A Magical Half-Century

Stories Celebrating Walt Disney World’s First 50 Years

by Christopher E. Smith | Release Date: November 21, 2020 | Availability: Print

Fifty Years of Fun

Walt Disney World officially opened its magical doors on October 1, 1971. In the half-century that has followed, Disney World has grown from one theme park and two resort hotels to an all-encompassing vacation destination that includes four major theme parks, two water parks, and more than 20 resort hotels and 200 restaurants. Notwithstanding that almost continuous change, one thing has remained constant since opening day: magic.

It is hard to imagine that even Walt Disney could have imagined the significant impact that his “Florida Project” would have on millions of people around the world.

This book celebrates a half-century of magic, and is filled with stories that honor the history and legacy of Walt Disney World, including:

  • The strong connection between Washington Irving’s classic story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and Walt Disney World.
  • A history of alcohol (real and imagined) in the Magic Kingdom.
  • The story and secrets behind the new pinnacle of Disney Imagineering, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
  • The hottest topic in the Disney fan community today: Disney’s use of intellectual property-based attractions in the parks.
  • The stories behind Disney’s most secretive group: the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Happy birthday, Walt Disney World!

About Theme Park Press

Theme Park Press is the world's leading independent publisher of books about the Disney company, its history, its films and animation, and its theme parks. We make the happiest books on earth!

Our catalog includes guidebooks, memoirs, fiction, popular history, scholarly works, family favorites, and many other titles written by Disney Legends, Disney animators and artists, Mouseketeers, Cast Members, historians, academics, executives, prominent bloggers, and talented first-time authors.

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Theme Park Press Books

The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion The Ride Delegate 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation The Cotton Candy Road Trip The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney Disney Destinies Disney Melodies The Happiest Workplace on Earth Storm over the Bay A Historical Tour of Walt Disney World: Volume 1 Mouse in Transition Mouseketeers Down Under Murder in the Magic Kingdom Walt Disney and the Promise of Progress City Service with Character Son of Faster Cheaper A Tale of Two Resorts I Saw Ariel Do a Keg Stand The Adventures of Young Walt Disney Death in the Tragic Kingdom Two Girls and a Mouse Tale Ears & Bubbles The Easy Guide 2015 Who's the Leader of the Club? Disney's Hollywood Studios Funny Animals Life in the Mouse House The Book of Mouse Disney's Grand Tour The Accidental Mouseketeer The Vault of Walt: Volume 1 The Vault of Walt: Volume 2 The Vault of Walt: Volume 3 Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? Amber Earns Her Ears Ema Earns Her Ears Sara Earns Her Ears Katie Earns Her Ears Brittany Earns Her Ears Walt's People: Volume 1 Walt's People: Volume 2 Walt's People: Volume 13 Walt's People: Volume 14 Walt's People: Volume 15

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