Customer Reviews

Disneyland: Inside Story

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This is the most comprehensive and informative book I have ever read about the creation of any of the Disney parks. Randy Bright tells the story of how Walt Disney came to re-invent the amusement park industry with ideas starting in the 30's.

Although this book is unfortuantely out of print now, if you love the Disney parks, this is the book for you.

The book (in true Disney fashion) is overwhelmingly positive, but it doesn't leave out interesting stories from the formative early years. For example, you can read about the opening day disaster (fondly remembered as "Black Sunday"), when twice the projected number of people got in. Or how, one day shortly after the park opened, a gas leak threatened to blow up Sleeping Beauty castle while reporters watched.

Most importantly, the book takes great care to introduce to us the people that were instrumental in designing the park. Practically, all of the attractions, new and those that are long gone are described, and fondly remembered.

Lastly, this book is simply the best collection of archival photographs that I have.

Good Luck in finding a copy.

Randy Bright does an excelent job giving the reader and inside glimpse on the inspiration, design, and execution of "the happiest place on earth." He takes you on the journey of how Walt Disney and his creative team of Artists, Story Tellers, and Engineers carefully crafted one of America's greatest icons.
The story is carefuly told and documented with many photographs of the park from its earliest concpetion to the finished product. Take a journy into the imagination of The Disney Organizaion and see how they created an true american icon.
This book is rare and hard to come by but it is well worth the read.

Randy Bright has done a wonderful job capturing the early years of the park. Fantistic pictures. A must for all Disneyland collectors. he gives the inside story of the park's history from concept to around the mid 1980's.he talks about everything from landscaping to why each realm has it's own style of garbage can. A truly great book.

This is by far one of the best books written about a Disney themepark. If you can get your hands on this one, it's a best buy!

An absolute must-have book for the Disneyland enthusiast, Disneyland: Inside Story (1987, 240 pages) by Disney Legend Randy Bright is a wonderful look at the first 32 years of Disneyland. Randy started at Disneyland in 1959 as a crew member of the Columbia Sailing Ship. Since then, he worked every position at Disneyland, including the Spaceman in Tomorrowland. He joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1968 and worked on show writing. He has held various positions, including: Manager of Employee Communications, Manager of Concepts and Communications, Director of Scripts and Show Development, Vice-president Concept Development and Executive Producer for Disneyland and Walt Disney theme parks.

The book is filled with wonderful pictures, including lots of historic shots, construction photos and pictures of famous guests and other notables. The text is easily readable, and the glossy color and black and white photos number in the hundreds, many being full page or full spread layouts. On the final two pages you'll find a Sequence of Disneyland Attractions including existing attraction updates. Most noteworthy is that the last two entries were forecasts: Carousel Theatre (which then housed America Sings) was apparently slated for a new show in the Summer of 1988 (didn't happen, obviously; it sat vacant for nearly 10 years), and Splash Mountain. It is very obvious from the book that Randy loved Disneyland. This book was the first official history of Disneyland and remains the most authoritative one available. Don't let the fact that it stops at 1987 keep you from purchasing this outstanding title.

Tragically, In 1990 Randy was struck by a car while bicycling and died at the age of 51. He was made a Disney Legend in 2005.

This is an excellent book for anyone who loves Disneyland. It's jam-packed with history and trivia about the park. There are many great photos of the park from it's inception through 1980 when it was published. The photos are exceptional and it's well written. You won't be disappointed!

If you want the true, whole story on how Walt Disney created his amazing amusement park, read this book. I had read about it online and it definitely delivered what everybody online said that it would. Walt Disney was an amazing man who had a dream to create a place for families to go so he created Disneyland. Of course he made some mistakes when he planned out his huge play land, especially because he did not have enough land to make a paradise like the one that he eventually created in Florida, but he did a pretty good job for a first timer in the amusement park arena. Read this book, look at these great photos and you will know the genius that was Walt Disney. Whether you love Disneyland or not, you will appreciate reading about an innovative mind.