Introduction

Disneyland used to have a stagecoach attraction in Frontierland. Back in 1955, Imagineers were in the midst of finalizing the ride before the park’s grand opening. But Walt Disney wasn’t happy. Walt wanted the leather straps on the stagecoach to look as authentic as possible, and Imagineers were getting frustrated at his nitpicking of such a minor thing. Imagineer John Hench finally said what everyone else was thinking: “Why don’t we just leave the leather straps off, Walt? The people are never going to appreciate all this close up detail.”

But Walt didn’t agree. He firmly planted his finger on John’s chest and said “You’re being a poor communicator. People are okay, don’t you ever forget that. They will respond to it. They will appreciate it.”

So what happened? Well, as John Hench later said, “We put the best darned leather straps on that stagecoach that you’ve ever seen.”

This story encapsulate everything I love about the Disney theme parks: immersion into a story that is rich in details. These parks could have easily just been a collection of great rides, but Imagineers made it so much more by adding a story to everything on property. These stories are reinforced with layers of theming and detail, which makes it easier to believe that you’re actually walking down a road in an Old Western town, or through a valley of an alien planet. Walt believed that the more detailed the story is, the better it will be communicated. And the theme parks of Walt Disney World are some of the best storytellers around.

This is a book for the fans of Walt Disney World who love this place beyond just the rides and want to go deeper into the hidden details and backstories of its lands, attractions, shops, restaurants, and hotels. This for the Disney fans who have seen a name on a window or an unknown word painted on a wall and wondered what it meant. If you want to learn about the town of Main Street, USA, the secrets of the Jungle Cruise, the tributes in Fantasyland, the ideas behind Tomorrowland, the story of Expedition Everest, the history of Harambe, and who the heck Chester and Hester are, this book is for you.

Extensive research has gone into this book. I truly believe that it is currently the single most up-to-date, accurate, and expansive collection of information available on these parks. My goal is for readers to gain more of an appreciation for Walt Disney World and the Imagineers who designed it. The spirit of Walt lives on in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and any other Disney park where storytelling is king and details overflow.

I hope you enjoy it!