A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth

by Kevin M. Kern, Tim O'Day, Steven Vagnini

Walt Disney World honors its fiftieth anniversary with " The World's Most Magical Celebration," an incredible 18-month event that begins October 1, 2021. As part of the festivities, this must-have coffee table book paints a robust portrait of the Florida resort, through vibrant voices and rare Disney theme park concept art, photographs, and ephemera.

Walt Disney's vision for the "Florida Project" begins with Disneyland and the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. After an imaginative and expansive design, a unique land acquisition process, and an innovative construction period, Walt Disney World celebrated its opening in 1971. It featured a theme park dubbed the Magic Kingdom and three exquisitely themed Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Village, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

As Walt Disney World consistently grew and evolved through the five decades that have followed, certain themes keep there's an appreciation for nostalgia, a joy in fantasy, a hunger for discovery, and an unending hope for a better tomorrow. Inspirational and memorable theme parks, water parks, sports arenas, recreational water sports options, world-class golf courses, vast shopping villages, and a transportation network unlike any other in the world resulted in fun and familiar characters, traditions, spectacles, merchandise, and so much more. The resort has come to represent the pulse of American leisure and has served as a backdrop for life's milestones both big and small, public and private.

A Portrait of Walt Disney 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth serves as a treasure trove for pop culture enthusiasts, students of hospitality, artists, art collectors, and Disney fans.

Searching for ways to celebrate the Walt Disney World Resort? Explore more books from Disney Editions :

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel

320 pages, Hardcover

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 (didn’t like the way the book was divided)

[Courtney H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, but it read more like a promotional ad for WDW than a historical account of its five decades.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must own coffee table book for the Disney aficionado. Gorgeous photos, lavish concept art, and lots of interesting history/trivia insights. It's a fully authorized book so no hard hitting commentary here.
Not the easiest book to read due to its dimensions/heft, and you need to especially pay attention to the Chapter Text and Captions endnotes. Even after attending a few Destination D events/D23 Expos and hanging around several Disney geek friends, I still learned a few things from reading this book that I didn't know before.
We've owned this book since it's publication, but I just now got around to reading it. I wish I had read it when it was first published as the 50th celebration was just getting started. A bit strange to read about coming attractions that have already/are nearly closed (Harmonious, Galactic Starcruiser) or that have already been cancelled (Play pavilion). Also that Chapek wrote the foreword as CEO and was then ousted before the end of the 50th celebration.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I'd love this: I'm a big fan of the subject matter (Disney Theme Parks), and the format is big enough that the book can accomodate loads of text and photos and not have to sacrifice.

But Walt Disney World is so large, and it's been through so many incarnations, that any attempt to discuss it is either going to have to be either especially terse, especially shallow, or full of omissions, and this book (necessarily) has all three. It's the rare time I may have been happier with a coffee table book full of photos and captions—the writing was so surfacey it was barely there.

It didn't deal with the parks in turn, it started with history, then the chapters were themes (e.g. "Fantasy" or "Nostalgia") thereby shoehorning certain attractions, hotels, water parks into one chapter, and others into another, it was all a bit whiplashy. Each chapter was broken down into two or three paragraph sections that failed to give a good sense of what they were talking about.

What it featured (if this is your bag) is an extraordinary amount of quotes. So rather than an in-depth narrative about various aspects of, say, The Haunted Mansion (e.g. creation, content, changes), there might be some breezy text about it, a quote from a cast member or Imagineer about how much they like it, a photo (maybe two!), and a sidebar with another quote in an extra-large font from someone else (preferably famous, like if Catherine O'Hara had something nice to say about it) which really took up a lot of room. If they'd cut those quotes they may have had room to write something substantive.

So I didn't really enjoy reading this, and the 3 stars is largely because I'm too much a fan of the subject matter to be truly unhappy while reading about it.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)

[Kelly K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish this went in a more chronological order but oh well.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a must read for Disney fans, especially those of the theme parks. I've read many Disney coffee table books both personally and for the Book of the Mouse Club podcast. What I loved about this one in particular was its rich history of Walt Disney World dating back to the literal roots of the Florida foliage that grew to become the four theme parks, two water parks, 30+ resorts and recreation areas I love today.

I am drawn to historic photos and concept art of which there were plenty in this book. I always love coming across images I've never seen - a rare treat given my nearly 30 years of interest in Disney history. This text wonderfully honors Walt Disney World's past and includes glimpses into its near future. I enjoyed its structural progression. Areas of Walt Disney World are highlighted and organized by themes like "Fantasy" "Nostalgia" and "Discovery" rather than grouping everything by theme park or resort area.

I read this copy electronically but absolutely plan to view it in print to fully appreciate everything inside of it.

Note: Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel "Dizney Coast to Coast" host Jeff DePaoli and I were provided access to in order to cover on a future episode of his show.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me forever to work through this enormous remembrance of all things Walt Disney World, but I certainly appreciated how every time I picked it up, I was swept right back into the pleasant feelings of the Disney experience. (The parts where you're not waiting in line, I mean.)

A Portrait of Walt Disney World juggles a few too many balls and is poorly/oddly organized. The "history of Walt Disney World" bits are interesting, as are the many looks at past attractions that have been closed/replaced by newer, grander attractions. The text is immediately dated by the 50th anniversary marking: there are mentions of upcoming attractions that have since been canceled. Oops!

All that, and yet... it's really quite a pleasant read. Perhaps meant to be picked up and perused when the mood strikes, not read straight through.

[Blake Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a MASTERPIECE. There’s so much beautiful art from WDW past, present, and future, as well as so many stories and memories. Can’t wait to celebrate the 50th anniversary in person in a few weeks!

[Mylie McKissack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book! I found out so many things. I didn’t know about Disney World.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Every single page featured stunning photographs, interesting archival documents, and rich storytelling that brought the Walt Disney World Resort to life for me in new and exciting ways. As a lifelong Disney fan who would love to work for WDI someday, this book grabbed me from the first page and never let go. I frequently found myself getting chills or teary-eyed as I felt myself being pulled even deeper into the stories of a place I love so much (and was also EXTREMELY aware of how wild capitalism is that a place could have a hold on millions of people in a such a way) and turned the last page wishing that this experience could have gone on forever.

While I might never read this book cover to cover again, I will undoubtedly flip through its pages time and time again. This book is a truly beautiful picture of the most magical place on Earth.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book filled with gorgeous photography, behind the scenes historical snapshots, and concept art. I think it was at its best when it was talking about how the park was conceived and brought to life in the wake of Walt's death. At times the later sections became a bit like a travel commercial for the parks - less inside information and more just telling you what the attractions are. Still, a fun way to pass a few hours.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should have just been photographs. Why the strange divisions by theme rather than park or decade? Why so many GIANT quotes? Why a two page spread for every single resort hotel but just passing references to some rides or photographs of upcoming renovations instead of details about the best attractions?

[Amber Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book but mostly reads like a very long brochure.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit to reading this one very slowly on purpose. Partially because it's a truly massive book but also because of what it is. So I was in the Magic Kingdom in October of 2022 for my yearly trip and in the emporium I saw a man with a massive book clutched to his chest. I ran up and asked him where he got that and he told me it was the last one. I hadn't thought of how I was going to fit that thing in my luggage for the airplane or anything else because it caught my attention. I collect those hardcover disney retrospectives and I've seen many of them but nothing like this. This is a must read book for any parks fan but more than that anyone who(like me, spent one week a year in that home away from home since I was small) felt at home in WDW for decades this book is a must own. I loved every single page.

[Janet McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive history of the concept of Walt Disney World as it started out as “The Florida Project”. It details how WDW has evolved over the last 50 years and how it has flourished. It describes the architectural designs and the growth of the 4 parks. It discusses the themes that lay throughout the parks and resorts. The rides, old and new, and the shopping experiences continue to enhance the embodiment of Walt Disney World.
This book contains over 315 pages of interesting facts and history of Walt Disney World. It is meant to be for adults and the reading level is definitely adult but it would make a good coffee table book that both the old and young will enjoy, dream, wish and reminisce about all things Walt Disney World.

[Sean Vaughn McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book! I don’t feel as close to Walt Disney World as I do to Disneyland, but still it has tons of wonderful pictures and tidbits from the history that I enjoyed (I never knew or have long forgotten that Flora and Elias Disney met and fell in love close to where Walt Disney World would one day stand). This book was also organized differently than I would have thought, which in a way made it more interesting since I couldn’t quite anticipate what would come next. Pictures from attractions gone by has been fascinating too—I have lots of archived music from retired attractions, but seeing accompanying photos brought them to live in a new way for me.

For anyone who loves Disney and particularly Disney Parks, this book is a must-read!

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Disney book has it all..the history, current happenings, and a glimpse into future attractions, rides and events going on at Disney. It takes a look back at how Walt Disney World came to be the global, internationally-known entertainment vacation destination throughout the world. It left no details out. The picture are beautiful and it brought back memories of the times my family and I went to Disney back when I was growing up. This is my personal keepsake of the 50th anniversary of Magic Kingdom. Incredible book!

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book that is a love letter to fans of the Disney parks. The book covers the history of Disney World and goes into details on nearly every single ride that existed in the park. The most stunning part of the entire book are the beautiful pictures! My only criticism is that I wish the book had been arranged chronologically instead of by theme because It would have been a bit more easier to read.

[Jenna Mihalcin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As other reviewers have mentioned, I wish this was structured a bit differently, either chronologically or by park/concept, but overall I really enjoyed this. I liked getting to learn about the older attractions that were no longer at the park by the time I first visited. I already knew a lot of the history behind some of the iconic rides, so selfishly I wish there was a bit more about the resorts and other Disney developments that I find equally as fascinating as the park rides.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book with dozens of artifacts from the archives that I loved poring over. It’s a comprehensive look at the entire Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom, mentioning attractions that are no longer there as well as current and upcoming ones. As a historical document chronicling the 50-year history of the parks, it can’t be beat.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful look at the impressive history and innovation of the Walt Disney World Resort. The last paragraph really sums it up, “In an era where gray clouds seek to be omnipresent, the continuing bright reality of Walt Disney World, and its steadfast tenets of joy, inspiration, and hope, is living confirmation that dreams really do come true…and that’s certainly something worth celebrating.”

[Ann’s Book Chronicles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Location: Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Conclusion: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a book for everyone who loves Disney World and Disney in general. It is a non-fiction book containing all the fun facts and knowledge about the 50 year history of Walt Disney World in Florida illustrated with many pictures to give insights. I LOVED IT.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and gorgeous book on Walt Disney World. Lovely pictures and design show the evolution of the resort. While it is rather biased (and has a little too much promotion of upcoming attractions), it has details even devoted Disney fans will appreciate.

[Max Tachis · Rating 5 out of 5]

With both in-depth historical accounts and a strong focus on looking forward, this coffee table book offers a fascinating look at the unlikely beginnings and unfathomable growth of the Resort Kingdom. Truly a modern marvel, and the photographs alone are worth the price of admission.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I vividly remember the first time I traveled to Walt Disney World at age 11. It was the most magical place I had ever been at that point in my life. This book took me back to my childhood and I'm glad that I purchased this treasure. An absolute delight. Beautifully done.

[Rhonda Fonicello · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time in my life that I've ever read a ginormous coffee table book. It was decent. The illustrations and photos were lovely, but the cadence was off and it didn't follow a chronological order.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just here for the pictures and beautiful illustrations.

I wish this was organized a little better... it felt like it went back and forth too much. But if you're just here for the visuals, like me, it's not so bad.

[Brandy Nielsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wished this book had been chunked in different ways. Would have worked better if each park had its own section, a section on hotels, a section on Disney Springs, etc. and then chronologically about each of these areas. It was too all over the place.

[Jen Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

So inspiring!

[Kelly Armes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful photos and tidbits of information regarding the history and changes of Walt Disney World. I learned lots!