a perfect companion piece to the Disney+ series of the same name.

Enjoy!

Seth

P.S. It's a very long read, but chances are it's one you won't want to finish!

[Rachel Profio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly every Disney lover's dream! I simply saw it in the newly released section of the library and it immediately caught my eye as the glamorous castle and big Mickey-shaped cloud on the cover was pretty hard to miss. Over 700 pages long, this book is packed from front to back with so much Disney history! Based on the Disney+ documentary series, The Imagineering Story continues the tale in book form by expanding on the history of Walt Disney's Imagineering. I greatly enjoyed watching the docuseries on Disney+ about a year ago, so I was excited to dive into even more of the story and gain further knowledge of all things Disney. A combination of imagination and engineering, Imagineering refers to the design company that builds all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions and cruise ships worldwide. I had so much fun learning more about the rich history of Disney's theme parks by reading all about the descriptive details of how the Imagineering company brought forth so many of their beloved attractions. Packed full of fun facts and behind-the-scenes trivia, this book contains so much elaborate information! It was a blast hearing the stories behind the creation of the rides, and learning all about the hidden gems of the theme parks. I highly recommend this book to Disney fans across the globe, and I would even argue that it is a must read for anyone who would call themselves a "Disney Adult." Like me, Disney geeks will eat this book up! As someone who is a Disney fanatic, reading The Imagineering Story was a beautiful journey that offered so much insight into the magic and world of Disney.

[Jackson Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history about the parks and their development process. Good amount of details you won't hear anywhere else besides straight from the Imagineers' mouths. Also sprinkled with advice from Imagineers and executives that ranges from good to profound.

Does obviously have a very pro-Disney slant, and it feels at times some of the more negative details are being papered over. It also declines in quality once you get to to the 2010s, as the author clearly doesn't know much about the Star Wars or Marvel properties that feature heavily into the last few chapters. Therefore, it feels like a lot of the lines she uses to describe those projects are pulled straight from marketing copy. Furthermore, she obviously couldn't know how some projects (cough Starcrusier cough) would turn out, so those last few chapters are already quite dated.

For everything up to the opening Shanghai Disneyland, though, this is a solid history, and I'd recommend for any Disney Parks or themed entertainment fan.

[Jonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very comprehensive (albeit hagiographic) history of the artists, craftspeople, scientists, and technicians behind Walt Disney Imagineering and the parks and attractions they have created over nearly 70 years.

The success of Disney theme parks is not simply attributable to special effects or cutting-edge technology but a uncompromising devotion to the audience, to the story, and to collaboration. The bedrock of the the Disney theme park experience has been watching, listening, and learning from guests as they move through an experience - what they appreciate, how they react, and what is repeatable - and iterating across different intellectual properties and geographies.

Most importantly, the fundamental pillar of the Imagineering Story is fun: as International ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering Marty Sklar said: "Working here should be fun. if it isn't, something's wrong."

[ethanweenis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read for any fan of the Disney parks, full of lots of cool details, inside information, and fun anecdotes. It’s a very hefty read at over 700 pages, and yet despite this I felt like I could have easily read another 100 or 200 pages to fill in some extra information that most likely had to be skipped or glossed over to make sure the book didn’t end up too long.

One thing about this book that I enjoyed was how it highlighted the triumphs of Imagineering while also focusing on its failures and why certain things didn’t work. Although the author’s bias in favor of the company is definitely there, at the same time it never comes across as overly self-congratulatory and she does a good job at explaining the highs and lows of the company.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book, and I would love to see an updated edition in a few years after the opening of all the new attractions and experiences coming to the parks such as Villains Land and Tropical Americas at Disney World.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hefty book and it took me a long time to read. I struggled to get through it toward the end for some reason, but overall I really enjoyed this book. It's a pretty thorough history, going from the origins of Disneyland all the way up to the creation of the Galactic Starcruiser. Even having enjoyed the documentary and read some other books about the Disney parks, I found a lot of material here that was new to me. It's funny to me how a common trait of Imagineers seems to be pitching or promising something they actually have no idea how to do. Yet they always manage to figure it out.

I agree that some photos would be nice in a book like this, especially for attractions that aren't around anymore. But it's already such a massive book, and I would rather they use the space for more stories.

[Chelsea Ongaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not for the casual Disney fan, this 800+ page beast goes deep on Disney Imagineers. If you'd like a taste, start with the six-episode series in Disney+. If you want more, come here.

You'll learn tidbits about your favorite rides and stories of projects that were never completed. But more importantly, you'll form a deeper understanding of Walt Disney's vision, how Imagineers helped realize that vision, and how every expansion since has been based on that vision.

I also marveled at the creativity in every sense of the word. How do you fund something like Disneyland when theme parks hadn't been conceived of yet? You convince a television studio to pay for it in exchange for producing a show about it. How do you explore new attraction technologies? You convince corporations to pay for them to exhibit at their World's Fair pavilions.

Overall, an excellent and intriguing read.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly in-depth look at the history of Disney's theme parks. I haven't watched the six-part Disney+ documentary by the same name, so much of THE IMAGINEERING STORY was new to me. However, even the parts that I was more familiar with, like the opening of Cars Land and the recent additions to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, were fascinating to read about through the lens of the Imagineers who designed the backdrops and the attractions. It's a massive book, clocking in at more than 700 pages and set in a tiny font size, and there are some minor mistakes throughout that should have been caught by editing (e.g. missing words, a reference to "Christine Aguilera"), but overall, it's a great read for any Disney fan who wants to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work at the parks.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is this 5 of 5 stars - because I am a Disney geek. The book obviously is not for everyone; but for those that love Disney, and in particularly the Disney Parks, this is a fascinating and informative read. The book is filled with details about Imagineering, the individuals responsible for its success, and how they make the magic happen.

I read it slowly, over several months, a single chapter at a time, and that sort of extended the fun for me. Being able to take a trip to Disney World during the process of reading this made certain segments about certain attractions at the park even more interesting. Its a hefty read, but most Disney fans will love it.