The Happiest Place on Earth: The Unimaginable Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland by Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt is a brand new guide celebrating the seventieth Anniversary. This overview shares images of this large espresso desk version, ideas on whether or not it’s well worth the cash, and the place this ranks in our library of over 100 books about Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Cracking the highest of this listing is a troublesome process. Walt Disney’s authentic magic kingdom (decrease case) has obtained dozens of deep dives into the park’s creation and historical past. Disneyland Nickel Tour, Disneyland: Inside Story, and Walt Disney’s Disneyland are the gold customary of those books, constituting the present ‘Holy Trinity’ of Disneyland books that cowl the genesis of the park and its early years.
Of these, Disneyland Nickel Tour is the ‘white whale’ for a lot of collectors and is now stupidly costly because of being a restricted run that’s been out of print for many years. Disneyland Inside Story is rather more accessible regardless of being older, but it surely’s Walt Disney’s Disneyland by TASCHEN that we beforehand advisable most frequently. That’s nonetheless in print, incessantly 40% off, and is a beautiful espresso desk guide (simply remember to get the full-sized copy). I’m additionally significantly keen on Artwork of Disneyland, but it surely’s not exhaustive in the identical manner as these.
Past this trio, there’s a rising assortment of worldwide titles that features Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Desires Look At Making the Magic Actual
One among my greatest frustrations with official Disney historical past is that it’s introduced as “company canon” that has been meticulously sculpted over time. Even the imperfections are calculated, an try to feign authenticity that rings hole. Walt Disney is the primary character, and he’s a one-dimensional caricature of an actual individual.
Oftentimes, the result’s an fascinating premise, however stilted and superficial. That is exactly why Walt Disney: An American Authentic is his greatest biography; it avoids these pitfalls with out additionally falling into the opposite pitfall of making an attempt to be scandalous or judging Walt by twenty first century requirements.
More moderen Disney Editions titles have really been higher about this, presenting much less of a sanitized model of occasions and never essentially sticking to the script. They’ve additionally recruited extra fascinating authors, who share fascinating and contemporary tales versus remixes of the identical topics they’ve lined in numerous different titles. (All of it is a bit within the weeds, however if you happen to’re studying a Disneyland guide overview on a Disney web site, versus simply going off the star rating on Amazon or no matter, we presume you care about these things.)
Like different latest standout titles, Happiest Place on Earth advantages from its authors. Each Don Hahn and Christopher Merritt have spectacular observe information exterior of the publishing realm. Hahn is a Disney Legend who was mentored by Walt’s “9 Previous Males” and is legendary for producing a number of classics in the course of the Nineties Disney Animation Renaissance. He’s had a protracted and illustrious profession since, spanning a number of areas of the corporate whereas being nominated for numerous awards.
Merritt has greater than 25 years of theme park design expertise, with a protracted profession at Walt Disney Imagineering that took him from California to Florida to Tokyo, Shanghai, and past. After working as an Artwork Director and Manufacturing Designer for the parks, he turned his skills to writing, which included Marc Davis in His Personal Phrases: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks, co-authored with filmmaker Pete Docter. That’s one of many absolute best and most complete theme park titles ever launched, though it’s very area of interest.
I point out this as a result of my impression of Hahn and Merritt is that they’re Disney Editions outsiders, which may be very a lot a superb factor. They didn’t decide up the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary task out of the blue as a facet hustle; it reads as a passionate undertaking, which is instantly evident from the primary chapter of this guide: “Make Consider.”
The Happiest Place on Earth begins with photos of Kansas Metropolis’s Electrical Park and Griffith Park’s Merry-Go-Spherical, the latter of which is alleged to be Walt’s inspiration for creating some type of amusement enterprise of his personal. Readers are then handled to the “first drawing” of Disneyland, which was created by Herb Ryman in September 1953 with Walt by his facet, reproduced in crisp and clear element.
Nevertheless, what stands out right here is the air quotes round “first drawing.” Whereas different authors have gone together with the parable and mystique of the lengthy weekend that birthed this piece of artwork to assist promote the thought of Disneyland to traders, Hahn and Merritt problem it.
They level out that Imagineer Marvin Davis really had labored on a number of park plans with Walt that concerned a central hub, a number of lands, and practice circumnavigating all of it. With how a lot lore and tall tales have formed the historical past of Disneyland, it’s fascinating to learn this proper from the soar, on pages 3-4 of the guide. It undoubtedly units the tone for what’s to return.
The guide then pivots to the Chicago Railroad Truthful, and a visit Walt and his eccentric animator Ward Kimball took to the Midwest. The guide continues on with Walt’s numerous inspirations for Disneyland together with journeys he and his key animators took that helped form the thought.
Numerous Disney Legends are mentioned, together with the aforementioned Kimball and Marc Davis, Harper Goff, Dick Irvine, John Hench, and extra. Together with them, the primary ~30 pages of the guide function over a dozen drawings of preliminary schemes for a theme park at numerous websites in Southern California earlier than the aforementioned “first drawing” for the Ball Highway web site in Anaheim.
The primary chapter continues with extra acquainted idea artwork from the Anaheim web site, because the park begins to extra carefully resemble its last design. There’s new floor lined all through, particularly in sections dedicated to Walt Disney’s collaborators and opening day. The latter, as soon as once more, rebuts hyperbolic anecdotes of one-hundred-degree temperatures. The primary chapter is my favourite of the guide, which is excessive reward as a result of we’ve heard this story earlier than. Hahn and Merritt current the genesis of Disneyland in a brand new gentle, bringing freshness to what ought to be stale for readers of books like this.
After this opening part, The Happiest Place on Earth travels by means of Disneyland land-by-land and reveals sketches from every land’s improvement and images from the early days of the park. Fortunately, these is stuffed with uncommon images together with many who have by no means been revealed earlier than. Plenty of idea artwork is current, in addition to images of interiors of many retailers–from Kodak to the Tobacconist to the Wizard of Bras.
Shelved plans and lengthy misplaced areas of the park from Disneyland’s early historical past are proven in nice element as nicely. A number of pages are dedicated to Edison Sq., Liberty Sq., Worldwide Road, and Chinatown. There are images of fashions and idea artwork I’d by no means seen earlier than, which is sensible, as previous books like this didn’t pull the curtain again almost as a lot on ‘what by no means was’ from the early period of Disneyland. Most of that is already public information due to Imagineering books, memoirs, and D23–however the stage of element right here is pretty unprecedented. There’s additionally a treasure trove of idea artwork by John Hench–no guide can ever have an excessive amount of of that.
I additionally appreciated new-to-me tales concerning the challenges of civil engineering in Anaheim, feral cats changing the fortress into their residence (after which abruptly masking Walt with fleas), the unique walkthrough model of Pirates of the Caribbean, “Misplaced” Land of Oz, Museum of the Bizarre, and extra. Then there’s my private favourite lengthy misplaced attraction, Mine Practice Via Nature’s Wonderland, which is given appreciable consideration.
The guide concludes with Tomorrowland. The unique model, the 1959 “grand reopening” and and nice huge stunning enlargement in 1967. Tomorrowland is my favourite fortress park land, however this guide is an efficient reminder that a lot of what I really like concerning the land is the promise of Tomorrowland versus the way it’s been realized over time. Though there was a window within the Seventies and Eighties throughout which I want I may time journey to see Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. The guide wraps up with a photograph from Walt strolling the New Tomorrowland web site with Imagineers in late summer season 1966, which might go on to be his final working session in Disneyland earlier than his passing in December.
This guide is clearly marketed because the unimaginable story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland (it’s proper there within the subtitle!), and is centered round exploring the park’s first 5 lands. It does a very implausible job of this, expounding upon what’s lined elsewhere and retreading surprisingly little in its 300+ pages.
Regardless of this, I’d’ve preferred it expanded to incorporate more moderen historical past. There’s nothing concerning the newer lands, enlargement from a single theme park to a resort, Disney California Journey, or on-site motels. Whereas I can respect that the audience for this guide most likely cares extra about Walt-era historical past and fewer about every thing that occurred within the twenty first century, it could be good to have a correct successor to Disneyland Inside Story or Disneyland Nickel Tour, each of which predate Disney California Journey.
Disneyland Resort’s second gate now over 20 years previous. It’s time to start out documenting its historical past. In spite of everything, the corporate did study from the early errors made there, so the story has a contented ending. DCA has such a messy and interesting historical past, however each time the second gate or more moderen enlargement is talked about, the presentation is much less ‘warts and all’ and extra a method of selling the most recent and best additions.
It’s past time for a real historic accounting of Disneyland Resort, the Paul Pressler days, late Eisner and early Iger period, and even the early trials and tribulations of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Heck, the COVID closure was now 5 years in the past–it’s traditionally vital! I actually hope that by Disneyland’s seventy fifth Anniversary, we get a guide that isn’t afraid to drag again the curtain on more moderen historical past in the identical manner this does with what went down seven a long time in the past. As a result of regardless of how nice the titles are, they’re nonetheless related. Nice as it’s, this guide may’ve theoretically been revealed for the twenty fifth, fortieth, fiftieth, or sixtieth anniversaries. Every time such a complete Disneyland Resort historical past is revealed, I hope it’s written by Hahn and Merritt.
Finally, The Happiest Place on Earth: The Unimaginable Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland is one other glorious guide concerning the authentic magic kingdom. It brings a surprising quantity of latest content material and contemporary perspective to the desk, and is a 5-star guide when judged by itself deserves.
It’s one of many highlights of the whole Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration, and matches neatly alongside “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” and the opposite history-oriented additions on Predominant Road. It’s an ideal entry level to the creation and early days of the park. I fully glossed over the scale of this guide and the standard of the print, but it surely’s beautiful and gigantic. Really worthy of being displayed in your espresso desk. (I don’t love the quilt artwork, however to every their very own on that.)
Whether or not these with bookshelves filled with Disneyland and Imagineering books ought to add this title to their assortment may appear debatable, particularly for individuals who already a number of titles like this. As a ‘recovering completionist,’ what I’ll say is that there’s greater than sufficient daylight between this and the Holy Trinity of Disneyland Books to simply justify including this to my library and proudly owning all of them. I don’t actually suppose it’s debatable in any respect: it is a must-own for lovers of Disney historical past. It’s really a testomony to the authors that they’ve been in a position to revisit the Walt-era nicely but once more, and nonetheless handle to publish one of many brisker Disneyland books in years.
The Happiest Place on Earth: The Unimaginable Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland is outstanding–the second consecutive all-star anniversary title that Disney Editions revealed, following A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth (extremely advisable and now 42% off–purchase it earlier than it goes out of print if you happen to haven’t already).
Simply as that’s the greatest guide concerning the Trip Kingdom of the World and was one of many highlights of the whole fiftieth Anniversary celebration, so too is that this. The one distinction is that the competitors is rather a lot fiercer with Disneyland books. This deserves excessive reward for a brand new launch, and goes to be the memento that creates new lifelong followers amongst first-timers, and piques curiosity about Disneyland, Walt Disney, and the legendary collaborators who helped carry his dream to actuality.
The Happiest Place on Earth: The Unimaginable Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland retails for $60 and is out there from Amazon.com and at impartial booksellers. Click on right here to buy The Happiest Place on Earth Disneyland seventieth Anniversary guide. We obtain a small fee out of your buy, so shopping for by means of that hyperlink helps assist the location!
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Your Ideas
What do you consider The Happiest Place on Earth: The Unimaginable Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland? When you’ve already seen the guide, do you suppose it’s on par with the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Disneyland historical past books? Is it one of many highlights of Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary? Will you be shopping for a duplicate? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!