Craig D. Barton is a creative consultant, editor, and writer, having written for and consulted on multiple Disney Editions books and various other projects. Besides being a self-described "DisNerd," Craig is an advocate for all arts, loves travel, movies, making his own eclectic music playlists, and, most of all, spending time with his family. Craig currently resides in Avondale, AZ with his lovely wife, quirky daughter, and neurotic yet lovable dog.
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Craig Barton • Oct 02, 2021
Golden Books For a Golden Anniversary - A Review of Three New Walt Disney World Books
by Craig D. Barton
This past week, Communerdy was fortunate to receive (free of charge) three new books for review, all of which have been released in conjunction with The Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary and 18 month-long event, “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” kicking off on October 1st, 2021. The following reviews are the opinions of the reviewer, and do not necessarily reflect that of Communerdy as a whole. Communerdy is in no way affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.
I need to begin this review with a confession: I have never been to Walt Disney World. As a lifelong fan of the Walt Disney Company, I realize this may seem like blasphemy. The truth is, being a life-long west coaster, Disneyland is my “home park,” and an opportunity to visit Orlando has, until this point, not been in the cards. As a Disney historian however, that has not stopped me from taking keen interest in Walt’s “Florida Project,” and I find myself fascinated by the early development of the resort, as well as its many expansions that will continue far into the future. In fact, two of my favorite books – Jeff Kurtti’s
definitive history of Walt Disney World’s first 25 years, “Since the World Began” and “Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire” by Bob Thomas – cover this history quite extensively and are well worth the read.
With an interest in this history, and an upcoming trip that will allow me to truly soak in the resort on a whole new level, I was delighted to receive three new books on the subject for review, and wanted to take this opportunity to share my initial thoughts on each one.
Cover Art by Fabiola Garza
A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth, by Kevin M Kern, Tim O’Day, and Steven Vagnini has been a highly sought-after volume on Walt Disney World since it was first announced. Amazon sales have been high on this one, and it’s easy to see why! The three authors of the book have researched and loaded this book with a plethora of Disney eye candy, pleasing the most casual of fans to those who believe they’ve seen it all before. With text to accompany rare archival photos and concept art, this super-sized coffee table book covers the history of the Walt Disney World, from the history of the Disney and Call families in Florida, to Walt's quest to purchase land for new development in California, to Roy O. Disney's drive to see Walt's vision completed, to present day, with a few looks into the future of the resort as well.
After beginning with a solid and in-depth seventy-plus pages on said history, the book then, in its words, “Frames the Portraits” into different thematic elements: Nostalgia, Fantasy, Discovery, and Tomorrow, finishing with a look back at 50 years of Walt Disney World and a look at the 50th anniversary itself. It’s a goldmine of treasures, but a lot to take in at once. In this reader's opinion, with the massive amount of information provided, this book could have easily been produced as multiple volumes. This is not a knock on the authors at all – they’ve done a wonderful job of compiling everything into this massive book, and it is most definitely a wonderful addition to a Disney lover’s library. It’s just that the Walt Disney World Resort is so incredibly huge with a rich and complex history, it could be easily made into a multi-volume set, either by park, or the portrait frame concept Kern, O’Day, and Vagnini used. In order to appreciate this book in its entirety, I have a feeling I’ll be delving into the text and captions for quite a while to come!
Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World: Recipes & Stories From The Most Magical Place on Earth, by Pam Brandon and Marcy Carriker Smothers takes a recipe collection beyond just a recipe collection in this delightful book. Using recipes from across the Walt Disney World Resort, both parks and hotels, Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World will appeal to park visitors looking to replicate their favorite recipes at home, foodies, and Disney history buffs alike! The recipes look delectable, and the staging of the finished product just makes my mouth water even more! As someone with Celiac Disease, I was pleased to see many gluten-free options (and plenty of others that could be altered to make it so)!
What truly makes this more than just a themed cookbook, though, are the anecdotes, history, and pictures from Walt Disney World, past and present. Many parkgoers associate some of their fondest memories with food, and this book does a great job of tying in that exact nostalgia. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek nod to Walt Disney World’s 25th anniversary and its choice of décor that has to be read to be appreciated!
Cover Art by Fabiola Garza
The last book I received for review is certainly not the least – in fact, my daughter has already claimed it as her own! Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World, by Kevin M. Kern, features 100 different images for adult-level coloring fun. And, if you are one who doesn’t get frustrated with many of the patterns these coloring books present (I happen to find them stress-relieving so it’s right up my alley!), then this is the coloring book for you! Kern accompanies the pictures for coloring with descriptive text and historical context, so even the most casual of fans won’t have to ask themselves, “What exactly am I coloring?”
As a Disney fan who loves coloring artful pages like this, it is truly a treat to find my happy place in a “Happiest Place!”
As a book fan and collector, it makes my heart happy to see The Walt Disney Company releasing this trio of books. Physical media like this holds a place in the heart of collectors and fans, evoking emotion and keeping the term “a real page-turner” alive. These volumes are definitely recommended for your library collection – they will truly be a golden collection!
”A Portrait of Walt Disney World” was publicly released on September 28, 2001. “Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World” and “Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World” were released at Disney Parks and ShopDisney.com on September 28, 2021, and will be available at other retailers on April 5, 2022.
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