What do you think?
Rate this book
The Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse, & the Parks
The Disney Story is a decade-by-decade look back on the man, the mouse, and the theme parks. From Mickey Mouse’s debut at the Colony Theatre in November 1928 to the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016—and everything in between—finally, the world’s greatest storyteller has their story told!
In addition to reliving Disney’s most memorable moments, there are numerous interesting and lesser-known stories that will expand your Disney knowledge and give you a fresh perspective on your favorite Disney topic.
Perhaps you’re familiar with some of the Disney milestones covered in the book, but how about a few other notable stories:
• Have you ever heard of Disney by the Sea? This was the working name for the ninety-two-acre beachfront tract of land east of Walt Disney World. Disney purchased the property in the early 1970s with the intention of offering a beach experience for those visiting Walt Disney World.
• Have you ever wondered about the story behind those legendary Mickey ears that millions of people wear at the Disney parks? Who invented them?
• Which four movies did the minds at Pixar sketch out on paper napkins during one lunch in the summer of 1994? These movies turned out to be some of the studio’s greatest hits.
• Did you know that in 1937 at the Hollywood premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the movie stars of the day paid over five dollars to see the film?
• What role did Disney’s Silly Symphonies play in the movie The Wizard of Oz?
• How did a group of legendary Disney animators become known as the Nine Old Men?
• Did you know that during the 1990s, Disney was going to sponsor the country’s first nationwide lottery?
• Ever hear of Mickey’s Kitchen? It was Disney’s healthy fast-food restaurant experiment.
• Whatever happened to Disney’s America—the theme park Disney planned for Virginia in the 1990s?
• Which holiday had Japan never celebrated until Disney introduced it at their theme park?
• Which A-list movie star turned down a role in Toy Story? He later accepted a monster of a role a few years later.
• Which world leader was supposedly buried with his Mickey Mouse watch?
• Why was the FBI interested in EPCOT’s World Showcase after it debuted?
The Disney Story is more than just a timeline of Disney events and a collection of interesting stories such as the ones above. It’s a vehicle and guidebook that can be used to travel back in time and read about your favorite Disney subjects via an interactive bibliography on the book’s companion website.
Disney’s ninety-year journey is all here in one volume, complete with informative stories and tidbits about the theme parks, movies, and Walt himself. Revel in the remarkable innovations and legendary Disney magic that make the company the premiere name in entertainment today.
In addition to reliving Disney’s most memorable moments, there are numerous interesting and lesser-known stories that will expand your Disney knowledge and give you a fresh perspective on your favorite Disney topic.
Perhaps you’re familiar with some of the Disney milestones covered in the book, but how about a few other notable stories:
• Have you ever heard of Disney by the Sea? This was the working name for the ninety-two-acre beachfront tract of land east of Walt Disney World. Disney purchased the property in the early 1970s with the intention of offering a beach experience for those visiting Walt Disney World.
• Have you ever wondered about the story behind those legendary Mickey ears that millions of people wear at the Disney parks? Who invented them?
• Which four movies did the minds at Pixar sketch out on paper napkins during one lunch in the summer of 1994? These movies turned out to be some of the studio’s greatest hits.
• Did you know that in 1937 at the Hollywood premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the movie stars of the day paid over five dollars to see the film?
• What role did Disney’s Silly Symphonies play in the movie The Wizard of Oz?
• How did a group of legendary Disney animators become known as the Nine Old Men?
• Did you know that during the 1990s, Disney was going to sponsor the country’s first nationwide lottery?
• Ever hear of Mickey’s Kitchen? It was Disney’s healthy fast-food restaurant experiment.
• Whatever happened to Disney’s America—the theme park Disney planned for Virginia in the 1990s?
• Which holiday had Japan never celebrated until Disney introduced it at their theme park?
• Which A-list movie star turned down a role in Toy Story? He later accepted a monster of a role a few years later.
• Which world leader was supposedly buried with his Mickey Mouse watch?
• Why was the FBI interested in EPCOT’s World Showcase after it debuted?
The Disney Story is more than just a timeline of Disney events and a collection of interesting stories such as the ones above. It’s a vehicle and guidebook that can be used to travel back in time and read about your favorite Disney subjects via an interactive bibliography on the book’s companion website.
Disney’s ninety-year journey is all here in one volume, complete with informative stories and tidbits about the theme parks, movies, and Walt himself. Revel in the remarkable innovations and legendary Disney magic that make the company the premiere name in entertainment today.
224 pages, Paperback
Published August 9, 2016
118 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
About the author
Aaron H. Goldberg
6 books41 followersAaron H. Goldberg is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, having graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in anthropology.
He is the author of the award-winning and bestselling books, The Disney Story, Meet the Disney Brothers, and The Wonders of Walt Disney World.
Aaron has been featured in stories about Disney in CNN, The Los Angeles Times, Emirates Airlines Magazine, Huffington Post, Orlando Sentinel, The Dis, Imaginerding, and Inside the Magic.
He’s active on Twitter @aaronhgoldberg and has visited the Disney theme parks more times than his wallet cares to remember!
He is the author of the award-winning and bestselling books, The Disney Story, Meet the Disney Brothers, and The Wonders of Walt Disney World.
Aaron has been featured in stories about Disney in CNN, The Los Angeles Times, Emirates Airlines Magazine, Huffington Post, Orlando Sentinel, The Dis, Imaginerding, and Inside the Magic.
He’s active on Twitter @aaronhgoldberg and has visited the Disney theme parks more times than his wallet cares to remember!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 10, 2023
If you're a Disney adult looking for a good read about the history of Walt Disney, the theme parks, and films, the Disney Story may be your next Disney read.
The Disney Story highlights important dates and events of Disney history, from 1928 when Steamboat Willie was released up to 2016. The author writes about Walt Disney and his accomplishments, the years after his death, and what is happening with the Disney company in the 2000's and 2010's.
Overall this was an enjoyable read. Goldberg is very informative and detailed with his dates. There are plenty of interesting facts that he writes into the story that I have never knew until I read this book. There are some events that I wish were added in the book, but then that would make the book longer. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive into Disney history and learn more about the man who created the Mouse and the legacy he left behind.
The Disney Story highlights important dates and events of Disney history, from 1928 when Steamboat Willie was released up to 2016. The author writes about Walt Disney and his accomplishments, the years after his death, and what is happening with the Disney company in the 2000's and 2010's.
Overall this was an enjoyable read. Goldberg is very informative and detailed with his dates. There are plenty of interesting facts that he writes into the story that I have never knew until I read this book. There are some events that I wish were added in the book, but then that would make the book longer. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive into Disney history and learn more about the man who created the Mouse and the legacy he left behind.
May 5, 2022
I enjoyed that the book was written as a timeline. I learned new facts that I didn't know before, which made reading the book a great surprise.
July 26, 2020
Good book drawn from a lot of sources throughout history. The New York Times shows up more frequently than one might like, but the best part is that there are plenty of other primary sources, from news articles and statements from past Disney workers, to factual research like the history of Celebration.
My only disappointment was that the book's major events -- with dates attached -- often center on the public unveiling, without prior discussing of what went into the public unveiling behind-the-scenes. For example, the book highlights Disney's acquisition of Pixar following Bob Iger's ascension to CEO, but there is almost no mention of Disney and Pixar's back-and-forth prior to that, between Steve Jobs and Michael Eisner, or how Pixar going public after Toy Story affected negotiations. It would have been nice to know more of the reasoning -- say, of Disney executives or Braintrust people -- going into each of the big public milestones. The public milestones, at least successful ones like theme park openings, are mostly public knowledge at this point, and the book spends a bit too much time around these milestones rather than illuminating behinds-the-scenes stories that may have escaped mainstream media.
Having said that, the book still delivers a wealth of knowledge from just newspaper clippings alone. The companion website, thedisneystory.com, has original scans of many earlier papers out-of-print. I also appreciated some of the lesser-known stories: for instance, the Disney American history theme park in William County, Virginia, failed after its announcement in 1993, and has since slipped out of the public eye. I also appreciate that the author didn't inject his opinion everywhere, letting instead his curation of events tell the story. Objective pieces are rare in this day and age, so the author's mostly factual approach was a breath of fresh air.
I highly recommend it even if you already know Disney's history well. Most of the big openings are probably not new to you, but even so, the clippings themselves and the careful curation of sources are worth the read. Well-researched, well-compiled, well-written!
My only disappointment was that the book's major events -- with dates attached -- often center on the public unveiling, without prior discussing of what went into the public unveiling behind-the-scenes. For example, the book highlights Disney's acquisition of Pixar following Bob Iger's ascension to CEO, but there is almost no mention of Disney and Pixar's back-and-forth prior to that, between Steve Jobs and Michael Eisner, or how Pixar going public after Toy Story affected negotiations. It would have been nice to know more of the reasoning -- say, of Disney executives or Braintrust people -- going into each of the big public milestones. The public milestones, at least successful ones like theme park openings, are mostly public knowledge at this point, and the book spends a bit too much time around these milestones rather than illuminating behinds-the-scenes stories that may have escaped mainstream media.
Having said that, the book still delivers a wealth of knowledge from just newspaper clippings alone. The companion website, thedisneystory.com, has original scans of many earlier papers out-of-print. I also appreciated some of the lesser-known stories: for instance, the Disney American history theme park in William County, Virginia, failed after its announcement in 1993, and has since slipped out of the public eye. I also appreciate that the author didn't inject his opinion everywhere, letting instead his curation of events tell the story. Objective pieces are rare in this day and age, so the author's mostly factual approach was a breath of fresh air.
I highly recommend it even if you already know Disney's history well. Most of the big openings are probably not new to you, but even so, the clippings themselves and the careful curation of sources are worth the read. Well-researched, well-compiled, well-written!
Read
March 21, 2017When an author utilizes characters that he or she is fond of in a new tale, usually unauthorized by the characters' creators / owners, it is referred to as “fan fiction”.
Author Aaron H. Goldberg has discovered a format previously unknown to me – something that I can only refer to as “Fan Fact”. Mr. Goldberg has written a (chaste, of course) love letter, not TO the concept of Disneyana but rather to others who may share his love of all things Disney, or to those who he'd like to convince to love it.
The primary focus of the author's attention are the parks. The longest articles in the book are devoted to the openings of Disneyland, Disney World (now Walt Disney World), EPCOT, Euro Disney, and the others. Select movies – primarily ones that left such an indelible impression that they are well-represented in the parks – also gain significant attention, as do some of the most significant corporate moves i.e. changes at the top and major acquisitions.
Mr. Goldberg is not blind to corporate missteps, whether immediate or in hindsight. “Song of the South” merits an article, as does Euro Disney (now known as Disneyland Paris). The author also talks about some of the issues that the movie studio faced between the eras of Walt Disney himself and Michael Eisner. Some of his omissions are questionable – I do not recall a single mention of Winnie the Pooh, for example, and while the modern day political incorrectness of “Song of the South” is discussed, the strengths and weaknesses of Peter Pan merit perhaps the equivalent of 2 sentences scattered around the book.
The “end notes” to this book make a major nod to current technology; the “references” section consists of a reference to a web site in which the all of the affected articles can be found. In addition, material that did not make the cut for the book are also available, and a news feed provides up-to-date articles that were published to the web after this book was published.
I like Disney. I don't love Disney. As such, the excited tone of the book and the information chosen for publication felt a bit over-the-top to me. However, the book does have many things working in its favor. I would heartily recommend this book to fans of the Disney parks.
RATING: 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a free copy of this book in a random draw. No conditions were placed upon acceptance, although it was strongly hinted that a prompt, honest review would be appropriate. They got both: honest AND (for once) prompt.
Author Aaron H. Goldberg has discovered a format previously unknown to me – something that I can only refer to as “Fan Fact”. Mr. Goldberg has written a (chaste, of course) love letter, not TO the concept of Disneyana but rather to others who may share his love of all things Disney, or to those who he'd like to convince to love it.
The primary focus of the author's attention are the parks. The longest articles in the book are devoted to the openings of Disneyland, Disney World (now Walt Disney World), EPCOT, Euro Disney, and the others. Select movies – primarily ones that left such an indelible impression that they are well-represented in the parks – also gain significant attention, as do some of the most significant corporate moves i.e. changes at the top and major acquisitions.
Mr. Goldberg is not blind to corporate missteps, whether immediate or in hindsight. “Song of the South” merits an article, as does Euro Disney (now known as Disneyland Paris). The author also talks about some of the issues that the movie studio faced between the eras of Walt Disney himself and Michael Eisner. Some of his omissions are questionable – I do not recall a single mention of Winnie the Pooh, for example, and while the modern day political incorrectness of “Song of the South” is discussed, the strengths and weaknesses of Peter Pan merit perhaps the equivalent of 2 sentences scattered around the book.
The “end notes” to this book make a major nod to current technology; the “references” section consists of a reference to a web site in which the all of the affected articles can be found. In addition, material that did not make the cut for the book are also available, and a news feed provides up-to-date articles that were published to the web after this book was published.
I like Disney. I don't love Disney. As such, the excited tone of the book and the information chosen for publication felt a bit over-the-top to me. However, the book does have many things working in its favor. I would heartily recommend this book to fans of the Disney parks.
RATING: 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a free copy of this book in a random draw. No conditions were placed upon acceptance, although it was strongly hinted that a prompt, honest review would be appropriate. They got both: honest AND (for once) prompt.
September 9, 2020
Aaron Goldberg's the Disney Story, is an entertaining and enlightening look at what defines the Disney brand and company. It highlights the rocky start, and early struggles, but also the massive successes of the films and the parks. As the title entails, it shares information on Walt Disney, his creations, and the legacy that he inspired. The Disney Story goes into full detail on many expected items, such as the films and the US Parks. The book shines on bringing forth details on the global Disney experience. Disney started as a small US based animation company, but grew massively in a relatively quick time span. The brand faced major hurdles from the start, but truly overachieved in the beginning, faced struggles in the post Walt Disney world, but through sheer creativity, a CEO that understood how Disney could define a decade, and a renewed fan presence bounced back during the renaissance years of the 90s. The Disney story shares what the Disney brand means to various cultures nationally and globally. The format while chronological, encompasses the wit, the amusement, and the pure ability that Disney has had to be able to stand the test of time and define world cultures, and inspire generations of adults and children alike.
Aaron Goldberg, went into massive detail on key events, changes, and assets, that have truly created the Disney Story, from the man to the mouse, and to the worldwide brand.
Aaron Goldberg, went into massive detail on key events, changes, and assets, that have truly created the Disney Story, from the man to the mouse, and to the worldwide brand.
January 28, 2023
Disney is a huge part of American life. This book is one of those resources that is helpful to have at hand, depending on the kind of information you want. For me, I’m mainly interested in data about Disney movies, but as the subtitle indicates, it focuses on the person of Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, and the theme parks. There is quite a bit about the movies, but the data here are much more wide ranging. The book is arranged chronologically, which work well with mindsets like mine.
Not intended to be belles lettres, there are long extracts from newspaper and magazine articles to back up the points made. With any entity as large and as far-reaching as Disney, what counts as a highlight will vary quite a bit by the one doing the analyzing. If I were doing it the focus would’ve been on movies, but that’s only part of the story. This is a useful resource.
As I note on my blog post about it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), I’m not really a theme-park fan. I did find myself an accidental tourist at Walt Disney World once, and it is impressive, even if not my style. This is a useful guidebook that goes up through about 2016 and I’m sure, after reading it, that Disney has been up to quite a bit since then as well.
Not intended to be belles lettres, there are long extracts from newspaper and magazine articles to back up the points made. With any entity as large and as far-reaching as Disney, what counts as a highlight will vary quite a bit by the one doing the analyzing. If I were doing it the focus would’ve been on movies, but that’s only part of the story. This is a useful resource.
As I note on my blog post about it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), I’m not really a theme-park fan. I did find myself an accidental tourist at Walt Disney World once, and it is impressive, even if not my style. This is a useful guidebook that goes up through about 2016 and I’m sure, after reading it, that Disney has been up to quite a bit since then as well.
May 1, 2019
I was looking for a good non-fiction read about Disney - anything Disney really, but particularly Walt, the theme parks, and movies. This book is a great source for a ton of information about the Disney company, but I will admit it's not what I was expecting.
The subtitle is "The man, the mouse, and the parks" - but really there wasn't a ton about Walt himself. This book is trying to include EVERYTHING in the history of the Disney company, so there's a lot of picking and choosing over what is important in the past 100 years. It was also much more of a dry read than I expected. There are lots of engaging non-fiction books, but this to me felt a little bit more like reading Wikipedia. In fact the format is very much like that - it's chronological and has maybe a half page - 3 pages about each event in Disney's history. For me that made it a pretty slow read.
That being said, there is a lot of great facts and information here. It will serve well as a good source to have a little bit of knowledge of the major Disney events since Disney began. While I know a good bit about Disney I did learn many things from reading this book and ultimately enjoyed it overall.
The subtitle is "The man, the mouse, and the parks" - but really there wasn't a ton about Walt himself. This book is trying to include EVERYTHING in the history of the Disney company, so there's a lot of picking and choosing over what is important in the past 100 years. It was also much more of a dry read than I expected. There are lots of engaging non-fiction books, but this to me felt a little bit more like reading Wikipedia. In fact the format is very much like that - it's chronological and has maybe a half page - 3 pages about each event in Disney's history. For me that made it a pretty slow read.
That being said, there is a lot of great facts and information here. It will serve well as a good source to have a little bit of knowledge of the major Disney events since Disney began. While I know a good bit about Disney I did learn many things from reading this book and ultimately enjoyed it overall.
May 27, 2019
Not as much of a well rounded story as a series of news articles with some author commentary strung together over time.
Not a bad book, but the format was definitely a little disjointed for me.
Gives a solid overview of Walt & Roy O’s journey to form a studio rivaling Hollywood and the then-limited view on what animation could do. Takes us through the early studio days, Disneyland, and life after Walt (including the Parks expansions, the Eisner years, Iger, and beyond).
Roy E definitely gets a spotlight for his role in maneuvering his power and Board positioning for inciting two leadership changes. No mention of Ovitz, and very little about Bob Iger (my reasoning for the 4, not 5-star rating, as I would have expected more about his role in the last 15 years), but I did enjoy the story about the challenge to get Marvel.
If you’re looking for a straightforward, headline-driven account of the company’s history, and don’t mind some personal commentary thrown in (the author is not an impartial witness but a clear fan of the company), I’d recommend. Enjoy!
Not a bad book, but the format was definitely a little disjointed for me.
Gives a solid overview of Walt & Roy O’s journey to form a studio rivaling Hollywood and the then-limited view on what animation could do. Takes us through the early studio days, Disneyland, and life after Walt (including the Parks expansions, the Eisner years, Iger, and beyond).
Roy E definitely gets a spotlight for his role in maneuvering his power and Board positioning for inciting two leadership changes. No mention of Ovitz, and very little about Bob Iger (my reasoning for the 4, not 5-star rating, as I would have expected more about his role in the last 15 years), but I did enjoy the story about the challenge to get Marvel.
If you’re looking for a straightforward, headline-driven account of the company’s history, and don’t mind some personal commentary thrown in (the author is not an impartial witness but a clear fan of the company), I’d recommend. Enjoy!
Read
March 25, 2020Jenna Boardman
Book Plug 12
8B
March 25, 2020
Another book that I read for the month of March is called The Disney Story: Chronicling the man, the mouse, and the parks by Aaron H. Goldberg. It is a biography talking about Walt Disney and what he created. This book talks about every milestone that Disney had from every movie that got released to every time The Disney Company would make a purchase or add something to the parks. It gives a timeline of when the movies were released, for example, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Aladdin. This book also talks about Walt Disney's life and what he as a person accomplished. He was a very creative and imaginative man that loved children and this book emphasizes that. It also gives us information about his death and how people around the world reacted to it. I would rate this book a 10 out of 10 because of the amazing facts I learned from it. I would recommend this to Disney lovers.
Book Plug 12
8B
March 25, 2020
Another book that I read for the month of March is called The Disney Story: Chronicling the man, the mouse, and the parks by Aaron H. Goldberg. It is a biography talking about Walt Disney and what he created. This book talks about every milestone that Disney had from every movie that got released to every time The Disney Company would make a purchase or add something to the parks. It gives a timeline of when the movies were released, for example, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Aladdin. This book also talks about Walt Disney's life and what he as a person accomplished. He was a very creative and imaginative man that loved children and this book emphasizes that. It also gives us information about his death and how people around the world reacted to it. I would rate this book a 10 out of 10 because of the amazing facts I learned from it. I would recommend this to Disney lovers.
May 15, 2020
Saw this book on the Kindle store and thought would be an interesting read, especially for those who love Disney and the magic behind it.
I can definitely say I’ve learnt a couple of things that I didn’t know and it is quite interesting to read regarding dates, facts and figures.. while it does miss a lot out about Walt himself it does show you how things were ideas and cane to fruition.
It didn’t grab me as much as I liked hence only 4🌟 but it was enjoyable and easy to read.. I mean who doesn’t love The Mouse 😉
I can definitely say I’ve learnt a couple of things that I didn’t know and it is quite interesting to read regarding dates, facts and figures.. while it does miss a lot out about Walt himself it does show you how things were ideas and cane to fruition.
It didn’t grab me as much as I liked hence only 4🌟 but it was enjoyable and easy to read.. I mean who doesn’t love The Mouse 😉
February 3, 2025
This book is very well written, and I enjoyed it as a Disney Fanatic. It had tremendous detail on some of the major events that have occurred in Disney history from Walt Disney leaving Marceline to the expansion of all of the parks. The only thing that keeps this from being five stars is the author sometimes spent too much time on some of the lesser known, or in my opinion, less impactful events in the Disney timeline when the author could have added so many of the missing key events, movies, or key people. All in all, an enjoyable read.
May 13, 2019
Saw several options for Non-Fiction reads about Disney. I ended up picking this one due to the length and the way the book is organized.
Each chapter covers a decade, and it covers Walt Disney himself, the studio, and the parks.
Lots of really interesting facts in this book, overall something i'd recommend if you are into Non-Fiction or a fan of Disney looking to learn more.
Each chapter covers a decade, and it covers Walt Disney himself, the studio, and the parks.
Lots of really interesting facts in this book, overall something i'd recommend if you are into Non-Fiction or a fan of Disney looking to learn more.
September 11, 2022
The best part about this book was the unique primary sources! It was so cool to see authentic pieces of media from different time periods in Disney history. Though this book was interesting, it could have really used a good editor, as some parts were a bit repetitive and redundant. If you're a Disney fan, you'll enjoy this book as it takes through significant moments in Disney history.
October 12, 2022
📚⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Since we're 60 days away from our WDW trip, I thought this would be a timely & interesting read
Start date: 09-27-22
Finished 10-10-22
A quick read.
There's a lot of magic to unlock in this book.
Perhaps this is not new information for the die-hard Disney enthusiasts, however, a great introduction for the Disney-curious.
Since we're 60 days away from our WDW trip, I thought this would be a timely & interesting read
Start date: 09-27-22
Finished 10-10-22
A quick read.
There's a lot of magic to unlock in this book.
Perhaps this is not new information for the die-hard Disney enthusiasts, however, a great introduction for the Disney-curious.
July 2, 2018
Bit of a waste
More a scattershot of factoids than a coherent narrative, you’d be better off reading the various Wikipedia pages about Walt, the company, and the parks. The formatting is particularly bad on kindle. Skip this one.
More a scattershot of factoids than a coherent narrative, you’d be better off reading the various Wikipedia pages about Walt, the company, and the parks. The formatting is particularly bad on kindle. Skip this one.
January 16, 2020
Great Timeline!
This a mandatory read for any true Disney fan. The author takes your hand and walks you through a nostalgic journey that - for once in Disney's design - does not empty into a gift shop!
Well done!
This a mandatory read for any true Disney fan. The author takes your hand and walks you through a nostalgic journey that - for once in Disney's design - does not empty into a gift shop!
Well done!
May 9, 2020
Great book. Really good for an overview of the Disney Corporation’s history from Mickey’s beginning until today. If you’re looking for a book about Walt Disney, find another one as this just speaks to his Disney accomplishments.
January 14, 2023
While the format of a chronology is a bit off-putting at first, I quickly grew accustomed to it. This book provides many great stories from the decades that Disney has been around. The best part of the book are the extensive endnotes found on the website created for the book.
October 16, 2023
Very educational and organized. I was a bit disappointed that it didn't talk more about the movies once it got into theme parks. But for someone who thought I knew most of what there is to know about Disney history, I learned a lot!
July 14, 2018
Great book if you interested in the history of the Walt Disney Company, the business, what Walt invisioned for the parks, company, movies. You get to learn a lot of interesting insider knowledge.
November 13, 2018
Another fantastic read from Mr. Goldberg!
This is the second book I’ve read by Aaron Goldberg! I’ve enjoyed both of them and would recommend to anyone. Disney enthusiast or not!
This is the second book I’ve read by Aaron Goldberg! I’ve enjoyed both of them and would recommend to anyone. Disney enthusiast or not!
March 10, 2019
Got this the week prior to going to Disneyland for this first time. It was a good primer to get into the mood.
October 11, 2019
This is an interesting book about Walt Disney, the history of Mickey Mouse, and all the Disney theme parks.
January 31, 2020
Informative. Playful. If you're looking for a thorough and descriptive history of Disney (and specifically why I read it) the theme parks, this is not the book for you.
May 31, 2021
Enjoyable read about Disney through the decades.
May 2, 2023
I love that each chapter is a decade.
It's more of a history of the company and parks which is was interesting
It's more of a history of the company and parks which is was interesting
July 17, 2023
Good overview of Disney’s history, less so a story. Informative for casual fans like myself.
November 26, 2023
a great collection of information. the writing is fun to follow even with the few editing mistakes. fun read for any disney fan.
December 20, 2023
Enjoyed the timeline of Disney’s life and the development of the parks and movies. Such an imaginative mind Walt Disney had.
September 19, 2025
Great book chronicling the journey of Disney. Very informative.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews