Walt Disney and the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair: Great Moments

by Andrew Kiste, Bob McLain (Editor)

For the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, the Disney company designed four paviliions, which later they reimagined for Disneyland. In this first volume of a definitive series, historian Andrew Kiste presents the story of the first of these Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Two score and fifteen years ago, Walt Disney took an opportunity to bring his unique style of entertainment to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadow. Initially using the fair as an opportunity to determine the level of interest in his theme-park attractions with the "more sophisticated tastes" of those east of the Mississippi River, he quickly realized the opportunity that partnering with the fair would give him in raising funds for new technology to be used at Disneyland in California. After visiting Walt in California, Robert Moses, the president of the New York World's Fair Corporation, was fascinated with WED Enterprises' new audio-animatronic figure of Abraham Lincoln, demanding it be included in his fair. WED quickly established a relationship with the State of Illinois to develop an attraction for its World's Fair pavilion. However, the use of an animatronic Lincoln, only one hundred years after his death, was fraught with controversy, technological setbacks, and procrastination by the Illinois Commission on the New York World's Fair. Andrew Kiste examines the never-before-told story of the relationship between Walt Disney, WED Enterprises, and the State of Illinois, as together they developed "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" for the Illinois Pavilion at the New York World's Fair of 1964-1965. Drawn extensively from archival documents discovered in the Illinois State Archives, as well as first-hand interviews with employees of the Illinois "Land of Lincoln" Pavilion at the Fair, Kiste brings the fascinating story of Disney's development of attractions for the Fair to life for the first time.

215 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2019

Reviews

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite his name being in the title, Walt Disney is not the main focus of this book. However, that still does not take away from interesting and informative timeline laid out in this book of the “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” show that ran at the 64/65 Worlds Fair. Relying on first hand accounts of people who were involved with the development, construction and operation of the show; the book gives a in-depth book of the WED production featuring the 16th president.

Overall, the book provides more detail and personal accounts that are missing in many other books featuring the same topic. Would highly recommend for anyone interested in the fair or early Disneyland productions.

[Dave Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solidly researched, extremely thorough history of the Lincoln attraction at the New York World’s Fair. At times, the book bogs down in detail — particularly when discussing the political machinations involved in getting the attraction approved, funded, and functioning. Inside opinions from former attraction workers help to give the study a personal feel. For me, the exclusive focus on the Lincoln attraction was a disappointment, given the other three Disney attractions at the Fair. Worth reading, but not what I was hoping for.

[Paul Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far, this author's best work. He previously had written about the historical inspiration for elements of Disney theme parts, but had done so in a very choppy, 'collection of essays' type of style. So a few ahas but not a continual narrative. In this book, he fully covers the origins of the "Great Moments with Lincoln" attraction, providing a fascinating look at how the Fair came to me as well as Disney's creative and business acumen. Nicely done!