Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew

Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never Knew You Never Knew #1

by Jim Korkis, Sam Gennawey (Foreword), Bob McLain (Editor)

The Rosetta Stone of Disney Magic

Warning! There be secrets ahead. Disney secrets. Mickey doesn't want you to know how the magic is made, but Jim Korkis knows, and if you read Jim's book, you'll know, too. Put the kids to bed. Pull those curtains. Power down that iPhone. Let's keep this just between us...

If you've come expecting more of the same Disney trivia, you're in for a surprise. This is not a Disney trivia book. It's a book of Disney secrets, each exactly two pages long, and each brimming with backstage lore. Jim Korkis gathered these secrets when he worked at Walt Disney World as an instructor at Disney University. They're all true. They're all cool. And they include:

How the popularity of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach meant the doom of an important piece of Disney history

United Arab Emirates, Equatorial Africa, Costa Rica, and other planned Epcot pavilions that never were

Disney's original plans for Figment, how corporate politics turned him purple, and why the Dreamfinder shrunk

Wilderness Junction, the Alpine Resort, the Enchanted Snow Palace Ride, and other abandoned attractions

Beacon Joe, the character you've never heard of, even though he appears numerous times throughout Disney World

PSST! WANNA HEAR A (DISNEY) SECRET?

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History

200 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2015

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing both this book and the sequel, More Secret Stories of Walt Disney World. I think it's fair to say that virtually every Disney fan, however well informed, could still learn something new from Korkis. Obviously, you'd have to be an invested fan to appreciate this level of depth, but I am such a fan, and I do appreciate it. If you are the sort of person to find the exact details of local government on Disney property, absolutely give these a read.

[William Tintle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Book, by amazing author! Really dived deep into the secrets and behind the scenes of Disney World.

[Donna Zigmont · Rating 2 out of 5]

for me this book was just ok. I found parts of it a little boring. No part was exciting. one of my best friends works at the Magic Kingdom and I found it insulting that the author felt he knows more than the people who work there. A majority of what was in the book my friend told me.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some fun tidbits and information for Disney World fans. However, it barely scratches the surface and doesn't provide as much depth as I would have liked.

[Tom Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Jim Korkis books on Disney and this is no exception. Lots of interesting stories about the magical place in Florida.

[Rachel Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly quick read for me. Each story is about a page and a half long so I would read a few before bed or a couple in the evening. They were enjoyable and I definitely learned some things I didn’t know. In the preface it does warn that each story can be stand alone and the book can be read in any order so some things may be repeated and I did find that true. As other reviewers have stated it can be dry in parts but that depends on your interest and the subject matter, but with the stories being short, it’s not unbearable.
I debated weather to give it 3 or 4 stars. I ended up with 4 because I always recommend it to my Disney loving friends, and have lent out my copy! I enjoyed it enough to want to read more by the author and in this series.

Also because they are short stories they don’t have an abundance of detail, enough to give you interesting facts and give you some things to look for or think about when you’re in the park next time.

Overall this book made me want to learn even more about Disney and helped me get my Disney fix until I can get back to the parks!

[Veronica Noechel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be cannon to any Disneyphile. It dispels a lot of myths, corrects commonly repeated "facts" and replaces them with the truth, which is often a lot more interesting. The only drawbacks? The style of this book can make for tiresome reading, and I feel like the author is a little disdainful of cast members, when they are the ones absolutely immersed in Disney legend. They may not be savvy when it comes to the true stories of Imagineering, but they can provide and verify a wealth of great stories about Walt Disney World. Sure this book isn't about those sort of legends, and that's cool, but don't discount their contributions, either. That said, there's a ton of information to be found here. Read it and impress your friends next time you go to the park.

[Jacob Hodges · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. If I had to summarize this book that would be the word I would use. While it did feature some interesting little known facts about Walt Disney World and Walt Disney himself, the majority of the book was boring. I didn’t feel like I learned too much that I hadn’t read from other books. It would’ve been better had the author focused on one particular park or area of history instead of trying to do too much. The section on the Walt Disney World that never was is done significantly better in the book entitled “The Walt Disney World That Never Was”. Not a terrible book, but glad I got it for free on my Kindle Unlimited.

[Hots Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book comprises a series of short, two-page chapters covering lesser-known stories and people involved in Disney World, like sculpture artists, early ambassadors, Ice Gator, Humphrey the Bear, and even canceled attractions & pavilions.

The brevity of chapters makes it easy to pick up and put down. Each chapter is a like a nugget of information on a specific topic, but in reality diverge to cover more.

The only downside is that the book is strictly informational: I didn't derive much inspiration from it, and the individual topics don't add up into some greater story or message.

They don't have to! But the book as a whole doesn't leave me with any lasting impact.

[annabeth ☼ · Rating 2 out of 5]

To review this in a single paragraph feels fitting as every “chapter” in it was a single page.

This book just simply doesn’t read like a cohesive, completed book. It just reads like tiny tidbits of information about all of these random things that may or may not be connected to one another. There were some interesting things presented, but for the most part, it was either interesting but didn’t give enough information about the interesting subject, or it was simply boring, either by the fault of the writing style or the set up of the book, who’s to say.

In conclusion: Judge books by their bad covers. Do it.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The facts presented are interesting (and some pretty surprising!), but the author manages to suck the life out of this book.

The narration is dry making this book, at best, perfect for short bouts of reading. I left this book on my night table and read a chapter or two (which are about 2 pages each) at a time. I'd recommend this book to any Disney lover... just don't expect to gobble it up in one sitting.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to read about backstories and unknowns to the general public in regard to Disney. I only wish the book had some pictures. He would talk about something in the parks and I could picture the places that he was talking about but not the individual detail or item. I like reading about Disney history especially from someone who was there for much of the journey.

[Cyndee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very interesting but coming from a past cast member it makes everything seem like it's always sunshine and rainbows ,. On our trip it poured rain every day, we decided to stay and endure it. We spent 6 days in the rain.

[Meredith Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended for any Disney World history fan. I learned a lot! There were also some sections that I found rather boring and dry though. I'll certainly keep reading Jim Korkis books though, I do always learn something I didn't know before.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love!

Yes slightly obsessed with Disney and this books just fuels the fire for it! A great author and a great book.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information was wonderful but it did get a bit dry. Definitely more of a reference book than a trivia style.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Inside Info

I really enjoyed reading about the history of Disney World, the people and the thoughts behind the design. I plan to look for more of Jim Korkis’ books.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of two-page mini-essays on WDW history, traditions, and folklore. With us headed to see the Mouse later this spring, I'm enjoying it even more.

[Maya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok but not as interesting as it night it would be...and I’m a huge WDW fan. Kind of humdrum

[Lester Anderson]

Interesting book. If you have gone to Disney World you will enjoy some of the highlights and unannounced facts from the past. A fast read.

[Gaetagrl13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t mention the history of turkey legs but some fun facts ‘bout other things.

[Candice Minks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a complete WDW junkie, I love reading the factual basis for many of the myths and legends around “The World”. I’m looking very forward to the other books in the series.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading about Walt Disney World and their many "secrets."

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read of insider baseball knowledge of all thing WDW- loved it.

[T.Jon Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Korkis is the man!

I will never get tired of reading WDW history from Jim Korkis! His knowledge is exceptional and his writing style is easy to follow.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read from Theme Park Press, and although I was a little hesitant at first to read an unofficial Disney book, I needn't have worried. The author has extensive knowledge of Disney history and worked for the company for decades (including as a tour guide), so has meticulously researched every fact and figure.


I'm a huge Disney fan and love learning about the stories that surround the Disneyland/Disney World parks, so I really enjoyed reading many of the stories and trying to memorise them to tell my fellow Disney fan family and friends. The book begins with a Foreword, Introduction and a short chapter on The Birth of Walt Disney World. It then splits into four sections about the parks, the resorts, the rest of WDW, and the rest of the story (history, attractions that were never built, and important staff/Imagineers) - this layout covers a wide variety of themes so there should be something of interest for even the most casual fans, although this does mean that some parts may be quite boring. I particularly enjoyed reading some sections (eg. things that never were), but other parts weren't as interesting and I really forced myself to keep reading. It didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the book, however, and it just comes down to personal preference. Each story is limited to two pages to keep it concise, although some small paragraphs were repeated in separate stories.


I would thoroughly recommend this book for any Disney fan who wants to know more obscure facts and stories about the world of Walt.

[Sherrie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of trivia about WDW and more behind the scenes stories. Is a must read for any Disney fanantic! Will definitely read again before my next trip to WDW just so I can spot some of the things talked about in te book. Loved that it covered almost every park; everything got a little mention (even the water parks - some might just think they are water parks, but they actually have stories behind the creation!)

Check it out!

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for those of us who love Disney facts and hidden trivia. Most of the things that were in this book I didn't know, which is exciting because I've been gathering a plethora of Disney trivia and knowledge for years so I was beyond thrilled to learn some new things. Korkis is such a great resource for getting accurate and fun Disney information that we all want to know without killing any of the Disney magic. Definitely a must read for the Disney fans!

[Jeff Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun little book! As a long-time aficianado of Disney-related history, I'm well aware of Mr Korkis and his books. This was a fun little glance behind some (but certainly not all) of the stories that make up the Walt Disney World resort. Will definitely be getting more of his releases!

[Kiki Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Korkis's books and when I hear him on WDW Radio with Lou Mongello. He has fascinating stories to share and that need to be shared. There are some editing problems with his books from time to time and some information has appeared in other books. But overall this was an enjoyable read.