Customer Reviews

More Mouse Tales: A Closer Peek Backstage at Disneyland

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

David Koenig's books on Disneyland are a delight for us Disneyland fans. "More Mouse Tales" gave me something I've been longing for--maps of the popular Disney rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, the Jungle Cruise, and the Indiana Jones Adventure. I used the maps once when someone dropped a purse in the Indiana Jones Adventure--I was able to tell a cast member that the lost purse was in the skull room on that ride. Otherwise, I would have had to shout a long-winded description--the ride is NOISY!

Many people will like reading about Disneyland's goofs and glitches. For me, finding out about these problems made me appreciate how special that place is--that Disneyland manages to function at all is a miracle. Disneyland manages to operate more smoothly than other theme parks and amusement parks.

Here is the human face of Disneyland. Disney magic is created by people: we humans have our vices. These people are quite capable of creating imperfect magic--that includes cast members, the crew behind the scenes, management, Disney executives, the Anaheim Police Department, other government officials, and don't forget over twelve million guests annually! It's a wonder that the place hasn't fallen off the end of the world! Like any place else, Disneyland has its share of problems. Personnel policies disliked at Disneyland are industry standard. Walt Disney didn't want to develop just another dirty amusement park or travelling carnival--and the key to avoiding the "carny" atmosphere was to hire quality people and treat them well. Treat your work force like trash and they'll act like trash. Word will get around and your company soon will have to hire trash because nobody else will work for you. Disneyland hasn't gotten that bad--not by a long shot--but this summer they're having problems in their food service department.

These stories are referenced at the end of the book. Since much of Koenig's information is from the open press, it is easy to verify. I like having an index. I used the information in Koenig's books to maximize my fun at Disneyland. Knowing what to watch out for helps reduce the misery of long lines and other minor problems.

So, when's David Koenig comming out with his fourth book?

I read the original book and like the original, this book gives the reader information about what it must be like to work at the Disneyland Park. Like the original, it gives information about the people who work at the park and some of the things that the Disney Company does to try to maintain the feeling of magic for its customers. I enjoyed both this book and the original, but I have to wonder if I would have the same feeling about this book if I had not already read the original. I guess I will never know about that for sure.

I enjoyed reading the many stories about how things work at Disneyland. I especially enjoyed the little boxes at the bottom of many pages of this book that quoted funny customer comments and sometimes gave bits of trivia about the park.

I was fascinated by the stories of people who get hurt after ignoring or purposely circumventing safety mechanisms and rules while trying to pull some sort of shenanigan. Worse yet is how these same people turn around and sue the park, trying to blame the park for not protecting them from their own foolishness.

This book also details some of the difficulties that have occurred between management and labor. While I found some of this interesting, I found most of it to be tedious reading. All companies have management/labor difficulties from time to time and I personally don't care to read about it in a book such as this. This aspect seemed incongruous to the rest of the book.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in how Disney runs their parks and makes those parks so popular. This book is a good sequel to the original, but I am afraid that the reader might have to read the original book to get the most from this book.

More Mouse Tales, a closer peek backstage at Disneyland, is a humorous book as well as and informative one. It tells the stories that you never get to hear inside the park. This book is fun to read during most of it, but it also has it's dark periods, in which it contains the story of what really happened in the Columbia incident that led to the death of a Disneyland guest. Over all, this is a wonderful book that adults can enjoy, but kids should not read, until they are older, that way they can keep remembering Disneyland as the Happiest Place on Earth, and not the Tragic Kingdom.

It's a good book, with lots of fun details, but Koenig is definately writing a sequel. Many times he mentions events mentioned in his previous book, which was more annoying to me than anything else. There is some fun inside of each of the rides in Disneyland Park, however. It's a worth while read.

I have read both the first book and this book. The first "Mouse Tales" book was delightful, with it's history of Disneyland's conception and opening (and all of the tales of what went wrong), hi-jinks of its employees, and knowledge of how Disneyland has evolved.

"More Mouse Tales" tells the story of the Disney empire as it becomes the "Evil Empire". It talks about the strike-breaking, the employee disgruntlement with stupid guests, the anger and hatred that goes one where none of the guests can see. As a Disney fanatic, I found the book to be more depressing than informative. The Disneyland protrayed in this book is less like "the dream that nearly wasn't" and more like a Coney Island with a new coat of paint.

While it may be accurate, most Disney fans will finish this book with a sour taste in their mouths.

This book is the perfect companion to Mouse tales (book one). It is even more up to date and covers so much 'secret' stuff you just don't know that goes on inside Disneyland from day to day.
It's the closest we'll ever get to being a Disneyland employee and hearing all the gossip of what really goes on. I love this book (and the first one too) and hope they bring out another in the future!

This book had some very interesting stories. My 9 year old and I are doing some research on Disneyland prior to a trip and she loved these stories of how the rides work and what a cast member's job is. The book does a great job of describing the backstage life at Disney. My daughter begs for me to read from this as our bedtime reading every night. However, some of stories are racy and very inappropriate for the younger set. Definitely a "read together" and edit it as you go.

David brings the insightful comments, funny stories, and random facts about the Magic Kingdom to the light as only he can! Wonderful behind the scenes info, as well as ride diagrams of several rides.. Great for anyone that really wants to see what's REALLY behind the castle.

Disneyland must be a very depressing place to work. At least that's the impression I get from reading "More Mouse Tales", David Koenig's followup to his earlier, lighthearted, much more fun "Mouse Tales". Apparently, having depleted his store of lighthearted anecdotes, Koenig has turned to tales told by disgruntled former employees who cannot accept the fact that Disneyland is run by a corporation and is no longer the spiritual child of founder "Uncle Walt".

Any number of Disney hatchet jobs exist, even a monograph by journalist and novelist Carl Hiassen, and I know where to go if I want to read one of these anti-Disney tracts. In fact, I often do, just to gain a wider perspective; I am a Disney fan, but I keep my eyes open and my sense of reality polished.

I was not expecting such a negative and depressing experience from reading this book however. Koenig focuses on tragedy, corruption, poor management and high prices here and only barely lets the reader up for air. No story is too sordid, no hearsay is too circumstancial to be included in "More Mouse Tales". Ironically, Koenig points out in his introduction that the sales of his earlier book and the resurgence in Disneyland attendance roughly coincided (don't be fooled, the comparison is bad science and bad mathematics) and, noting the recent poor attendance, suggests that maybe it's time for him to lend his assistance once again. Ladies and gentlemen, if this book is David Koenig's idea of assistance, don't ever let him change a flat tire for you.

If you have a clear head and don't automatically leap onto a pro-Disney soapbox whenever someone criticizes, you may still enjoy this book. It includes plenty of insider info and lots of diagrams of beloved attractions. If you are a Disney-hater, you'll love it.

I would have to say this is a great book! If you are a true disney fan you will love this. It has all the behind the ears looks at the Disneyland park. It's very intresting to read about all the freaky things that happen when guests aren't there! I HIGHLY reccomend this book to any disney fan!