The Disneyland Book of Lists

by Chris Strodder

The Disneyland Book of Lists offers a new way to explore six decades of Disneyland® history. Hundreds of fascinating lists cover the past and present and feature everything from the park’s famous attractions, shops, restaurants, parades, and live shows to the creative artists, designers, characters, and performers who have made Disneyland® the world’s most beloved theme park.

Inside the pages of this fun- and fact-filled book you will

• 13 of Walt Disney’s Disneyland® Favorites
• 32 Signs and Structures Reminding of Disneyland’s® Past
• A Dozen Scary Moments on Disneyland® Attractions
• 47 Disneyland® Parades
• 18 Secrets in the Haunted Mansion
• 30 Jokes from the Jungle Cruise
• 25 Special Events You May Not Have Heard Of
• 15 Urban Legends
• 123 Celebrity Guests
• 26 Attractions and Exhibits with the Longest Names
• 11 Movies Based on Disneyland® Attractions
• A Dozen World Records Set at Disneyland®

In addition to lists created by author Chris Strodder ( The Disneyland® Encyclopedia ), the book will include lists from celebrities, Disneyland® experts and historians, Disneyland® Imagineers and designers, and other current and former Disneyland® employees.

People have been making lists since Biblical times (think Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, compiled 2,100 years ago), and to this day various top tens, hit parades, and bucket lists chronicle every aspect of our lives. But until now, no book has used lists to categorize all the diverse elements in Disneyland®. Fun, fascinating, factual, and sixty years in the making, The Disneyland® Book of Lists is the only Disneyland® book of its kind.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

625 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2015

About the author

Chris Strodder is a lifelong student of Woody Allen's movies, writings, and music, and has seen Allen perform live several times. Strodder is also the author of The Disneyland Encyclopedia, The Disneyland Book of Lists, the children’s book A Sky for Henry, an adventure story for young adults named Lockerboy, the comic novel The Wish Book, the Stories Light and Dark collection of short fiction, a pop culture compendium entitled The Encyclopedia of Sixties Cool, and Swingin’ Chicks of the ’60s, a popular nonfiction volume of profiles that garnered international attention, coverage in dozens of magazines ranging from the National Enquirer to Playboy, and exposure on national TV and radio shows. Strodder’s writing has also appeared in Los Angeles magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, The Huffington Post, USA Today, California magazine, Movieline magazine, and others. Strodder lives by the beautiful Pacific Ocean in Pismo Beach, California.

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who loves Disneyland trivia! There are lists about EVERYTHING related to the park, photos, a bibliography, and an index. A treasure trove for lovers of Walt! Only wish there were more photos, a more colorful cover, and a cleaner design.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made the mistake of reading this just after the author's other book, The Disneyland Encyclopedia.

I mean...I knew it was lists going in, but lists aren't that exciting. And most of it was just the bare bones information I'd already read in the other book.

If you love lists (some people do), this is fine. But if you want details, get the author's other book instead.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book for Disneyland enthusiasts. Compilation of many lists about Disneyland. Some are entertaining and useful. Others include historical information, logistics, and random things like the number of steps on attractions and locations named after royalty or songs. While I did enjoy looking at the lists, some are subjective and others were of less interest and easily skipped. There are photos but I think more would enhance the page after page of lists. The copyright is 2015 and I am not sure if it has been updated since then. For example one list is distances to other Disney parks but only DisneyWorld and Disneyland Paris are mentioned. Thank you to Santa Monica Press for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review for both The Disneyland Book of Lists and The Disneyland Encyclopedia.
I decided to create a common review as these books are best read together as they supply tons of information, trivia and ideas for a trip to Disneyland.
The made me want to be there.
Useful and informative
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. This is going up there as one of my top 3 favorite books about Disneyland. This book is fantastic. Not easy to categorize, but always entertaining and educational. Most books I already know so many of the "secrets" they reveal. This book actually surprised me and I trusted the validity of the sources.
Looking forward to another Disneyland related book by Chris Strodder, hopefully in the near future.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strodder's book of lists is an incredibly dense, well researched opus on the ins-and-outs of Disneyland. Treat this more like a history and less like a modern travel guidebook. While it has plenty to say about the Disneyland of today (it makes several references to changes to the theme park in 2015), the coverage of Disneyland through the decades is some of the best researched information I've found to date. The list format makes it an easy to digest read, perfect for gearing up to a trip to Anaheim, and while some lists seem to be added as filler, other lists are obviously the product of hours and hours of research and composition. The Disneyland Book of Lists is the quickest way to get a grasp on the park itself, and also the context behind it - where it came from, how it became a pillar of modern American culture, and where you as a customer fit into the commercial web.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To all who come to this happy place..." In this book about that said happy place, the author takes a huge amount of topics revolving around Walt Disney and Disneyland itself and teaches you things you probably never knew about Disneyland. The book is divided into sections, some focusing on the parks, some on Walt, others on miscellaneous facts. As it is in the case in most of these books, some of these lists were fascinating, some were just okay, and others were not of my interest. This is a great book and very well researched. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Disneyland's history.

[Katy Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is PHENOMENAL. So much information! It definitely is one that I'll take into the Park or the D23 Expo with me (lots of lines = good time to read Disneyland books) It is so dense with information and lists, I absolutely adored it--so much that while I had it checked out from the library I purchased my own copy! :) Definitely recommend if you are a Disneyphile like me, who cannot help but learn every fact possible about Disney! :)

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

These are lists the author has collected over the years - and there are some fun facts in here (especially for Disney trivia enthusiasts). A smaller collection of these lists was originally published in the author's comprehensive Disneyland Encyclopedia book but were recollected here in their own book. This book of lists differs from the encyclopedia in that it collects different information - a lot of tidbits that would be too small or narrow for an encyclopedia entry or interesting only in their realtionships to the other items on the list.

The book is broken down as follows: a short introduction and then the lists: Waltland, history, geography, attractions, Disneyland by design, shops and restaurants, attendance/tickets, operations, the guest list, mediapedia, imagineers/cast members/performers, live shows/exhibits/specialty events, miscellaneous, and back of books sources, research materials, photo credits, etc. These are not 'top ten' or best/worst lists - there's no judgement on the facts, just a presentation not in any order of importance (often alphabetical).

Lists include: a dozen sites Wald considered before building Disneyland, a dozen details in Herb Ryman's drawing of Disneyland that didn't make it into the park, 11 serene Disneyland hideaways, 14 imports from Wald Disney World, 10 Disneyland attractions not based on a film or book, 21 locations with authentic antiques, Rolly Crump's 5 toughest assignments, 15 unique but extinct Disneyland shops, Disneyland's busiest weeks of the year, 22 sponsors of multiple locations in Disneyland, 11 Disneyland giveaways from the past, 7 historic moments for Disneyland guests, 23 Disney produced tv programs showcasing Disneyland, a half dozen DVDs with Disneyland footage in their special features, 10 rules and regulations for cast members, a dozen unique characters no longer seen at Disneyland, 28 special events at Disneyland you may not have heard of, 15 urban legends about Disneyland, and many more.

Obviously, some lists will be far more interesting than others. E.g., the section names of the old Disneyland parking lot or 14 hidden Mickeys in Disneyland (there are whole books dedicated to that). But for the most part, there are some incredibly interesting lists here that really help to put so many aspects of the park into perspective. There are some black and white photos to help illustrate items on the list.

In all, this is suitable for the Disneyland park fan or the casual visitor who could use something to read while waiting in lines at the park or for their kids to get off the e-ticket rides. The two Disneyland books by the author (this lists book and the encyclopedia) each provide fascinating insights into the park and don't have a lot of overlaps. I highly recommend both for this reason. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully enjoyable! I have read other Disneyland books by Chris Strodder and always appreciate his fan recanting of Disneyland history. For this book, the author shares a multitude of lists that provide a number of different lenses in which to view the park and its history. Some of my favorite lists included Donny Osmond's discussion of his favorite moments at Disneyland (he and his brothers used to perform regularly at the park), a "Mermaid" that swam the Tomorrowland lagoon around the summer of 1959 to help welcome the Submarine Voyage along with the list after list of hidden tributes and park lore. As a long time Disneyland aficionado, I greatly appreciated this book and the wealth of information shared. While the author's popular Disneyland Encyclopedia might be better suited to more hardcore enthusiasts of the park and its history, this book is much more accessible to casual fans that would like to learn more about the park along with a considerable amount of enjoyable trivia.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Disneyland Book of Lists by Chris Strodder is a very useful and informative read for any Disneyland lover. This book offers a way to explore over six decades of Disneyland history through 247 curated lists. From Walt Disney’s favorite attractions to hidden secrets in the Haunted Mansion, each list is packed with fascinating trivia.

Strodder’s passion for Disneyland shines through in his witty writing style. Whether you’re a casual fan or a dedicated Disney historian, this book provides a treasure trove of information that will enhance your appreciation of the park’s rich legacy. I use to be so good at knowing all kinds of Disneyland facts, but since working at Disney World I have forgotten most of them -- this book brought back a few things I have forgotten!

Overall, it’s a must-read for anyone who loves Disneyland, who knows what interesting fact you will find that could help guide your next trip!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am planning a quick trip to Disneyland and I had to jump on this book. I wanted to learn as much as I could about this park. I have been before but it has been several years. If you want to visit Disneyland grab this book and start planning. You will learn what Walt himself thought of the park. The planning he took to create it and where it might have been. Disneyland has an incredible history and you can read more about that as well. Now the attractions. You can read about some of the old attractions and the new ones that replaced them. If you are traveling with kids you can read and learn about height requirements to plan ahead and maybe head off some disappointment if your little one is too short to ride a particular ride. The plan the places you want to shop and restaurants you might want try, By the time you take your trip to Disneyland you will be an expert.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the included lists were very interesting, others not so interesting, and a few just dumb. The few photos included might as well have been left out because they were all black and white and rather grainy. One thing you think of when it comes to anything Disney is bright colors! Those paltry photos really did a disservice to the book. Also, the author limited the lists to just Disneyland, not including California Adventure. Final criticism is that so much of all of the lists was focused on the early days of Disneyland ... way before my time. Although the Walt Disney-related trivia from back then was interesting, a lot of the stuff about other people from that time just felt irrelevant to me.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in Disneyland. It is an exhaustive list of anything relating to the world of Disneyland from facts and figures, to quirky trivia items. I particularly enjoyed learning about The Haunted Mansion since it’s my favourite ride. It would be a great resource for people planning on visiting the park, or as a tool of information for kids working on a research project. Although at times it was overwhelming with the listing of just dates and places, there were many valuable and interesting tidbits as well.

My rating 4 out of 5

This makes me want to visit Disneyland and discover the nostalgia of Walt Disney’s park.
Thanks to NetGalley and Santa Monica Press for this eARC..

[Jaime Soria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough. I don't think the author left anything out. About anything Disneyland related. I thought that I knew everything about Disneyland, and I was wrong. So very wrong. A few times I thought I had caught a mistake, or something the author had left out of his lists, only to realize I was thinking of something at one of the other parks, or I was the one who was mistaken. I especially enjoyed the "list" interviews with former cast members, and performers. My favorite was the former mermaid from the submarine lagoon. The audition process for her role was intense. This book was very well researched, and for Disneyland lovers, not to be missed.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with a high level of interest. I am a well seasoned Walt Disney World Resort guest. I first visited Disneyland in 2021, and will visit for a second time next week.

This book includes lists on many categories. More photos would be welcome. I don't know if there is an update to the book, and it is a bit dated. I did enjoy all of the details about Disneyland. Now I have my own list of things to look for when I visit next week.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great informational book for the Disney fanatic. This gives a broad spectrum of information that the average Disney visitor may not appreciate. This isn't a book that you would just sit down and read. Even as someone who has been to disney many times, I did learn a couple of things.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Disneyland Book of Lists by Chris Strodder is a comprehensive list of known and little-known facts about Disneyland. From historical facts about Walt Disney to historical dates and facts about the parks, it has everything you might ever want to know about Disneyland.

[Joni Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a huge Disney fan and I adore a list. The information was interesting but presented in a clinical, sterile way. It’s great information but kind of blah.

[Lacie Phinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with all kinds of interesting Disneyland information. If you are a trivia lover this book should be at the top of your list.

[Kerrific Kerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for your Disney tirp preparations. Highly recommend checking this out to help you plan before you go.

[Ryan Swaim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome and fun book. If you like Disneyland at all, you will love this.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice collection of list involving Disney!