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Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance Hardcover – February 15, 1998

by Karal Ann Marling (Editor)
4.2 out of 5 stars 25 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Flammarion (February 15, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 2080136399
  • ISBN-13: 978-2080136398
  • Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 1 x 11.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #995,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsEngaging Thoughts about Disney
By D.K. P. on January 25, 2001
Format: Hardcover
Many books on Disney's art and achitecture try to convey its appeal primarily through the visual. Other books, particularly those that whole-heartedly criticize Disney, try to ignore the appeal of Disney altogether. This book attempts to integrate the visual evidence (photos, concept art) with academic writing on Disney (Karal Ann Marling, Erika Doss, Greil Marcus, etc.). Together, these aspects make for a solid inquiry as to the appeal of Disney's architecture.
The book was written to supplement an art exhibit of the same name and, in many ways, feels a bit incomplete without its exhibition, partly because the book tries to cover a lot of territory in its two hundred or so pages. And a lot of the book's pages are used for the essays. But the essays also provide the readers with another "way of seeing" the imagineers' works, something that other books of this type tend to forgoe for more pictures. The essays are irreplaceable for this book--and many are useful for re-examining other books' materials as well (Try it!).
Particularly useful for the Disney enthusiast is the criticism of Disney criticism by Greil Marcus. He astutely summarizes much of the current criticism of Disney: "All [the works mentioned earlier in the essay] have their moments of interest and all devolve quickly into a kind of critical voice that can perhaps best be called spite. This is not a good posture from which to practice criticism--an angry defensiveness, a fear that somehow one's faculties or tools of analysis are not up to the job disguised as contempt for the job itself....Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsFun for Disney fans and academia
By A Customer on August 23, 1999
Format: Hardcover
A look at the title, and even the opening, might lead one to think this book was written by and for academia. That is not true. You don't need to be an architect or engineer (either mechanical or social!) to enjoy this book. The photos of concept art make it worth the price of the book alone! One could happily treat this purely as a coffee table book. If you decide to read it, you will have to wade through the author's occasionally self-serving analysis, but that is not often. This is a quality book, based on an absolutely amazing traveling exhibit.
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5.0 out of 5 starsVery good book for the serious Disney adict.
By Barrett W. Nichols on June 23, 1998
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Next to "Gardens of the Walt Disney World resorts" this is the best serious Disney book that I've read. Goes into great detail on the design of the parks. This is for the Disney adict who is interested in architecture and design.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA must for Disney "how did they do it" fans.
By Rob on December 11, 2000
Format: Hardcover
This is a very valuable book to me... I have been a disney fan for years, and when I finally went there, too many questions popped up.. why did they make that like that? whose names are those on the shop windows etc.
This book explains how the ride/show designers came up with various concepts and goes into some of the philosophy/psychology behind the designs as well.
Written as a series of lengthy articles, this encompasses most aspects of all the disney parks and is a valuable addition to anyones collection. I found it even more entertaining after having visited the park and experienced the architecture first hand.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFellow academic
By A Customer on January 2, 2001
Format: Hardcover
It's too bad that so many people who reviewed the book here didn't seem to understand what they were buying and then were disappointed. It's a great book! I was particularly enthralled by the chapters by Greil Marcus and Erika Doss -- but who wouldn't be? Their work always combines the everyday and the academic in such fluid and fun ways. It's clear from the reviews that the folks who rated this 1 or 2 stars simply didn't understand what they were looking at!
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5.0 out of 5 starsDesigners, Disney-fans, Architects, Dreamers...listen up!
By jeanna on December 29, 2001
Format: Hardcover
This book is amazing. It immediately captured me. It gives valuable insight on the vison of disneys world and on how this vision becomes tangible.
Not only it talks abou the history of the themeparks but it shows the sketches, maps, plans of different parts and attractions of the disney world. An amazing resource full of phantasy and a joy to watch. The photographs and illustrations are very well chosen and it is a plasure to flip through this pages every once in a while. A very inspiring book, showing that often it is enough to dream it and then it becomes reality.The most peculiar shapes and interior spaces are built to be reality.
I highly recommend it.
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4.0 out of 5 starsPretty Darn Good
By A Customer on December 2, 2000
Format: Hardcover
I bought this book and thought it was highly enjoyable. It never ceases to amaze me that for some reason, some folks tend to think that when Disney builds anything, they are trying to build things that are meant to be perfect. The last time I checked, Disney was in the business of building theme parks, not the Taj Mahal or Biltmore House. They are simply building things that are fun, period. This book does illustrate this quite well. The book has great art and the text is easy to read yet not insulting. Hey, if you like Disney or amusement parks or even really fun design/architecture, then check this book out. If you are just out to criticize etc., give us all a break and move on.
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3.0 out of 5 starsGood book, great exhibit
By A Customer on April 22, 1999
Format: Hardcover
The exhibit was excellent. When I purchased the book, I was expecting either an expansion on what was covered in the exhibit or at least a reveiw of all that was exhibited. Unfortunately there were many things that were left out. The illustrations & prints were small & a bit fuzzy & there are hardly any of the maquettes or minatures that were present at the exhibit contained in the book.
They also focused on criticism to show Disney's effect on our culture, but there are countless books that go over that.
I was hoping for new material with the same insight on the development for the parks & attraction that "Walt Disney Imagineering : A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real" contained.
I enjoyed the book, but given what was at the exhibit, I can't help but be a little disappointed in the book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsExcelent!

Great book...and purchase was a breeze. Great seller! Highly recommended!

Published 19 months ago by Humberto Cavallin
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Given as a gift.

Published on January 9, 2015 by Donna R Bruns
5.0 out of 5 starsA book to have.

The book is really very well researched, thoughtfully observed, and beautifully laid out. Brings critical attention to a vastly important, largely invisible subject.

Published on February 7, 2014 by D
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat!

A beautiful copy of a volume that belongs in any Disney theme park library. Beautiful printing and color separations! A Must!

Published on June 12, 2013 by Al Mayo
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book.

A very concise history of the conception and ideas behind the creation of the largest known amusement venue in the world. Read more

Published on January 30, 2013 by Daryl O'Neill
5.0 out of 5 starsOne of Disney's Best Books

If you want a great book that really gets down to the facts about how everything really happened then this is the book for you. Read more

Published on March 13, 2009 by Matthew
2.0 out of 5 starsCould have been better,...

Hungry for more Disney info...I would get the other books first, although this makes for fine reading it lacks something??? Read more

Published on August 8, 2008 by Chris D.
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This book is a must have for enthusiasts and interested scholars. The book is filled with many pictures, illustrations and original renderings of Disneyland, and the subsequent... Read more

Published on April 22, 2007 by LC
5.0 out of 5 starsFabulous Book on Disney

This book is great! I also want to be a Disney Imagieer. I already designed some cool, new rides. I hope I become an Imagineer! See Ya!

Published on March 15, 2004

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