HIDDEN MICKEY 1: Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales!

Hidden Mickey #1

by Nancy Temple Rodrigue, David W. Smith

HIDDEN MICKEY 1 Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales!

Volume 1 in a series of action-adventure mysteries about Walt Disney and Disneyland written for Adults, Teens, & Tweens (age 10 & up).
Flesch-Kincaid Grade 4.2 - Flesch Reading Ease 83


TWO FRIENDS FIND WALT DISNEY'S LOST DIARY

Who knew it would lead them on a wild cross-country search filled with discoveries, about the famous man, his life, and about themselves.

THE DIARY HINTS OF A HIDDEN TREASURE

Beth, Adam's former girlfriend, was fired from her beloved job at Disneyland, thanks to Adam. Now he needs her help in untangling a web of clues that Walt left behind. Can she put their past aside and work with him again? Can the three friends decipher the eccentric clues that Disney himself may have ingeniously devised?

WHO ELSE IS SEEKING THE TREASURE?

As the clues lead them closer to their goal, and deeper in the legacy of Walt Disney himself, will they find some long-lost treasure?

IS THIS ONE FINAL ILLUSION BY THE WORLD'S GREATEST STORYTELLER?

Anyone who loves all-things Disney will be swept up in the intrigue of the sometimes subtle, sometimes obscure, and always amazing facts surrounding one of the most recognized, beloved and ingenious men of all time. Walk in the shoes of our intrepid treasure hunters as they scavenge historical records and discover amazing connections, while they seek out what Walt may have left behind.

Next book in the series... HIDDEN MICKEY 2: It All Started...

Another "E-Ticket" ride through Disney's history

Want to go on your own 'E-Ticket' adventure? Next time you visit a Disney Park you can play in Quests like Adam & Lance by bringing with you a copy of HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES in Disneyland - HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES in Disney California Adventure, or for our east coast Fans: HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES in WDW Magic Kingdom (or download one to your mobile device).

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Adventure

360 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

Nancy Temple Rodrigue lives in the small town of Lompoc, California, where she writes her novels.

Writing about her favorite park, Disneyland, comes easy for Nancy as she has been an avid Disney fan ever since she was 6 years old and went to Disneyland for the first time. Her novels show her admiration and respect for the man who started it all, Walt Disney.

Being is a very talented and diverse author, Nancy penned the HIDDEN MICKEY series, starting with HIDDEN MICKEY 1: Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales! Once hooked, you'll want to devour HIDDEN MICKEY 2: It All Started, HIDDEN MICKEY 3 Wolf!: The Legend of Tom Sawyers Island, and HIDDEN MICKEY 4 Wolf!: Happily Ever After?, and HIDDEN MICKEY 4.5: Unfinished Business—Wals
These 5 novels are available in Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook.

The HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES series introduces the next generation of clue-seekers. The series starts a few years forward from where HIDDEN MICKEY 4.5: Unfinished Business—Wals leaves readers. HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 1: Peter and the Wolf, starts the series, then continuing with HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 2: Peter and the Missing Mansion, HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 3: The Mermaids Tale, HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 4: Revenge of the Wolf, and HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 5: When You Wish. These 5 novels are available in Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook.

On learning several of Nancy's fans were taking the novels to Disneyland and running the quests that Adam and Lance ran, she put together several scavenger hunt quest books so readers could have a new experience when visiting Disney parks. The bonus questions include "Finding Hidden Mickeys", and more. These books are in the HIDDEN MICKEY QUESTS series, and include HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES: in Disneyland, HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES: in Disney California Adventure, and for east coast fans HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES: in WDW Magic Kingdom. All of these game books are available in Paperback, Apps, and eBook.

As an acclaimed author she also penned the romantic fantasy: THE FAN LETTER. A light and fun read!

Nancy actively participates in book signings and speaking events, and she loves talking to people who enjoy her novels. Readers can go to her Blog blog.hiddenmickeybook.com to get the latest info on book signing events and locations. Or visit HiddenMickeyBook.com or Double-Rbooks.com to read about and buy Signed books. Follow Nancy on Facebook (HiddenMickeyFanClub), Twitter (Hidden_Mickey), and Google+ (HiddenMickeyFanClub).

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your novel, HIDDEN MICKEY: Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales, other than telling you this:it is my new favorite book.

I purchased it on my Kindle 4 days ago, by accident. I was looking for a book about the actual hidden mickeys in the park, and simply clicked on the first result that appeared. I was on vacation in California for the 1st time, and I absolute insisted on seeing the legendary Disneyland Park, even though the rest of my famiy would have happily spent the entire day in California adventure instead. They almost did, though, until I practically dragged them into the adjoining park.

Main Street USA was beautiful, but the Sleeping Beauty castle was moderately underwhelming. As it turns out, I only had time to go on one attraction in Disneyland, due to the long lines and the time we needed to leave to make out commute back home. And after reading your book, I was very, very, glad that attraction was Pirates of the Caribbean.

I was too busy during the day to consult the book I had purchased in my quest for hidden mickeys. Not that it would have been of any help in that particular quest. As we passed through the New Orleans square, my cousin, a former cast member, told me about Club 33. As we passed through main street, I sought out the firehouse, remembering from another book that Walt's personal apartment resided above it.

So when I finally did start reading the book on the way home, I was surprised to find that it was a novel and not a guide book, but subsequently intrigued by the plot.

I was delighted that all the sights I'd seen were mentioned in the book, as I could picture them vividly after the long day. And, as I finished the second half of the book this morning, I was even more delighted that the only ride I went on was pirates.

Just think...I could have ridden over the most important piece of the park's history...Walt Disney himself.

The last scene with Lance gave me chills.

I cannot wait until September 15th. I will still be wondering what will happen when Lance pushes that black button.

There are so many praises I could give this book, but I think the highest is that Walt himself would have loved it.

[Cara Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran across this book by accident back a few weeks ago after returningfrom my first ever trip to Disneyland in CA. I was intrigued by the
synopsis straight away and downloaded it from Amazon with my next pay-packet (I own a Kindle, so bought the ebook edition). I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the adventures of Adam, Lance and Beth and what fun it was trying to solve the clues with the characters along the way. There were many clues that I sussed out for myself, and others that had me completely stumped until the book revealed the answers. It was such an enjoyable read and having just visited Disneyland, I was able to picture everything described in the parks and at times, I felt like I was along for the ride.

I can't wait to read the sequel and I'm also excited to read that a third book in the series is also nearly finished. Great job!

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam is a general contractor and self proclaimed expert on all things Disney. He and his friend Lance enter the Mouse Adventure at Disneyland, a scavenger/treasure hunt of sorts done in teams of 2-4 people. Along the way Adam stumbles upon a diary in a really strange place. He takes the book when he realizes it is Walt Disney's hand writing. Reading the diary sends Adam and Lance on a treasure hunt like no other.


I love Disney and the idea of this book is so original and fun. I do not think I am an expert on Disney or even really a knowledgeable fan, but a few of the clues seemed a bit obvious and the so called experts seemed to struggle with those more than the more obscure ones. But that is okay, the story moves along well, and the characters are funny. A little out of left field on Lance towards the end, but still an enjoyable read.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your novel, HIDDEN MICKEY: Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales, other than telling you this:it is my new favorite book.

I purchased it on my Kindle 4 days ago, by accident. I was looking for a book about the actual hidden mickeys in the park, and simply clicked on the first result that appeared. I was on vacation in California for the 1st time, and I absolute insisted on seeing the legendary Disneyland Park, even though the rest of my famiy would have happily spent the entire day in California adventure instead. They almost did, though, until I practically dragged them into the adjoining park.

Main Street USA was beautiful, but the Sleeping Beauty castle was moderately underwhelming. As it turns out, I only had time to go on one attraction in Disneyland, due to the long lines and the time we needed to leave to make out commute back home. And after reading your book, I was very, very, glad that attraction was Pirates of the Caribbean.

I was too busy during the day to consult the book I had purchased in my quest for hidden mickeys. Not that it would have been of any help in that particular quest. As we passed through the New Orleans square, my cousin, a former cast member, told me about Club 33. As we passed through main street, I sought out the firehouse, remembering from another book that Walt's personal apartment resided above it.

So when I finally did start reading the book on the way home, I was surprised to find that it was a novel and not a guide book, but subsequently intrigued by the plot.

I was delighted that all the sights I'd seen were mentioned in the book, as I could picture them vividly after the long day. And, as I finished the second half of the book this morning, I was even more delighted that the only ride I went on was pirates.

Just think...I could have ridden over the most important piece of the park's history...Walt Disney himself.

The last scene with Lance gave me chills.

I cannot wait until September 15th. I will still be wondering what will happen when Lance pushes that black button.

There are so many praises I could give this book, but I think the highest is that Walt himself would have loved it.

[PopcornReads - MkNoah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autographed Book Giveaway & Review
Is there anyone in the U.S. who didn’t grow up knowing about Walt Disney, Disneyland, and all of the Disney characters and films? Nancy Temple Rodrique and David W. Smith worked at Disneyland and are both avid fans. Their series of Hidden Mickey novels take you behind the scenes at the park and delve deeply into Walt Disney’s life. Think action adventure meets scavenger hunt meets mystery, and wrap Disney around it, and you’ve got a basic idea of this novel’s concept. Any Disney fan is going to get a real kick out of reading this novel, just like I did! Read the rest of my review and enter the giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=1750

[Asharia Calderon]

This was a very interesting and surprising book that I read this week. Basically this book was everything that you DON'T see in Disney World. It all began because of a scavenger hunt in Disney World. The teams had each been given a task and they have to solve all the puzzles and get through all the obsticles to win. At the end they get to see everything in FantasyLand [Disney World ] , that no one has ever been able to see on a regular day when people visit. These people go "Deep" into Disney. When Adam got paired with his partner they're first task was in Critter Country , and they noticed that the birds .. that were turned off .. were making noise? Then Adam had a feeling the other teams were trying to sabotage his team. Then , he heard voices. That's when he started feeling un easy about things. After those tasks when he went into Walt Disney's apartment, he heard a man's voice ! That's when Adam realized Walt Disney was talking to him and was giving him hints to find more things about Disney World! So turns out like the book says a dead man does tell tales sometimes (:

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two friends find Walt Disney's lost diary. Who knew it would lead them on a wild cross-country search filled with discoveries, about the famous man, his life, and about themselves. Beth, Adam's former girlfriend, was fired from her beloved job at Disneyland, thanks to Adam. Now he needs her help in untangling a web of clues that Walt left behind. Can she put their past aside and work with him again? Can the three friends decipher the eccentric clues that Disney himself may have ingeniously devised? As the clues lead them closer to their goal, and deeper in the legacy of Walt Disney himself, will they find some long-lost treasure?

As a Disney enthusiast I was really excited to get reading these books that have a Disney mystery adventure in them. I was disappointed while reading the book. There were some entertaining parts but they were few and far in between. Most of the book consisted of very rambling passages that I skimmed over. For the most part, I thought this was a hard book to get through from an enjoyment standpoint. Also, the ending was so weird, it threw me for a loop and not in a good way.

[Aidan Ceszynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I begin? Two 30-year olds stumble across Walt Disney's lost diary. It takes them all over the place, leading to Walt's hometown Marceline, Missouri and Kansas City where his first animation studio was, and the Walt Disney Elementary School where they find a small treasure. But Walt's true treasures lie in the Pirates of the Carribean. This needs assistance from one of their ex-girlfriends Beth who was fired because of them. It ends with betrayal, discovery, excitement, romance and a cryogenically frozen leader. I loved it from the first sentence to the end. I was lucky enough to stumble across it at the D23 Expo 2011 in my vacation. The authors signed it for me, and I ordered the next 2 books. If I were you, I would read this more than once, as a book filled with the mystery of Walt and his dreams. Remember- Sunnee holds the key, and "It all started with a moose".

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book to read if you are a disneyland-aholic (as I am). There are lots of great facts about Walt Disney, early Disney movies, Disneyland, and much more. The little tid-bits of information were fascinating to me and made me VERY excited to go to Disneyland again! (not that I needed much to get me excited...) My only problem was the actual story itself. The beginning half of the book was sooooooo slow. And its a long book, so the that is a lot of pages to be someone bored. The end really picked up though and was a definite page-turner. My only other problem was that the story was a bit crude at times (not too unexpected when two single men are the main characters). Not overly crude, but more than I would like to read in a book. But overall the book was enjoyable and because of a cliff-hanger at the end, I will need to pick up the next book. :)

[Diana O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great E-Ticket ride!!!
What a great story! If it were only true! I was wrapped up from the first page. I cried, my heart raced, my mind was working overtime trying to figure out the clues as the characters were trying to figure out everything. I learned a few new things about Mr. Disney and Disneyland that I never knew! One of the best books I have ever read! I lost myself completely in the story. I could envision every part of the park and what the characters might look like. I even dreamed about the story. LOVE THIS BOOK SERIES! Thank you, Nancy. It was an honor meeting you at the Tucson Festival of Books.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What a wonderful book. As soon as the story get going it is difficult NOT to keep reading. The research and attention to details of Disneyland made me want to go to the park and relive childhood memories and make new ones. And reminders on what the park was built for-a place for families to spend time together. The active search for clues kept me anxiously involved to see what would happen next and where it would lead them. The ending doesn't disappoint and neither does the book. Can't wait for the movie. "

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly addictive read. Better than you think it should b, I got totally hooked up into it. Being a Disney fan, I loved all the trivia provided through out the story about Walt Disney and Disneyland. It gave the novel real flavor. This is a good action packed mystery although the action is not what you would find in a James Rollins or Jeremy Robinson novel, this is not a shoot em up, action based novel. The action stems from the puzzle and clues that our main characters are trying to find.

I highly recommend this novel and I look forward to the next.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't tend to read a lot of fiction, but this book got me hooked and weouldn't let me go for a couple of days! The whole idea of three people going on a treasure hunt orchestrated by the Old Mousetro himself is a lot of fun, and Nancy may stretch the situation once or twice, but mostly she pulls it off. There was a flub or two in her facts that might annoy the hard-core mousejunkies, but otherwise a good book.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book I knew it was something I had to read, and sure enough I was right. This book didn't disappoint from start to finish. If you had a day with nothing to do, I recommend that you read this book, just like me(and many others), you will not be able to put it down. The story takes you right into what feels like a movie and you can't wait to see what is around the next corner.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Mickey was entertaining from start to finish - a fun and engaging read. After visiting Disney Land many times as a youngster and later with my own children, I was able to follow the story line as if I was there.
I have recently mailed a copy to my three children as I know they will love reading Hidden Mickey.
My highest recommendation and my compliments to the authors.

[Ellison · Rating 3 out of 5]

pepe le pew and droopy are put through what seems like an endless series of trials based upon the life of walt. i was exhausted by the 30 percent point. considered giving to a disney fan, but, due to swearing i will not. why have swearing in a book about walt disney? (rip)

[Midwest Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is a new and popular action/adventure category as represented by the 'National Treasure' films and such television series as 'Unnatural History'. The first full length novel of this new brand of entertainment is "Hidden Mickey: Sometimes Dead Men Do Tell Tales!", a collaborative 482-page work of imaginative fiction by Nancy Temple Rodrigue and David W. Smith which is set against the backdrop of Disneyland. Three friends accidentally come across the long lost diary of Walt Disney and finds hints of a hidden treasure. Following a series of complicated clues which they must decipher, they set off in pursuit involving scattered historical records and subtle connections. What they will find is as imaginative as everything else that the great Walt Disney left as his enduring legacy to the world. Superbly written, "Hidden Mickey" is an attention riveting novel from first page to last and highly recommended, wonderfully entertaining reading."

[Linzy Stahle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably one of the SLOWEST books I have EVER read! I was excited to read it after I met the authors at a book signing one day while I was at Barnes and Noble, so I bought it. Waste of money!!! It only started to get suspenseful in the last 50 pages or so. And the big twist that is supposed to be shocking was fairly predictable and downright dumb. It seems like all the authors (who both worked at Disneyland for some time) just wanted to show off how much they knew about Walt Disney. I'm a Disney fan, but I thought it would take place more in Disneyland. Overall rating-2 out of 10 because it definately is NOT "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride on Steroids". More like It's A Small World doped up

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most gripping books I've ever had the pleasure to buy(signed, thank you Mrs. Rodrigue, and Mr. Smith). I know a little bit about about some Disney Secrets, and this books mixed some facts I knew and some I didn't, and I encourage that they write a sequel or two(same characters), and my least favorite part of the book was the betrayal of Lance, and the end almost made me scream. Thank you for putting that old Disney Legend into the book.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you give 6 stars to a book? I grew up in southern California and have spent many days in Disneyland over the years since I was 4 years old. This book reminded me of the early days as I watched Disneyland expand and grow and continue to amaze me. I thought I knew a lot about Walt, but this book taught me so much more. If you are a Disney fan, a mystery fan, a history fan, well this book is for you. I can't wait to start the next book in this series. I will be reading them all!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THE BOOK!!! I can't wait to see a sequel to the story. Now every time I ride the train or pirates, I am going to be looking for hidden doors, hatches, crawl spaces, etc. I want to find a diary like Adam did. And what great history to learn about Walt Disney! Loved it!! Thank you Nancy for a great story. Write another one soon!

[Frankie Bethune · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. It was hard to put it down. I was really surprised at the way it ended. I truly wasn't ready for this ending. If you like to read or even if you don't you will enjoy this book. It brought back memories from Disneyland when I was a child. Some of the rides that were mentioned I had forgotten about. Great job Nancy I'm ready for the next one.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. There were a lot of twists and turns. The end totally SHOCKED me. I loved how much suspense there was, and it was a totally action packed story. I have got to say by far, that this my all time favorite book. If you like suspense, mystery, adventure, and any other cool things, you should think about reading this.

[Shellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by my "Sis" and she didn't let me down! What an excellent story! I was hooked from the start. If I didn't have a life, I wouldn't have put it down. Great story, great suspense, great end. I am now almost half way done with the second book in this series and loving it too!

[Zina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutly LOVE the "Hidden Micky Books"! I am a total Disney nerd and i love these books because it is full of action, romance, and all things Disney!!! These are my favorite books EVER!!! I cannot wait till the 3rd book in the series, "Hidden Micky 3: Wolf!" comes in 2011!

[Dione · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Acually surprised how it
ended. Wow.
I like mysteries, so this fit in nicely. The historical fiction included
was an added bonus since that is the other type of book I like to
read.
This book will not disappoint. Great read!

[Nancy Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a major Disney fan, I've been a member of the Disneyana Fan Club for years, I was particularly impressed with the attention to detail in all the books. The plot twists made it impossible to put the books down. I'm looking forward to the next in your series!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot stress enough how much I loved this book! It did take me a little while to get into it but once there I found it very difficult to put down. Loved all the backstage information about Disneyland and Walt.

[Tiffany Spencer]

Sometimes Dead Men DO Tell Tales (Hidden Mickeys)
It starts off with Walt (Disney) in the hospital (about to die) mumbling “It all started with a moose”. Then he thinks to himself how is he gonna pull this off. There’s a man in the room with him. The man assures him he has everything he needs and that his instructions will be followed to the letter before leaving the room. He holds up a black book and asks if he’s sure and he says yes. Walt’s assistant Louise comes in as the man goes out. She asks him who the man is and Walt says he’s going to help keep him alive.

In the spring of 2002, Adam participates in a “Mouse Adventure” (which is a cross between a scavenger hunt and a car rally). They have until 3 to run as many quests as they can and a Disneyland Park souvenir map it given to all the participants. No devices. No park attendant assistance. Adam finds the diary in Walt’s apartment hidden in one of the chairs. When he and Lance read it hints at treasures, advises to choose wisely for a partner, and on this quest for Hidden Mickey’s 1) appreciate where you’re going 2) appreciate what happens there and 3) appreciate what you might find. It goes on to say look around and learn. Never stop learning and put what’s found to good use.

The first clue is Do some belly botany under the Dreaming Tree. From where I stand, it’s down 2 feet. Bring a shovel. Inside the diary pages they find Walt’s bronze cast member tag. We read about Walt visiting a certain tree in his hometown and day dreaming about the one’s he lost and the times he spent there with his sister. Then he buries a time capsule there. He takes a moment there to dream and then leaves before a storm arrives. Lance finds a link on belly botany that leads to an article about someone who visited Walt’s hometown and it refrences a “dreaming tree”. Lance then plans a sporadic trip to Marcelline for him and Adam.

Adam finds a buried capsule under the Dreaming Tree. Inside the capsule are stock papers for 10 percent shares in a railroad. The wood has 1127 written on it. Lance finds out that 1127 was the studio were Walt worked on his “Laugh O Grams”. There’s a flashback where Walt in the past visits his old studio after 40 years and it’s been turned into a pool hall and a bar. He looks at the layout of the floor and ceiling. He would need a hammer, probably a small screwdriver would be enough instead of a chisel, a couple of nails. He decides he’ll come back the next day.

Where the destroyed building where the studio was, they find another capsule. There’s a business card. In black letters, the middle of the card proclaimed Laugh-O-Gram Films Inc. There’s also a script from a Alice in Wonderland episode. The third clue says ou ready for some prospecting? Triple R. Just sing Mario part of the campfire song. Lance asks around and finds out the three R’s are referring to the Triple R Ranch where Spin and Marty lived which was a segment on The Mickey Mouse Club. Lance finds the real ranch that the fictional one was created from (the Golden Oak Ranch). When Spin and Marty was being filmed, the ranch was being leased. Then Walt bought the original 315 acres in 1959. Yhe ranch is still in use today and is off limits to the general public. Walt has a guest house there. Also, there’s an assistant on the ranch who’s been there since 1964 named Mario.

Once on the ranch, in Walt’s guest house, they find the capsule nailed unto the ceiling (in the attic). In the capsule is two pieces of paper and a sealed envelope. Walt’s left them access to the house as long as they don’t interrupt filming or make nuisances of themselves. The next clue says This is the house the little princess built. Check out my desk. Hand the envelope to Manny, Mo, or Jack if you can’t find it.

Adam comes across an article on line that leads him to believe that Hyperion Studio must be the “house” referred to in the clue. When they go to check out the address instead of a studio, they find a grocery store. Lance thinks maybe it’s another studio. So, they turn their attention to looking into the Burbank studio. The next day, Adam has found an animator named Matty who’s worked there since 1953. They find out that Snow White was who Walt referred to as “the little Princess” and that everything in his office got packed up and went on display at Disneyland and some of it went to Florida. His orginal desk went to Disneyland for the exhibit in Lincoln’s show.

Inside a hidden space in the desk that find a flat, gray, plastic container. Inside are 12 hand-painted animation cels from Snow White and Pinocchio. The next clue says “I meet Little Red Riding Hood there. Then the four musicians of Bremen. Look up from Mickey. Something doesn’t fit.” In the past Walt goes back to his family home where he had his first studio and places a plaque where his first studio use to be. There he places the plaque and the capsule. So, Lance and Adam go to the garage pretending to be shooting a documentary. One of the rafters isn’t like the others and that’s where they find the capsule. The piece of paper in the capsule says Go to the only place outside of Disneyland to fly the official Disneyland flag. 60 07 17 19 55”

Lance finds an article on the internet about a similar flag (to the one over Walt’s apartment) in 1960 Walt gave at a dedication of a new elementary school that the town named after him. Adam meets a girl named Mandy who shows him a locker that no one’s been able to open. She tells them she can help and gives a time to meet her back at the school that night. (Adam is pretty sure the numbers are the locker’s combination). They find the capsule in the back on a shelf at the top of the locker, a hat, and another flag. There’s always a porcelain Snow White doll. They also find 12 psses to Disneyland signed by Walt. Lance convinces Adam he doesn’t need them. Adam lets Mandy keep the doll. Inside is another diary page. It says LILLY BELLE.


Adam finds out the first Lilly Belle was the name of the engine Walt built for his backyard railroad on Carolwood Drive. But the house no longer exists. Noone knows exactly who has the original train. Later, Lance tells Adam he found out that the train is in San Francisco. It’s stored in a warehouse full of memorabilia and they’ll have to break in. Just as they hear sirens, Lance and Adam find a diary page in the roof of the dismantled train and a button. The clue says this canyon isn’t so grand, but you are on the right track. Bring a rope. You probably have about 5 minutes. The button has SFDR on it.

SFDR stands for Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad. This button was no longer used since Santa Fe had pulled out of their Disneyland sponsorship in 1974. The little button was now a much-sought after collector’s item. Adam finds the next capsule in one of the tunnels of the railroad train at Disneyland. There’s a gold coin in the capsule that has words that look like they could be Spanish or Latin. The clue says ide the cab to see the cup and walk 20 paces N. Sometimes my heart is like an island. Look for Jeremy B. He has the other half. (There’s a hole in the coin). Most of the writings appear to be on the other half and from what Adam can make out it looks to say “Your Majesty”.

Reluctantly, now that they’ve hit a brick wall, Adam agrees to reach out to his ex (who he got fired). She’s the only one that knows Disneyland better than him (Beth). We find out that Beth got banned to the park because she fell off the Keel Boat and her shirt came off. Adam jumped in. He disappeared. She got hauled into the office. He was going to propose before it happened. He never said he was sorry. After Beth reads (and sees) the diary, they know she’ll help. Beth figures out the rides have been moved. They decide to ride Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean.

While visiting Tarzan’s tree house, Beth realizes that it was originally the Swiss Family’s Tree House and It wasn’t ‘my heart is sometimes like an island.’ It was “My Heart was an Island.” (a song from the movie). And the movie was filmed on an island. While watching the extras, they discover the movie Swiss Family Robinson was filmed on Tobago in Trinidad. Once there, Adam and Lance go diving and send Beth to check out the Fort Museum. Beth takes the medallion with her. There’s a half coin pendant hanging on a display bust (the driver takes them to it when they see Beth’s).

In the gift shop (back at the hotel) Beth notices there are a variety of the half coins. When put together with the one Adam has they form cross bones forming a perfect X. They ask her about the history of the necklace and she advises them to go to Mooma. The next day, they visit her in the bookstore. She tells them it’s not worth more than .50. She says she remembers “Da Mister” bringing people and his animals for his movie and a lot of them worked for him. One day because of the roads being messed up because of a storm, all the workers stopped. “Da Misters” sets got messed up, but her friend drove him to the set. He was upset but then it seemed like he was ok. Two days later he left but the movie people stayed.

After they left, her friend got an ego and said “Mister” would come back, but no one believed him. He took it hard. He’d show everyone this gold piece and say the “Mister” gave it to him. He goes crazy shortly after and they find him face down in Barcolet Bay (not to far from the remains of the set). The coins were made in imitation of the one around his neck as a way of them apologizing to him. His name was Jemybie. She offers to show them where he’s burried. He’s real name is Jeremy Bey. When they visit the grave the next day there’s a carving that says X Marc the Spot.

There’s a flashback where Walt visits the destroyed movie set with Jeremy and thinks about adding the destruction as a scene in the movie. Then he finds a brown chest in a hole on the beach. In the present 2002, Lance, Adam, and Beth go back to visit Mooma. She tells them there was a paper clutched in his hands but no one knew what was on it. Back home, they decide to see where the X and the skull and crossbones are in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Beth stares at the picture of the Captain’s Quarters in Adam’s E-Ticket magazine and realizes it looks familiar.

In a book in her collection “Where in Disneyland Attractions?” She finds a over in detail of the close up of the Captain’s Quarters and the skeleton owner looking over the map. In the upper right corner is a big red X above its fingers. Lance discovers X is an initial and is the name of Xavier Atencio’s. He provided the script, the warnings, and the song “Yo Ho A Pirates Life” for the attraction. Marc is referring to Marc Davis one of the Nine Old Men who designed the look for the ride. All the sketches in the E-magazine were his and turned into scenes for the ride.

Under the Treasure Room, they find a secret hiding place. There they find a locked door. Lance is about to shoot the lock and then when Beth pleads with him not to because security will find them, he says he IS security. He says Adam is welcomed to keep what they found but he needs this treasure because he’s broke. He says he wasn’t planning to shot them but plans change. Lance starts to fire shots at the door but it stayed locked. There’s a metal plate with the words SUNNEE HOLDS THE KEY. Beth recognizes the words as Indian. Lillian was aised in Nez Perce country. On the way out, Lance has gotten a hold off a book that (either Beth or Adam) took from the Captain’s Quarters and threatens to get them locked up for stealing. He tosses it to Beth so it now has her fingerprints on it. Using the book as a distraction, Beth throws the book (getting Lance to go after it) and she and Adam get away from him. Now he’s lost track of them.

When they’ve gotten away, Beth tells Adam she made it up about Lillian. They decide to go away (making it look like they’ve gone to Idaho). Adam takes Beth to his parents’ house. Lance decides to take a flight to Idaho. Beth finds out that Sunnee was the family dog. There’s a flashback that tells about how Walt wanted a dog and surprised his wife with one on Christmas. Even tho she said she didn’t want it (it) was love at first sight. They named it Sunnee. They used the dog in the hatbox inspiration in Lady and the Tramp. Lance learned there was nobody associated with the Nez Perce named Sunnee who could have been used by Walt. Beth and Adam list all the dogs in the park and then go back to the park. On the Pirates ride, they node the dog holding the key and then plot coming back later to get the key.

In one of the boxes Adam finds there’s his and hers Mickey watches from the 30s. The first yellowed envelope contained four unused admission tickets for the opening day of Disneyland, dated July 17, 1955. There was a handwritten note from Walt that said: “I know it’s too late to use these, but thought you would like to see what the real ones looked like! See you at the Park. Walt. The second envelope contained a cancelled $5000 check filled out and signed by Walt himself. The memo on the bottom read ‘first payment for Disneyland. Inside the first manila envelope Beth opened were two documents. Inside are wo Honorary Lifetime Memberships to Club 33 his membership would include automatic entry into the Park, free parking, and, the cost of all the meals for up to six guests. In another envelope are stock certificates for 40 thousand shares in Disneyland. There’s also a whole gold coin with others mixed in (all gold). There’s also a pouch full of gemstones.

These explains the expansion of Disneyland and Florida. This was what Walt found on the beach. Some of the things Adam and Beth talk about doing with the money are doing something for the school in Marceline and for the little girl Mandy. Adam wants to Pay off his student loan. Pay off his parent’s mortgage. Pay off Beth’s car and his truck. Set up a trust fund. Maybe an art scholarship for underprivileged kids. Maybe he could bring Mandy and her family and some friends of hers out to stay at the Disneyland Hotel and give them a nice vacation at the park. He later builds his first home, gets a dog, names it Sunnee, surprises Beth with a proposal and has the boat she worked on rebuilt. Beth gets her job back at Disneyland (any park she chooses as long as she wants). Lance goes back to Pirates and finds the treasure gone but instead finds a bunch of nitrogen and oxygen machines and inside a hidden door… Walt.

Rating: 6 When I told my cousin I was reading a book about 2 adult men finding Walt Disney’s diary, he looked at me incredulously and told me THAT DOES NOT SOUND GOOD! Maybe he said if it were children. It was kinda slow in some parts. Some parts really could have been left off. The car race could have definitely been left off because it didn’t contribute to the story. I think it was just there for background about what happened after Beth left Adam. Which actually didn’t make any sense. Did she leave him or did he leave her? Either way. If he just didn’t talk to her anymore after his proposal idea went bad then that was SORRY. And if she didn’t talk to him anymore afterwards, I can see getting angry for a minute for just leaving her there, but never speaking to him again after? I could have done without all the relationship drama. But it did get better at the end. It got better when unexpectedly Lance turned into the “villain”. It got better with the twist at the end where Lance finds what’s supposed to be a dead Walt looking at him through the glass. And while I’m not much for romance, I did actually like what Adam did by rebuilding Beth’s boat because I’ve always had a fantasy about finding someone who would one day build a couple of things that I’ve dreamed of having. So, the ending was touching. I was kinda surprised that one of Beth and Adam’s plans wasn’t to help Lance. Tho I can understand why they wouldn’t be quick too.

[Alyssa (The Shady Glade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that I loved this one. A treasure hunt through Disney history? Right up my alley. Yes, it's self-pubbed book and could use some good editing, but I was so caught up in the story (and the characters!) that I can easily forgive that.

So why only 4 stars? The epilogue bugged me. To have the authors pay so much detail and attention to Disney history and then end that way? Eh. I can understand *why* they did it (to set up the next book, which I've already started), but it still bugged me.

I'm definitely reading the next one in the series, and hopefully I will like it as much as this one (despite my disappointment with the direction the epilouge is taking the plot).