Hidden History of Walt Disney World

by Foxx Nolte

Author Foxx Nolte gives readers a glimpse behind the curtain of the most magical place on earth. Millions of people a year visit Walt Disney World, but few would consider it to be a place with any real history. But hidden just below the surface, past the blanket of pixie dust, is a story as vivid and bizarre as any. It is a history of corporate politics, urban planning, crazy ambitions, and failed schemes. The Hidden History of Walt Disney World takes you on a journey that stretches from "Old Florida" to the events that made Walt Disney World what it is today. There's birds made of citrus, horizontal elevators, a ghost town, and tennis ball factories. And that's just the start. Whether you've visited one or one hundred times, your vacation will never be the same again. Yep, the castle is fake. But the stories are not .

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2024

Reviews

[Spencer Pullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up with Disney in Florida and having the opportunity to visit over the years, I was excited to read this book. I really had to concentrate to keep the people, places and corporations straight. I appreciated the photos and clippings to help bring it all together. I enjoyed to see how E.P.C.O.T got transformed to Epcot. I’m one of those people who dodge the Magic Kingdom with the screaming children and prefer the experience at Epcot. If you looking for a in-depth review on how Disney did it in Florida, look no further.

[Nathan Worthington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is composed of mainly vignettes covering the creation & expansion of Walt Disney World (WDW), while I was expecting a more 'traditional' non-fiction book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book's journey around central Florida & how the Disney company had an impact on various area developments. While I have been to Walt Disney Land in California, I have yet to visit WDW in Florida. I guarantee that if I ever get that chance, I plan on using this excellent book as my 'travel guide' to help me track down the hidden history of WDW.

[Ricky Balas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting read with a lot of great factoids about how it all started in Florida in the early 1970s and the evolution into the early 2000s. I especially enjoyed her chapter on the Orange Bird and the citrus fruit commission's sponsorship. It can sometimes be a bit hyperbolic and sentimental with a piece or two that was inaccurate (she wrote about Disney's failed plans to open an American history park in Virginia stating that the people of Prince William County near Williamsburg were upset--in terms of Virginia geography, PW and Williamsburg aren't close...?) Still a fun read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the definitive unofficial Walt Disney World history chronicle that I hope Nolte someday writes, but it does absolutely deliver previously unreported stories and details that capture the peculiar evolution of the resort and the bizarrely personal motivations that shaped decision-making in its early decades. It's also the first account of which I'm aware to really convey the Floridaness of it all, not only depicting the story of the resort in context with the Orlando that surrounds it but revealing how the resort reflects that environment and in a way is really defined by it (regardless of how much Disney, Orlando, and everyone else might wish otherwise).

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Once you know how to look past the Disney history—the Main Streets and Chinese Theaters and Animal Kingdom Lodges—you can discover the Vinelands, the Carl Langfords, the Florida Centers, the Lake Buena Vistas that made all of that possible. Disney may have *made* Orlando, *but Orlando also made Disney*. It’s real history, and it’s waiting there for us to reclaim it."

If that appeals to you, rather than a year-by-year breakdown of parks and rides you could just find on Wikipedia, then this is the book for you.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, quick read of one of my favorite places. Norte succinctly summarizes quite a bit of history of my adopted hometown. Learned quite a bit about both Walt Disney World and Central Florida. Only two nits: 1) there were a few small errors that I hope are corrected in future editions; and 2) need a volume 2 to cover the last 25+ years

[George Hamblen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun overview of the birth and growth of Walt Disney world. Lots of fun trivia. Book could have been twice as large. Wanted it to keep going.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

From BetweenDisney.com

“I’d like to talk about EPCOT’s legacy by taking a look at EPCOT’s role in the proud American tradition of getting drunk on vacation (Nolte, 141).” You have my attention!

Disney books include a vibrant sub-genre of what I call “Secrets Books”! They generally consist of short chapters, often unconnected topically, and aim to bring readers deeper into the Disney story by ripping back the curtain. Some of these titles can be largely trivia books giving you quick looks behind the scenes. Others show us trends and make deeper connections about our beloved theme parks. I don’t recommend overlooking these books, as David Koenig’s Mouse Tales is still a book that I recommend new readers start with, mostly because it’s fun and rich in story. It’s this genre that started my Between Books obsession.

Hidden History of Walt Disney World by Foxx Nolte is the latest in secrets books. Topically the book is broken into five main sections that can be labeled as Orlando before Disney, building Walt Disney World, The Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and expanding Walt Disney World. The chapters in these sections are generally short and full of images with topics that can range from citrus in Central Florida, tickets, drinking at EPCOT (as promised), McDonalds on Walt Disney World property, and many more. Each chapter is engaging with the reader and well-researched. I do find the images are well-used in supporting the text, especially when some readers may pick this book up to prepare for a first-time vacation and some topics are not those that are generally known to even experienced amateur Disney historians.

Doctor Phillips was not a doctor! My family is tired of hearing me say this and they may secretly be shaking their hands at Nolte. I think this is a win as I love beating a piece of fact into the ground. What really stands out to me about this book is the connection of Walt Disney World to the city of Orlando. Nolte notes the complicated relationship between the city and the theme park. But he also urges readers to understand that the identity of each was partially guided by the other. Walt Disney World is a place grounded in the city's history, and Orlando as it exists today was guided by the growth of the Disney property. In making this connection, Nolte introduces us to Orlando's history before the arrival of Disney and helps us see how these precursors impact the park today. For me, Dr. Phillips is a spot on a map! I sometimes questioned if there was a Dr. Phillips but was too lazy to Google it. Nolte pulls readers into the story of Doctor Phillips, not MD, citrus magnet, and then draws connections to how his business empire was used by Disney and then back to the city with how Disney has helped shape the area of Orlando known by that name today. For me, this connection between the parks and the city is one of the most interesting themes found in the book.

Alright, back to the drinking! I read the sentence about showing EPCOT’s legacy through getting drunk, and I read it again, and again…and then said huh. As a reader, I dared Nolte to do it! Now, while I do enjoy a good pint, I have never and likely will never get drunk on Disney property. I read a lot of Disney books, and I have seen discussions of legacy and evolution based in business terms, cultural terms, and entertainment terms. But drinking? Nolte meets the challenge well, by providing a history of events on Disney property along with the changing views of drinking in public while at the parks. This chapter is a good example of what most chapters will provide; history you may not have seen fully before, images that visually bring you closer to the topic, and a thematic line that educates and maybe even tells you about more than a theme park.

Hidden History of Walt Disney World by Foxx Nolte is not your typical secrets book by just highlighting events within Walt Disney World. Notle does an excellent job of connecting the park’s history to the geographical region it resides in strengthening the mental image of the parks to the city. If anything, there were times when I wanted a little bit more so I had more facts to share with those around me. Though often, like the story of the Walt Disney World Preview Center, Nolte finds ways to bring the story back around full circle.


But I do wonder what Citrus Salad Gel tastes like!


Review Copy Provided by History Press

[Hots Hartley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lots of telling photos and very high quality paper, but also lots of useless trivia.

I appreciate the rigorous citations and thorough research across a number of sources, from news to archival letters.

But the author makes herself too visible in the telling. Too often, the prose calls attention to "but this author (Foxx Nolte) has in her possession..." or "From the author's collection, ..." with braggadocio, snark, and occasional wisecracks.

Let the facts stand on their own! Let the events speak for themselves, and let the reader make his or her own judgment!

All in all, despite the useless trivia this book taught me, there's not much that I can apply to daily life. Nothing I particularly want to see next time I visit Walt Disney World (WDW), no particular vendor I can contact when building out my own park, no science lesson I can apply to my own Haunted Mansion or EPCOT community for tomorrow. It felt like a smorgasbord of Did-You-Know's or a book of Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not's, rather than a deep dive of negotiation tactics used to secure land for WDW, a series of tricks used to create effects in an attraction like Space Mountain or Utilidors under WDW, or lessons learned that we can apply to building our own projects.

[Ian Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

An origin story for Disney World, from the perspective of Central Florida (as opposed to the self-mythologizing Walt Disney Company). I've wanted a book like this for decades! It's a tricky story to tell-- equal parts anthropology, corporate politics, and urban design-- but somehow Nolte spells it out in a confident, conversational tone.

My only quibble? The sections about Studios feel rushed. I would gladly read a whole sequel about Disney & Universal's race to build a studio-themed park in Orlando!

And the same goes for Foxx's take on Animal Kingdom. She drops a white-hot thesis statement about the impact that Park #4 had on the resort (shifting Disney Orlando from a theme park company to a hotel company)... and then the book ends. So smart, more please??

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

"As you might have noticed by now, Michael Eisner was kind of a big weirdo."

A solidly researched trip through the construction of one of my favorite places, rooted in sources and avoiding mythologizing. I enjoyed the tone, learned some interesting stories, and would love a Volume 2.

I received an advance copy from the publisher.

[James Michels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complete history of the first twenty-five years of Walt Disney World. Learned plenty of interesting facts, especially the development of Orlando from a sleepy, if rather large town, into the huge vacation spot it is today. Makes me wish I’d been around to witness the parks in their infancy and seen the changes made throughout the decades.

[Glenn Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another home run from Foxx Nolte. The research and detail are what we've come to expect from the author. I appreciate the short chapters and to-the-point stories, especially early in the book about the development and building era of Walt Disney World.

As stated here by another reviewer: I would love to see a volume 2 :-)

[Kate Grasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched and entertaining, written in a very approachable style, Foxx gives us yet another wonderful capsule of Walt Disney World history. This is an enjoyable read for anyone who appreciates the deeper heritage of the land where Disney World resides.

[Andy Tighe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fabulous. Foxx just gets it. I adore her writing. The stories are beautiful, mysterious, weird and quirky. Just like the place itself.

[Wayne Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. The first half is the strongest. I encountered lots of new information that I had never seen before. Really nice quality paper back book. People should check out this one.

[Aranka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING. I thought I knew all the history of Walt Disney World, until I read this book. I guarantee you’ll learn something new. Must read for Disney history fans.

[Josh Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Disney historian hands down. This book is full of surprises and is unlike anything I’ve ever read in a “Disney history” book.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! As typical of all their work Foxc Nolte does not disappoint.

[Amanda Yuzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the deep-dive details but if that's not you, probably a little dry. A few side comments that could have been omitted. Overall, an enjoyable read.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swear this book is actually narrated by Jane Lynch.

[Lisa Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Lots of things I didn't know about and can't wait to explore

[Lady Brainsample · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A bit uneven in how interesting I felt the various topics to be.