Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader

Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando 61366th Edition

by
Richard E. Foglesong (Author)
› Visit Amazon's Richard E. Foglesong Page
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
Are you an author? Learn about Author Central
Richard E. Foglesong (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars 22 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0300098280
ISBN-10: 0300098286
Why is ISBN important?
ISBN
This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work.
Scan an ISBN with your phone
Use the Amazon App to scan ISBNs and compare prices.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
$1.27 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
$25.20 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
More Buying Choices
31 New from $15.13 27 Used from $1.27
58 used & new from $1.27
See All Buying Options
Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Prime Student Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Author interviews, book reviews, editors picks, and more. Read it now
$25.20 FREE Shipping. Only 14 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
click to open popover

Frequently Bought Together

  • Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando
  • +
  • Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida (Florida History and Culture)
Total price: $44.53
Buy the selected items together
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE
The latest book club pick from Oprah
"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead is a magnificent novel chronicling a young slave's adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. See more

Product Details

  • Series: Walt Disney World and Orlando
  • Paperback: 274 pages
  • Publisher: Yale University Press; 61366th edition (April 10, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0300098286
  • ISBN-13: 978-0300098280
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsMuckraking journalism... by an academic
By Marc Davis on April 30, 2003
Format: Hardcover
Richard Foglesong is one hell of an investigative reporter. I know, I know - he's not a journalist, he's a college professor. But he writes like a journalist and reports like a journalist, and "Married To The Mouse" is a terrifically entertaining and penetrating look at the relationship between Disney and Orlando.
Unfortunately - and this only a minor point, really - Foglesong is also an academic. I say "unfortunately" because the academic portions of this book are far-and-away the least interesting. They are filled with urban planning buzzwords and jargon. They try to tie together in neat academic theories what were really power struggles between a big business and a comparatively small county government.

Foglesong is at his best when he tells us how things happened. How did Orlando build those roads that lured Disney to town? How did Disney get that crazy charter that makes the company an autonomous government? How did they abuse that charter to get perks that no other private business could dream of? How did Orlando and Orange County and Osceola County shirk their responsibilities to their taxpayers in failing to more forcefully confront Disney's abuses? These stories are told through detailed interviews and narrative-style writing that makes the tales engaging reads. It is in the best tradition of muckraking journalism.
Understand one thing: I like Disney World. I've been there many times. It's a fun place. I like Disney movies. I generally root for the Mouse. But I also despise abuses by large corporations. Disney is guilty of more than its share, and "Married To The Mouse" is the best account I've read of how and why that happened.
Comment 25 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsMouse Tales
By A Customer on August 1, 2001
Format: Hardcover
Married to the mouse reads more like a novel than a critical analysis. This book presents an eye-opening account of the imbalance of power that should evermore taint Disney's percieved image as an All-American icon.
Initially my interest in the book was academic, but the more I read, the more I could see a variety of implications for business, personal, ethical and political issues.
Richard Foglesong has produced an extremely well-crafted work. Be prepared for an unexpected twist to an old story wisely and well told.
Comment 16 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsnot an expose
By A Customer on May 15, 2002
Format: Hardcover
I enjoyed this book and all the intricacies it points out about the Disney Conglomerate. Sometimes a little tangled and overdetailed, it examines the business aspects of the Disney Corporation. Not at all an expose of actual park practices, this book deals with the big business of urban planning, politics, and scuffle over Orlando public funding. Well written for a complicated topic.
Comment 15 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsA surprisingly good read
By a VINE VOICE on May 14, 2009
Format: Paperback
Although I am an intense Disney theme park fan, I avoided this book for years because on the surface it sounded like a dry history of Disney's political dealings in Florida. When I received it as a gift this year, I gave it a chance and devoured it in only a few days. Once I got past the first chapter, which was indeed somewhat dry and technical, I could barely put down the book.

The author did a fantastic job of compiling credible source material and weaving an easy-to-follow, strangely exciting narrative about the unbelievable, awkward, and permanent relationship between Disney and Florida, specifically the two counties that border WDW property. I have never been interested in local politics, under the table dealings, population studies, or things of that nature, but they all come together in "Married to the Mouse" to tell a much larger story about a multinational corporation and the many ways that it has openly and subtly abused the state. That said, Disney fans who refuse to read anything that might tarnish the reputation of the all-powerful company may want to avoid this book, which is largely negative in accurately describing Disney's Florida dealings. However, those Disney fans like me who want the whole story, warts and all, will probably love it, just as I did.

One final comment -- while the author goes out of his way to carefully document his sources and appears extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter, when it comes to the actual theme parks, he could use a Disney-saavy assistant to avoid hilariously obvious errors such as "Spacestation Earth," the "web-way peoplemover," and stating that Disneyland opened in 1956 (instead of 1955).
Comment 9 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsA Fair and Exposing Look at the Walt Disney World Company
By B. A. Hendricks on November 17, 2007
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I bought this book a number of months ago and really enjoyed reading it. Although the person who recommended it to me said it was very anti-Disney, I found that Foglesong had a good balance between the views of the different stakeholders. It is certainly an educational book, and would recommend for anyone interested in Walt Disney World history. This is not a book about how wonderful Disney is or how to plan your Walt Disney World vacation...so be prepared for a bit more than Pixie Dust.
Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
3.0 out of 5 starsWell documented but sort of dry for a Disney book
By doc on January 10, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
First chapter was best showing the secret buy up of properties that would become WDW. That was interesting. Remainder of book sort of like a college level urban civics class on managing sprawl and taxation policy.
Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
2.0 out of 5 starsNeeds a current update
By Beth on July 20, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
A lot of repetitive details. The early information (1960's, early 70's) was interesting. The book is now about 15 years old, so some of the "current" issues in the book have since been resolved somehow. An update would be a good idea.
Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsDisney Book

She loved it!

Published 10 months ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsOnly Disney could have pulled this off.

If you're an economics quant, you'll love this book, as it goes into fine detail on the planning of Disney World.... from a protesters' perspective.

Published 11 months ago by Envoy
4.0 out of 5 starsI liked this book a lot

I liked this book a lot. It gives the backstory of how WDW started and the Park & Companys relationship with the city of Orlando. I learned a lot that I didn't already know.

Published 17 months ago by Sara Triceratops
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great story of how Disney and Orlando interact with each other.

Published on July 22, 2014 by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book on the History of Disney

Its hard to find books about the story of the building of Disney World in Florida. This is one of the best I have found.
It is a must read for anyone who loves Disney history.

Published on July 2, 2014 by Seaweed
3.0 out of 5 starsFairly interesting

I read this for a book review for school. It's pretty interesting in some parts, others not so much ( road building). Overall it's a great academic read.

Published on February 1, 2014 by Kaitlyn
4.0 out of 5 starsInformative without an agenda by the author

This is a relatively quick read, but with some good information in it. Recommended for the reader that has interest in "nuts and bolts" Disney, not just the fluff.

Published on September 6, 2013 by D. Hurst
5.0 out of 5 starsThe truth is out

Well written and extremely well documented. The book is a must for anyone interested in politics and urban planning. It really opened my eyes!

Published on April 23, 2013 by richard furman
3.0 out of 5 starsReads like a term paper. Lacks emotion

Reads like a term paper. Lacks emotion. Found myself having to fight through to finish it. Would recommend Project Future in comparison.

Published on March 28, 2013 by David Bergen
3.0 out of 5 starsIt's nice, but it's very dense.

I read the whole thing. It took me hours. It was very dense and hard to read. It's like a Bruckner Symphony - it went on forever. There is a cast of a 1,000. Very, very hard read.

Published on May 2, 2011 by F. Thomas Simpson

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway
This item: Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando
Set up a giveaway

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.