It’s a pretty safe bet that if you read the blog posts on wdwradio.com or listen to Lou’s weekly podcast episodes, then you are a lover of Walt Disney World history. And let’s be honest…how can you not be!? Not only is Walt Disney World an amazing, magically fun place but a realm full of history, details, and myth. I’m very excited to present the first post in my new blog series for WDW Radio, monthly book reviews! This month’s book selection takes an in depth look at choice Walt Disney World attractions and dives into the actual historical references that influenced and contributed to the world of fantasy we all treasure.
A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World: Volume One and Volume Two, authored by Andrew Kiste, is an extensive journey into classic Walt Disney World attractions. Through meticulous research, Kiste, a history teacher by trade, pulls back the superficial curtain of each attraction allowing the reader to gain a new appreciation of favorite attractions and eateries such as Casey’s Corner, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and Crystal Palace. The true success of each volume is the way in which Kiste presents the full historical scope of each attraction’s background. Kiste does not merely state the attraction’s main connection to the past. Instead, through descriptive words, he paints a clear picture of the world during that point in time, the influences on global ideology that Imagineers utilized, and demonstrates how these cultural aspects are connected and represented in various Walt Disney World areas. Kiste’s ideas are presented in a clear and concise manner giving both books a high readability. At around 140 pages, each book is full of trivia yet fast paced.
If you are looking to gain a deeper historical understanding of some much loved Walt Disney World attractions, then head over to amazon.com to purchase your copy of A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World: Volume One and Volume Two.
Join me next month as we check out a book that takes a more technical look at the building of an Epcot World Showcase pavilion!!
(Photo from the author’s personal collection.)
To learn more about Erin and read her recent posts for WDW Radio, please visit her author page by clicking on her name at the beginning of this post!
