Seeing as September is Disney Book month here at WDW Radio, I wanted to add my thoughts of books which I think have the most appeal for those visiting the actual parks. While there are more books written on the topic of Disney World than I could imagine (trust me, they need their own bookshelf in my house!), they range from fun and factual to very in depth and detailed. Depending on how much you would actually like to research and read about the parks, there are plenty of options for you to peruse.

The first set of books that I am going to recommend offer fun facts and anecdotes about the parks to enhance your visit without being too detailed or overwhelming. They are the books that will make your trip more enjoyable by opening your eyes to the little details that many visitors miss.

The Imagineering Field Guides by the Imagineers

Written by Disney, this series includes four different books covering each of the parks in Walt Disney World. They offer an informative yet enjoyable overview of details in many of the lands and attractions of each park without being too overwhelming. One of the aspects I particularly enjoy about the books in this series is the inclusion of many concept drawings for attractions which you can actually compare to the final products as you experience them in the parks. You can find these books for about ten dollars each on Amazon.

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness

If you are looking for a very reader friendly book which still provides details to search for in the parks, this is a good bet. While the author tends to focus much more on certain areas or attractions, she still covers almost the entire World while providing interesting and fun details which can enhance your experience in the park. You can purchase this book new on Amazon for around ten dollars.

Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets by Steven M. Barrett

Perhaps one of the most fun and interesting books to utilize on your vacation, this master guide to all Hidden Mickeys can turn waiting in line into a game where the time flies by. Virtually everywhere you look in Disney World, there are Hidden Mickeys; in décor, in artwork, on props, etc. They also range from being very obvious to fairly difficult to identify. Broken down by park, land, and attraction, this guide first offers hints of where to find the Hidden Mickeys and follows up with more in depth descriptions if you are having trouble. It also assigns points to each Hidden Mickey so that you can turn it into a game with your group in the parks. A favorite of many, this book is definitely one that can add some extra fun to your vacation as you experience the parks. Now on its 5^th edition, you can purchase this book for around eight dollars on Amazon or purchase it in many of the merchandise shops located within the parks.

The Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic Volumes I & II by Lou Mongello

Now what would a Disney World book list be without these amazing trivia books by WDW Radio’s own Lou Mongello! Offering countless bits of fun trivia facts, these books provide a great way to not only learn more about the parks you are experiencing, but also to have fun doing so through a group friendly multiple choice format. See who in your group can score the highest with their knowledge of Disney trivia! You can find these books in WDW Radio’s shop for around eleven dollars each.

While those books tend to be easier to read and slightly less detail oriented, some of you may be craving a more in depth look at the parks. There are two books that I refer to as the “holy grails” of Disney park research and would be your best bet for a more detailed look at the parks you experience on your vacation.

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind-The-Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real by the Imagineers

Published in 1998, this is the first book released by the Imagineers which features not only concept art and Disney details, but also an in depth look at how many attractions and experiences in the parks came together to form what we now know and experience today. The information and images provided are riveting and really help you to picture the entire process of how an attraction comes to be. Covering everything from brainstorming to certain shades of paint, this book helps you to really appreciate the ridiculous amount of thought, creativity, and execution that goes into everything Disney produces. Just keep in mind that since this was published in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s California Adventure and several international parks are not included. You can find this book used on Amazon for around forty dollars.

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind-The-Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real by the Imagineers

While they have the same titles, this is the follow up to the first book and was published in 2010. Providing the same stunning images and details, this book chronicles the more recent parks and attractions that have opened since the original book’s release. You can find this book new on Amazon for around forty dollars.

So there you have it, my most recommended Disney books for both those looking to learn a little more about the parks and enhance their visit and those looking to really go deep into the Disney details. While those are my favorite ones, here are a few other recommended titles:

• Disney in Details: A Scavenger Hunt Through the Walt Disney World Resort
• The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies
• Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered

Which Disney book is your favorite? Have another suggestion for the list? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!

Caitlin Corsello was born and raised in New York. She graduated from Adelphi University with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2012. Her love for Disney started as an infant and has continued to grow with family vacations to Disney parks almost every year since. She holds a particular interest in WDW’s parks and attractions, never passing up an opportunity to visit. She looks forward to continuing to explore and learn about all things Disney and to share that passion with readers.

The post Disney From A Twenty-Something: “Must Have” Disney Books appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #229 for the week of July 3, 2011.

I’ll kick off the show this week with the announcement of the latest release of my Audio Walking Tours of Walt Disney World, as we set off for the Wild West of Frontierland. I’ll tell you more about the latest in the series, including what’s new, a few changes, and how and where you can get it.

I’ll then open up the inbox to answer more of your listener emails, where you can   learn to enjoy and appreciate Walt Disney World even more with questions about kids clubs at the resorts, getting from here to there (and back again), working in Walt Disney World, recommended Disney books, Bay Lake Towers, Disneyland and more. We’ll also answer a few probative questions including one about the future of Walt Disney World that I want YOU to answer as well.

I’ll have a few announcements, including information about our charity auction, Disney Book Club, and our new Disney At Home series and contest. Then I’ll put you on the air and play some of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show!

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: If you had to conceive of a fifth Walt Disney World park, what would be the theme and nature of the park? – Leave your answer in the Comments section below

Walt Disney World Audio Tour – Frontierland Now Available — Download or Pre-Order the CD from the WDW Radio store!

• Video: The Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street, USA in Walt Disney World
• Our Homes Went Disney – blog and contest

• Visit our weekly WDW Radio Disney auctions for Japan relief on the WDW Radio blog
• Private Tours of Walt Disney World
  • Visit LouMongello.com for more information
• WDW Radio Disney Book Club – TheDisneyBookClub.com
  • Future titles include: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom by A.C. Crispin Jjune/July) and Spinning Disney’s World by Charlie Ridgway (Aug./Sept.)
• Disney Fan Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World
  • Get dates and locations at DisneyMeets.com
  • 
• Lou Mongello’s Audio Guides to Walt Disney World
  Available NOW as an instant download or on CD! Order all 5 on CD and save! Click Here to learn more or order!
• WDW Radio iPhone Apps: Get WDW Radio and Walt Disney World Trivia on your iPhone!
  • Get the FREE WDW Radio iPhone app
  • Walt Disney World Trivia on your iPhone! 750 questions & hundreds of Did You Knows!
• WDWNewsCast – Watch & chat during our LIVE NewsCast
  Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET – Be part of the broadcast & discuss live in the chat room at http://WDWNewsCast.com
• WDW Radio on YouTube
  Click HERE to watch past episodes, subscribe to the show and comment on the WDWRadio YouTube Channel

The post Show # 229 – July 3, 2011 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #190 for the week of October 3, 2010.

Disney historian, author and former Cast Member Jim Korkis has just released his first book – The Vault of Walt, and he joins me this week to discuss his history with Disney, as well as how the book came to be, and some of the stories about Walt Disney, the films, theme park attractions and more.

I’ll have a few announcements and then play more of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

You can email the show at lou@wdwradio.com or call the voicemail TOLL FREE at 888-703-2171.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from this Week’s Show

Listen to the full, unedited interview with Jim Korkis below. Jim discusses his personal stories and background, how he became an animation and Disney historian, working for the Disney Company and so much more

Purchase The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis on Amazon.com

WDW Radio Cruise on the Disney Dream Logo Gear at Cafepress

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is offering guests a chance to indulge at the first annual Food & Wine Classic at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Oct. 8 and 9. More information

DisneyMeets.com – Join us for Disney fan gatherings and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World, including D23’s Destination D meets in Disneyland, Congaloosh, the Food & Wine Walkabout & more! Get dates and locations here!

The post Show # 190 – October 3, 2010 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Walt Disney’s “Florida Project” brought to Orlando the magic of Disneyland, and plans that would expand upon that idea to a working city and so much more. And while we all have heard the tales of the trips to the Florida swampland, you may never have heard the stories of some of Walt’s original plans for his second theme park. This week, we’ll look at The Walt Disney World That Almost Was with author Chad Emerson, and explore some of the untold stories of where in the world Walt Disney World almost came to be.

I’ll draw a name and randomly call a listener to play Fact or Fiction, where I’ll ask 10 true or false trivia questions about Walt Disney World to give them a chance to win some prizes.

I’ll play more of your voicemails and have a few announcements at the end of the show, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

INFORMATION AND LINKS FROM THIS WEEK’S SHOW

View the “World’s Largest Hidden Mickey” in Google Maps

Walt Disney’s view of Bay Lake (currently standing near the dock of Disney’s Contemporary Resort)

Purchase Project Future directly from Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World and other Disney Events and Meetups

To join us for a PRE-CRUISE stay in Walt Disney World before we embark on the Disney Dream on Feb. 27, 2011, visit MouseFanTravel for package information, including our Illuminations party! (Note: Package is only open to those confirmed as booked with us on the cruise. Rates INCLUDE the IllumiNations party the night before we embark)

Join us for other special events, Walt Disney World meetups and more! Get more information, dates and locations here

The post Show # 178 – July 11, 2010 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Welcome to the WDW Radio Show – your Walt Disney World Information Station. This is show #74 for the week of July 6, 2008. I am your host Lou Mongello, and thank you for tuning in once again. Happy Birthday America – At 232 years old, you still look GREAT to me.

We’ll start off this week’s show with another look at some of my favorite Disney books. George Taylor joins me as we focus on three titles that examine the art in architecture of the parks.

I’m still very much in an Adventureland mood, with the release of the next Audio Guide CD just days away, so I thought we’d look at some interesting and questionable Hidden Mickeys of Adventureland with Steve Barrett.

And speaking of Adventureland and the Guide, I have been telling you about the BIG announcement I have that ties into the release of the Guide. Well, the wait is finally over, and I’ll share the news with you before the end of the show.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Be my Friend on Facebook!

Join The WDW Radio Show Group

Join the DisneyWorldTrivia.com Group

Adventureland Challenge Contest

Don’t forget that if you are attending MagicMeets, The Dream Team has done an amazing job with the more than 110 lots to be auctioned off to benefit The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America at the event. Previews of the lots are now available in the forums and in the Dream Team Project Blog. You can also learn more about our efforts there and make a donation as well.

Books Reviewed on this week’s show:

Designing Disney’s Theme Parks

Designing Disney

Buildin a Dream

Our friends at MouseFanTravel are dedicated to giving back to the community and this month they have selected my Dream Team Project!
Just book a vacation package or cruise through June 30, 2008 and they
will make a donation to this wonderful cause! THANK YOU!!!

If you’re planning on visiting Orlando, Florida take advantage of this special for WDW Radio Show listeneres and Disney World Trivia readers !

Receive a FREE Rental Car and $50.00 Gas Card with your 7 Night Stay in a 3, 4 or 5 Star Vacation Home! Search for the perfect vacation home or call All Star Vacation Homes today to find out how you can save on your Disney World Vacation!

Just mention WDWTRIVIA when you reserve your vacation home!

Note: Not valid during peak/holiday seasons or with any other discount or special.

The post Show #74 – July 6, 2008 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Welcome to the WDW Radio Show – your Walt Disney World Information Station. This is show #57 for the week of March 9, 2008. I am your host Lou Mongello, and I want to thank you for tuning in again this week.

To all of my new listeners, I want to welcome you to the show as well. I think you’ll find it a positive, fun, feel-good look at Walt Disney World that will inform, educate and entertain you.

This weekend, I’m heading to Disneyland in California to compare and contrast the two parks… OK, so I’m going to Disneyland to enjoy the parks for a few days, so unfortunately this week, I’m once again recording early and won’t have the ability to cover news and rumors due to when I’m recording. Of course, I’ll be back next week with all of the WDW news and visit to the Rumor Mill.

Next month, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary, and following the success of Celebration 25, Adam Roth and his team have put together WDWCelebrations.com and have organized “A Wild Decade,” a gathering to commemorate this occasion. I’m joined by Adam and another member of the team, Jason Diffendal, to discuss the event and how you can get involved.

Tim Foster, from Guide to the Magic, is back for another Top 10 with Tim, as we reveal our individual top 10 snacks to enjoy in World Showcase. Any discussion of food in Walt Disney World is fun, and in the process, we hope to introduce you to some snacks that you just may have overlooked, or never thought to try. It’s a fat-free trip around the promenade, guaranteed to leave you hungry at the end.

I often get questions about some recommended reading and books that I enjoy about Walt Disney World, Disney history, etc., so this week, I bring in another guest, George Taylor from the Imaginerding blog to examine and discuss the 5 books that every Disney geek needs in their library.

I won’t have time to answer any of your emails this week, but listen for some voicemails at the end of the show, so as always, please sit back, relax and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

You can email the show at lou@wdwradio.com or call the voicemail at 206-202-4WDW (4939). Visit the web site at wdwradio.com.

The post Show #57 – March 9, 2008 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Welcome back to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. Thanks for tuning in once again. This is Show #5 for the week of March 11, 2007. This week I’m back from WDW with a special treat – an exclusive interview with Disney Legend, author and recipient of his own window on Main Street, Charles Ridgway. I will also have News & Views from WDW and a visit to the Walt Disney World Rumor Mill which includes Pirates & Princesses, the Haunted Mansion and more. For these segments, I welcome my special guest Cara Goldsbury, author of the Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World to discuss some recent announcements from the Disney company that will forever change the landscape of the resort. Mike Scopa joins me as we answer another question about a Best of the Best at Walt Disney World in this somewhat extended show.

Charles Ridgway, Disney Legend and Author

Purchase the book from Amazon.com: “Spinning Disney’s World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent”

More information visit Charlie’s web site at: TravelPhotoRidgway.com or IntrepidTraveler.com

MEET A DISNEY LEGEND!! – Charles Ridgway Launches Central Florida Speaking Tour

Attention Disney cast members, past and present, Disney fans and Disney fanatics. This is your chance to meet a bona fide Disney Legend, whose intimate knowledge of Disney parks goes back to the days before Disneyland opened, when he talked a neighbor kid into sneaking under the fence as a publicity stunt for an article he was writing.

To celebrate the publication of his new memoir, Spinning Disney’s World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent, Charles Ridgway will make a series of public appearance across Central Florida in March and April. Charlie will be sharing his reminiscences of Walt and Roy, Michael Eisner and an all-star cast of movie stars, royalty, television personalities, and journalists, as well as the unsung cast members who make Disney magic every day.

After serving as a publicist for Disney parks around the world for over 40 years, Charlie was a legend among journalists and public relations professions. In 1999, Disney made it OFFICIAL, proclaiming Charles Ridgway a “Disney Legend” and according him the rare honor of his own window on Main Street, USA.

At most of his bookstore talks, Charlie will be sharing seldom-seen archival photos of Disney history from his personal stash. These appearances offer a rare opportunity to learn the real story behind some persistent Disney folk tales and get answers to those questions about Disney history that have been nagging at you for years.

And don’t forget to ask Charlie everyone’s favorite question, “What was Walt really like?” Spinning Disney’s World is published in hardcover by The Intrepid Traveler. It is available for sale and autographing at all of Charlie’s appearances. Here is Charlie’s appearance schedule, which is subject to change. Please call ahead for more information and directions to each event.

Thursday, March 15 – Orlando
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) – Orlando Chapter
Time: Noon
Place: The Citrus Club, 255 S. Orange Avenue, 18th floor
$20 members, $30 non-members, $15 students
RSVP at www.prsaorlando.org/events/

Saturday, March 17 – Orlando
NFFC Disneyana Garage Sale
Time: 11 am to 1 pm
Place: Quality Inn & Suites, 8700 S. Orange Blossom Trail, 32809
Charlie will be signing books at the Bookendz booth.
407-444-6351

Saturday, March 24 – Orlando
Book talk and signing
Time: 3 pm to 5 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, Plaza Venezia, 7900 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819
407-345-0900

Saturday, March 31 – Merritt Island
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, 780 E. Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, FL 32952
321-453-8202

Sunday, April 1 – Daytona Beach
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, 1900 W International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
386-238-1118

Saturday, April 7 – Orlando
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, Colonial Plaza Market Center, 2418 E Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803
407-894-6024

Friday, April 13 – Celebration
Book talk and signing
Time: 7 pm to 9 pm
Place: Reading Trout Books, 671 Front Street, Celebration, FL 34747
321-939-2265

Saturday, April 14 – West Melbourne
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, 1955 W. New Haven, West Melbourne, FL 32904
321-726-9505

Wednesday, April 18 – The Villages
Book talk and signing
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, 1055 Old Camp Road, The Villages, FL 32162
352-430-3029

Thursday, April 19 – Sarasota
Book talk and signing
Time: 3 pm to 5 pm
Place: Sarasota News and Books, 1341 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236
941-365-6332

Friday, April 20 – Brandon
Book talk and signing
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, Brandon Square, 122 Brandon Town Center, Brandon, FL 33511
813-661-9883

Saturday, April 21 – Gainesville
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, Butler Plaza West, 3910 S.W. Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608
352-372-3535

Sunday, April 22 – Clearwater
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, 23654 US 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33765
727-669-1688

Friday April 27 – Orlando
Book talk and signing
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Place: Urban Think!, 625 East Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801
407-650-8004

Saturday, April 28 – Ocala
Book talk and signing
Time: 2 pm to 4 pm
Place: Barnes & Noble, Park Centre Commons, 3500 SW College Rd. Ste. 300, Ocala, FL 34474
352-854-3999

Thanks to Cara Goldsbury, author of the Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World for her insights into the new Four Seasons Resort scheduled to open at the Walt Disney World Resort in 2010.

The following images are Copyright (c) 2007 the Walt Disney Company and illustrate the locations of the Four Seasons Resort and Western Mixed-Use Development Projects

Visit MagicMeets.com for more information about Fred Block’s Northeast Disney Fan Meet 2007! July 14th, 2007, in Harrisburg, PA, from 11am to 6pm. Join us for a full day or speakers, presentations, Disney merchandise for sale, contests, a charity auction to benefit the Dream Team Project, games, prizes, kids room, and more surprises (like free Segway instruction and rides!) and lots more fun! SOLD OUT!!

Join Deb Wills in her Fight Against Breast Cancer

Read her entire letter about her efforts to raise money for breast cancer HERE

If you’d like to send a check, please make it out to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and mail it to: Deb Wills (ATT: Avon Walk); PO Box 524, Rockville, MD 20848

Paypal donations of $10 or more to: avonwalk@debwills.com

Click here to visit Deb’s personal page at AvonFoundation.com.

The post Show #5 – March 11, 2007 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.