Books

Disney Book Review: A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth

27 October 2021 by Scott Otis Leave a Comment

A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place On Earth

By Kevin Kern, Tim O’Day & Steven Vagnini

“The boys and girls of the world regard a visit to Walt Disney World … as a must in their lives. It’s a magnet, it’s a mecca for the dreams of youth and for the inspiration of mature people.” Herb Ryman, Disney Legend, Imagineer and artist

When famed Disney artist and then-retired Imagineer Herb Ryman spoke these profound words in 1982, just after the opening of the brand new masterpiece EPCOT Center, little did he know just how prophetic he was, with Walt Disney World since growing to gargantuan proportions, with four full-fledged theme parks, two epic water parks, a massive shopping and dining district, more than two dozen themed hotels, a campground, and more leisure and recreational activities than one can possibly imagine.

It was right around this time, with the shiny futuristic Spaceship Earth beckoning me, that this Orange County California boy of 12, then fully devoted to the only thing he possibly knew or cared about, Disneyland, became fully aware of the wonders of Walt Disney World, and set his mind on getting his family, some way, somehow, to take a summer family vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth. I finally got that trip in May and June of 1984, and my life changed forevermore, and I knew I’d spend the rest of my life here, in the other Orange County, in the shadows of the very Cinderella Castle that Herb Ryman so beautifully designed years before.

For its 25th Anniversary in 1996, noted Disney historian and author Jeff Kurtti graced the world with his amazing quintessential history of Walt Disney World up to that point, Since the World Began: Walt Disney World – The First 25 Years, and it has held a prominent place on the center bookshelf of my vast Disney book collection, and I’ve turned to that book time and time again in my never ending research of Walt Disney World.

As the 50th Anniversary was growing closer, I was hoping the Company would once again turn to Jeff to write a Part Two, the 2nd 25 Years of Walt Disney World. Alas, that did not happen. But instead, we Disney fans were in for a treat! Not one, not two, but THREE!! fully qualified Disney historians were tapped to author the companion book of Disney World’s Golden Anniversary. When I saw the names attached to this project, I knew it was in the right hands.

Kevin Kern is a longtime Walt Disney Archivist and an accomplished Disney historian and writer; Tim O’Day is one of the foremost experts on Disney history and an amazing idea man who has worked on countless Disney special events; and my dear friend Steven Vagnini has been a constant champion of Disney heritage and history in his vast career with the Disney Archives, the official Disney fan club D23 and his current role in Walt Disney Imagineering.

And boy, oh boy… they did not disappoint.

This enormous 320-page volume is chock full of stories, nuggets, facts, quotes, photographs, captions, drawings, detailed renderings and top secret blueprints, current and historical, of all things Walt Disney World. Rather than the usual chronological format, the authors chose to organize the proceedings almost by using the famous Disneyland plaque “Here You Leave Today and Enter the World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy” as their guide.

Before they get into that, though, the authors begin the book with a look at Disney’s history with the State of Florida, and the inner workings of the Company that led them to build their Resort destination there, as well as the purchase of the land tracts, and the massive construction project that turned the vast square mileage of swampland into The Most Magical Place on Earth. They detail the master plans of Project Florida, including the idea of EPCOT, the progress city of the future, that was initially planned for this land. There are extensive amounts of rare and never-before-seen photographs of the early planning stages and construction, with Walt surveying the Florida landscape just before his untimely passing in December 1966.

This section is followed by three short essays from some very important people, remembering their role in all of this, including: Dick Nunis, the former Chairman of Walt Disney Attractions and Disney Legend looking back at the vast job the Company had ahead of them to build and open this stupendous project; Debby Dane Browne, Walt Disney World’s first Ambassador, fondly recalling her early days at the Preview Center, becoming the first Ambassador and her memories of the Grand Opening of the Magic Kingdom and all of Walt Disney World; and Roy Patrick Disney, the grandson of Roy O. Disney, telling stories of his grandfather, who selflessly delayed his own retirement, literally spending the rest of his life to foresee and lead the Company to opening Walt’s greatest legacy, dying mere weeks after its Grand Opening.

This is where the meat and potatoes of the book begins, separating all the different Park areas, lands, attractions, shows and other bits of all of Walt Disney World into the four categories of Nostalgia (An Idealized Yesteryear), Fantasy (The Art of Make Believe), Discovery (Adventure and Exploration) and Tomorrow (A Step into the Future).

Nostalgia includes examinations of such things as Main Street U.S.A., Liberty Square, Frontierland, Hollywood Boulevard and the Grand Floridian Resort. The Fantasy chapter is where you’ll find Fantasyland (of course), Pandora: The World of Avatar, Galaxy’s Edge and Blizzard Beach.

Adventureland, Harambe, The Living Seas, major portions of World Showcase, Wilderness Lodge and much more can be found in the Discovery section. The pages of Tomorrow are where you’ll find stories on Tomorrowland, Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, Contemporary Resort, and such unique concepts as transportation, solar energy, the utilidors and much more.

This is such a fun way to categorize all the distinctive individual ideas that make up the entire 50 year history of Walt Disney World, all with comprehensive quotes, captions and researched and notated footnotes (there are separate bibliographic and endnotes listings for the text, the captions and the quotes found throughout the chapters).

I very much enjoyed reading this incredible historical volume, and inspecting all the amazing images found within, examining the details of things I thought I knew so well. I recommend you take a closer look at this book by clicking the image below, or stopping by your local independent bookseller to pick up your own personal copy!

What a way to celebrate 50 years of the Most Magical Place on Earth! Thank you, Kevin, Tim and Steven! Also thank you to Disney Publishing for providing us this book for review. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.

There are quite a few other books that Disney has released for the Walt Disney World 50th celebration. I’ll link them here: (these are Amazon affiliate links, with a very small portion of the purchase going back to the site – we appreciate your support!)

You can see Scott’s previous reviews here, and we also discuss and review A Portrait of Walt Disney World and others on one of our Up the Waterfall weekly LIVE shows (we have quite a few book discussions there so check them out and subscribe for more!):

Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks Book Review – Up the Waterfall

14 October 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Everyone loves Disney books, and Scott has made no secret that it is his greatest passion. I recently bought him a couple of new releases that came out, and we were given a new holiday book to review – Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks. This book looked so amazing that I thought it deserved its own episode to share the fun and spread the word of this great new title. While we certainly could’ve devoted an entire hour to this one book (it’s THAT chock-full of Disney holiday nuggets), we added a few more recent titles, like the Disney Monorail book and Disney Maps of favorite movies.

As promised, here is a rundown of the books we discussed. The links are affiliate links, which means no extra cost to you, but we will get a very small commission amount, which helps offset the costs to run Zannaland and Up the Waterfall. We appreciate your help and consideration. Just click on the book title or cover image to go to the link to purchase.

Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World, by Andreas Dejas:

A companion book to a recent exhibition at the phenomenal Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, this book details the global phenomenon of the Walt Disney Original, Mickey Mouse, and his contributions to the world, including black and white and color cartoons and films, merchandise, comic books, and even modern art. This book and all the other companion books for all the previous retrospective exhibitions at this first-rate museum are excellent keepsakes showcasing amazing displays. Very highly recommended.

The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky, by Jeff Kurtti, Vanessa Hunt, et al.:

This book is a fantastic must-have addition to anyone’s Disney book collection. It is filled with not only the history of the monorail itself, but also how Walt Disney became interested in transportation, futurism, and the desire to bring monorails to the parks. Here are some photos from the book (not high-quality scans, just to give you an idea of what lies in store!).

Monorails of Disneyland and Walt Disney World list

Disney Monorail concept art panorama — The Disney Monorails book inside jacket – as mentioned on the show! – sorry for the quality, but you get the idea.

Disney Maps: A Magical Atlas of the Movies We Know and Love, by Disney Book Group:

This is a fun book that families will love. I know Gio would love getting his hands on this book to explore the various lands we know and love from Disney animated movies. It provides a character list and fun facts about each film too. Here is an example of the Ratatouille pages:

Entertaining with Disney: Exceptional Events From Mickey Mouse to Moana! by Amy Croushorn:

This book is like Pinterest in book form. Entertaining with Disney is all organized by theme and has detailed instructions for creating the crafts, making the snacks, and setting the scene for your exceptional Disney events. I got this book for Scott as kind of a joke because he’s not really an entertainer in any way, but he is a completist, so he can cross this one off his list. However, *I* love it, and even if I don’t make any of these super cool themed parties, it’s really relaxing and fun to look at! Here’s the Peter Pan spread:

The Art of Disney Costuming – Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between, by Jeff Kurtti and the Staff of the Walt Disney Archives:

This book is a companion piece to the D23 Expo Archives exhibit from the most recent Expo in 2019. There are spectacular close-ups of the many beautiful and detailed costumes displayed there, as well as backstories. There are also sections on the costumes created for Disney parks, really fascinating stuff. Here are a couple of pages from the book:

Holiday Magic at Disney Parks: by Graham Allan, Rebecca Cline, and Charlie Price:

The headliner of this episode, Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks (out October 20, available for pre-order now) is a must-have for any collection. Packed with nearly 1,900 amazing photographs, it truly is an encyclopedia of information, detailing the history of the Fall and Winter holidays at Disney parks. This includes decorations, snacks and food items, parades, spectaculars, parties, and rethemed attractions at ALL of the Disney Parks, and Disney resorts as well.

Featuring comprehensive descriptions and photos, the authors have documented the history of these holiday offerings from Disneyland’s earliest years to present day. This book is a great way to see all the holiday fun and remember the magic. We can’t say enough about this masterpiece. Here are just a few of the many, many, pages of documentation:

Disneyland holidays Tomorrowland — How amazing is this vintage Tomorrowland photo from Disneyland??

Again, these are not high-quality scans, just some photos to show you the treasures that lie inside these books. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on them myself and dig into this Disney history. We hope you enjoyed this book-filled episode. If so tell us in the comments below, leave us a review wherever you watch or listen, give us a thumbs up on Zannaland’s YouTube and Subscribe to see all our other videos. Thank you as always for watching and listening! We’d love to know if you pick up any of these titles for your Disney book collection! You can watch this week’s episode right here:

Ways to Help Laid Off Cast Members:

As we mentioned on the end of the show, it is such a devastating time for so many. As locals, and a Cast Member family, we want to spread the word as much as possible about ways to help if you can.

Cast Member Pantry Facebook group for Orlando area Cast Members

Ear for Each Other Facebook group featuring Cast Members from both coasts offering their services or talents for sale

Google Sheet with Cast Member run Small Shops and businesses

Also check out our friends Sarah and Tom Bricker’s post on ways to help, including donating to the Second Harvest Food Bank in both Orlando and Orange County, California. Thank you for reading, and thank you for helping the magic makers.

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these movie choices, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

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Up the Waterfall Set Tour and Disney History Book List – Episode 30

29 June 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

We are now 30 whole episodes in to our passion project, Up the Waterfall podcast. We initially had a different topic planned for today, to mark this momentous occasion, with our first GUEST and everything! However, the tiki gods were angered by all our celebrating, so some pesky technical issues have put a delay on that. Instead we are bringing you a fun little episode where we give you a tour of all the little knick-knacks and collectibles we have around our podcast set.

In addition, Scott gives us a quick overview of the stack of Disney history books he has on display on the shelves behind us on our set. Who doesn’t need more Disney history books, right? As a bonus, there is a LOT of our resident kitty, Stella in this episode. What can we say, she loves Disney books as much as we do.

As promised on the episode, we are sharing links for every book he discusses so you can investigate picking up a copy for your Disney library if you don’t already have one. Some of them may be out of print and being sold by third party marketplace sellers, or you can find them on eBay or your local independent bookseller as well, but now you’ll have the list right here below:

Of course, due to the sheer number of books in this episode, Scott just gives a general overview of their contents. We will do other episodes focusing on one or two books in-depth. Do you have a favorite book you’d like us to discuss? What about our silly collectibles? What are some of your favorite Disney collectibles to display? We’d love to hear from you!

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Book Review: The Art of the Disney Golden Books

5 September 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Zannaland readers are in for a treat, as I’ve finally recruited one of the utmost authorities on Disney books from fact to fiction, from comics to concept art – Scott Otis (or @otisney to some), to share his thoughts in the form of book reviews for us here. Maybe we’ll eventually get him to give us his top 41 Disney Books of All Time too! Please welcome him and enjoy his first review below:

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and at the bottom of the Spanish Main… and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life. — Walt Disney

Hello! My name is Scott and I love books, especially Disney books. So, I’ve decided to start reviewing some of them here. I have an extensive Disney library and hopefully I will be able to write many book reviews for you to enjoy here both from my existing collection and new releases, and hopefully it might influence you to expand your personal Disney library as well. Happy reading!

The Big Little (Golden) Book of Pictures – The Art of the Disney Golden Books by Charles Solomon

There were images in the Little Golden Books I was living in, in the backseat of our car on the way to the grocery store. I would dive in and live there, and it felt good. Even if I couldn’t read then — and I was looking at those books long before I could read — they contained amazing worlds. They were warm, inviting, and delicious. I loved them.

— Chris Sanders, Lilo & Stitch writer-director

When I saw that Disney was going to release a book about the history and the art of the Disney Golden Books, I was incredibly intrigued. Just when I thought Disney had written a book about every possible topic, here comes another one about something I had never even considered. I grew up reading Golden Books just like any other kid of my generation, I would assume. So, I remember fondly times in my childhood where my mother would read me shortened versions of some of Disney’s finest movies and stories through the Disney Golden Books. Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, the Uncle Remus Stories, Cinderella and Dumbo were some of the ones I remembered the most from my childhood.

Especially the gorgeous pictures and vibrant colors. They weren’t exactly like the scenes from the movies, but close enough, and beautiful in their own way. So, it comes as no surprise that the pictures and story art are the standout stars of this book. Its 160 pages are jam-packed with exquisite examples of some of the finest artwork put out by the Disney Studios and by some of its greatest artists.

Walt Disney’s favorite artist Mary Blair is well-represented here, as she should be. Her artwork stands out with its unique interpretations and bright colors. And it’s wonderful to see the dynamic work of such storied Disney legends as, John Hench, Bill Justice, Joe Grant, Bill Peet, Gustaf Tenggren, and Martin and Alice Provensen displayed on the book’s oversized pages.

Mary Blair, 1944. Note her take on Tinker Bell and the Darling children (9 years before the release of Peter Pan) and Lady (11 years before the release of Lady and the Tramp) and Mole (5 years before the release of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)

The Art of the Disney Golden Books is spread through seven chapters: History, Art & Artists, Memories, Influences, Creations, Discoveries and Legacy. It begins with a history of Disney’s long, symbiotic relationship with the Golden Books and the companies that have published them. It then describes many of the Golden Books artists accompanied by fine examples of their work. The next few chapters include many stories and memories from the animation industry’s finest artists, as well as some of the artists that illustrate today’s Disney Golden Books.

Yes, it’s quite amazing that even today, Disney Golden Books are still being produced and subsequently loved by the newest generation of children. With the recent acquisition of Pixar, all of its wonderful stories are being interpreted into Little Golden Books. And all of Disney’s recent successes from Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph and the incredibly popular Frozen have become Little Golden books too. Overall, I very much enjoyed The Art of the Disney Golden Books. The writing was a little clunky and jumped from artist to artist with little transition, but it effectively told the story of Disney’s Golden Books, a story that I wasn’t previously aware of. And I’m very grateful for it. As I said, the art is the true star here and the book is worth getting just for that. The book is available now in stores and Disney Parks:

Have you all seen this book? What are your thoughts? Do you have a set of Disney Golden books for you or your children? I’d love to hear any stories you may have. And, if you have any recommendations for future book reviews, please let me know.

#HungerGames Trailers, Interactive Fan Sites, Merchandise & More

4 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

My son read The Hunger Games when it first came out, and each subsequent book in the trilogy. I remember him saying how much he loved them and that I should read them too, but it was one of those things I kept putting off. I’m always doing something online or just being a mom, so it’s hard to commit to carving out time to read a magazine, let alone three books. However, with The Hunger Games movie approaching, I knew I wanted to start and finish the books before its release. I started reading them on a Friday and was finished with all three by Monday. They were THAT good. If you have not yet read the books, [ The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay ] I implore you to do so. They are wonderfully written and will provide all the necessary back-story for the films as they are released. Of course reading the books before seeing the movie won’t be necessary, but will definitely endear the characters to you and build the excitement for the movies, as they did for me.

Now, I am as invested as I was with Harry Potter and his friends, but in a very different way. Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of the Hunger Games Trilogy may suffer hardships as Harry Potter did, but the similarities end there. There are less characters to be introduced to as well as not worrying about drawn-out descriptions of countless places, history and spells. As a result, we are instantly drawn in with the characters we do meet, and the details we do receive about the various districts in the country of Panem are that much more powerful. We feel for her bravery, her sacrifice, and her ever-burning spark as “the girl on fire” throughout the books.

As a quick synopsis: The country of Panem is what remains of our mistreated earth after years of selfishness among its inhabitants and global changes. The country was divided into 13 Districts and there was an unsuccessful rebellion against the Capitol which controls them, resulting in District 13 being destroyed. As penance for its rebellion, the Capitol created The Hunger Games, where a boy and girl child, aged between 12 ad 18, are chosen each year to fight to the death with only one victor remaining. The Districts are known for what they can produce or offer the Capitol, such as electricity, agriculture, fishing, etc. and aside from those closest to the Capitol, most Districts live in extreme poverty and under a police state. I’ll let you discover the rest of the story on your own. I am quite excited to see The Hunger Games film with my son, and cannot wait for the remaining films to be made and released.

I thought I’d share the currently released movie trailers, as well as some official sites to check out, where you can discover your district and connect with other fans:

Here are some places to interact with The Hunger Games:

Enter to win two tickets to the Los Angeles premier of The Hunger Games on March 12, 2012. Click to enter before 2/22/12!

Like The Hunger Games on Facebook as well as all 12 Districts.

Head over to TheCapitol.pn and find out what your District you are from, what your job assignment is and create your own District ID. And visit CapitolCouture.pn for the latest in fashion trends and news from the Capitol. There’s even a nail polish line from China Glaze inspired by Hunger Games:

You can also now pre-order many items from The Hunger Games from HotTopic.com. Connect with @TheHungerGames on twitter and use the hashtag #HungerGames to see the latest news and discussion about the film.

This should get any Hunger Games fan started – and remember, “May the odds be EVER in your favor…” The Hunger Games opens in theatres and IMAX on March 23, 2012.

The Only Walt Disney World Dining Guide You’ll Ever Need!

12 April 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Faithful readers of ZannaLand will of course know of my love for AJ Wolfe and her Disney Food Blog. Her site is simply the place for up to date, in-depth information on Disney dining reviews, menus, news, photos and more. She has built up a loyal following, with good reason. The Disney Food Blog is committed to bringing Disney dining details to your screen and making sure they are the most accurate you can find. AJ has now combined her years of writing and researching into an easy to download 265-page e-book FULL of dining plans and reviews: The Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! The photos accompanying the pages will leave your mouth watering!

As AJ notes in the preface, “There’s no guidebook I’ve found that covers Disney World dining the way I’d like it to be covered. This e-Book has twice as much dining information and advice than any official Disney dining guidebook on the market. And, due to its digital format, it’s completely portable in the parks.” Since it downloads in a .pdf file, you can pop the book open on your smart phone, iPad or laptop and double check information on the go. That way you can also click directly on links or phone numbers and not have to write down a thing. Brilliant!

What’s included? Well, it would be impossible to list it all there is so much, but here’s a sample:

A 5-Step Guide to Stress-Free Dining to help you easily plan your Disney dining in one sitting. There is a section on budgeting, with average costs for counter and table service dining as well as beverages (alcoholic and non-) to help you prepare for costs, or consider the Disney Dining Plan.

A Dining With Kids section, which offers restaurant choices and unique menu suggestions for kids, so no one gets bored with chicken nuggets! Need to know which characters are in each character dining location? She’s got you covered. Tips for avoiding meltdowns? Yep! And if you’d like a kid-free night out, the guide shares what to expect at the Kids Clubs too.

Dining reviews, which are perfect when you have indecisive family members!! If that’s not enough, there are also sections on special celebrations, a comprehensive list of all lounges and bars, even sample dining itineraries. It really lives up to its promise to offer “steps for a stress-free, personalized plan!” And if by chance you are unhappy, there is a money-back guarantee!

Not convinced? Check out some of the amazing reviews by top Disney authors and see some sample pages here. If you’re a Disney veteran and wonder what this guide could offer you, AJ reminds us, “Even if you’ve been to Walt Disney World hundreds of times, the Imagineers, chefs, and cast members will always keep surprising you. You deserve to know what incredible dining opportunities and experiences are available to you, and new ones are being added all the time!”

If you’re ready for all the info now, you can purchase The Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining by clicking here. The price is $18.95, which includes four downloads, that’s a great deal!

*Disclosure: I was given a complimentary copy of The Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining, which did not influence my review one bit, it’s just that wonderful! In addition, the links contained in this review are affiliate links which means if you purchase the e-book after using these links, I will get a small commission. Win-win! 😉

Day 4 of the 5 Days of HoliDaze Disney Gift Guide

8 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

Ok, so after 3 other days of Disney Gift ideas, I bet you’re thinking, “she couldn’t *possibly* have more great stuff to share!” Well, you’re right. No, I’m kidding. Never fear, there are still some fabulous ideas for the Disney lover in your family!

Disney DVD/Blu-rays

Friend and fellow Disney blogger Ryan Wilson of the Main Street Gazette brought you this wonderful review of The Crimson Wing and what better gift for a Disney and nature lover? Also check out DisneyNature’s other films Earth and Oceans. Right now at amazon you can save $10 when purchasing two selected DisneyNature titles. It will also prepare you for the upcoming African Cats, set to be released this coming April.

Day 3 of the 5 Days of Holidaze Disney Gift Guide!

8 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Let’s jump right into Day 4 of the ZannaLand Disney Gift Guide! Today we have some great gifts for the Disneyphile that has it all!

Disney DVD/Blu-rays

A couple of months ago, I shared an amazing deal on purchasing all three of these DVDs below – Waking Sleeping Beauty, The Boys, and Walt & El Grupo for only $49.99 WITH a free lithograph. This deal has actually been extended till the end of January, which makes it a perfect Christmas present, not to mention a fabulous savings! For the Disneyfile that has it all, these DVDs are Must-Haves! Click the pictures below to see more details!

Video Games

Just released yesterday is the much anticipated TRON: Evolution video game, just in time to get in the Grid before TRON: Legacy opens in theaters December 17, 2010. TRON: Evolution takes place between the original TRON film from 1982 and the 3D film TRON: Legacy.

TRON: Evolution has a story set around a series of seismic events within the Grid of TRON. Players control a security program, Anon, who must protect the digital world from Abraxas, a dangerous computer virus. Players will witness unique moments that are referenced or shown as the backstory of the thrilling “TRON: Legacy” story. The game features the iconic TRON vehicles – light cycles, light tanks and recognizers – and has high mobility combat using light discs. The multiplayer modes enable up to 10 players to take on each other online in a variety of maps with on-foot combat, light cycles and light tanks.

TRON: Evolution is available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Games For Windows – LIVE, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and the Nintendo DS™ family of hand-held systems. TRON: Evolution – Battle Grids is exclusive to the Wii™ console. Check them out below:

Books

Continuing in the Disney fan that has it all vein…how about some books that go in-depth to the life of Walt Disney and the stories behind Walt Disney World’s history and theming? Check out these two wonderful books below, written by certified Disney experts and fans alike:

And for a fun and interesting interview of author and Disney legend Jim Korkis, head over to Disney Dispatch to learn more.

Other Disney ideas

For the Disney collector or Vinylmation fan, check out this Limited Edition Vinylmation Billiards set!

Vinylmation Billiards Limited Edition Set - 3'' -- 16-Pc.

Or these adorable Vinylmation Condiment sets – sure to be a conversation starter! I’m totally telling Santa about these!

Stay tuned for Day 4 tomorrow! Check out the Disney Gift Guide Day 1 and Disney Gift Guide Day 2 too!

Day 2 of the 5 Days of Holidaze Disney Gift Guide!

7 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Yesterday we started Day 1 of ZannaLand’s 5 Days of HoliDaze Disney Gift Guide, in hopes of making your shopping a little easier this season! Let’s check out some more great gift ideas –

Disney DVD/Blu-rays

Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 – this has just been digitally restored and re-released as a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack, filled of special and bonus features. You can even get $10 off the Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 DVD/Blu-ray combo pack – but hurry, it expires today!

The Magic Of Disneyland and Walt Disney World by Valerie Childs 1979

11 March 2010 by Suzannah Otis 13 Comments

I can’t remember when I was given The Magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World by Valerie Childs, but it must’ve been a year or so after it was published in 1979. I know we’d already taken our trip to Walt Disney World when I was around 6, but it was before we’d stayed at the Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas. A friend of the family gave me this book, and it was pretty much my bible for the next few years. {I’d later graduate to reading the Birnbaum guides and my WDW Pictorial Souvenir books which I’d get every trip – I’ll scan some of those in soon.}

When I held the book in my hands, my first thought was how lucky Valerie Childs must be, and how much I wanted to be her when I grew up. This hardcover book was over-sized like a coffee table book and the full-color pictures were just beautiful. Our friend had also somehow gotten a few Mickey Mouse balloons {not inflated} and stuck them in the middle of the book, where there was a double-paged picture of the very same balloons. It was like a magical surprise every time I turned to that page.

The Magic of Disneland and Walt Disney World cover — I would stare at this cover wanting to BE that lady.

The Magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World back cover — And I would stare at this back cover for ages looking at all the individual people.

I loved this book because it focused on Disneyland as well as Walt Disney World. I would take note of the differences between the two places; from the font of Land vs. World {not that I knew what a font was back then} to the rides locations of the rides. I’d never been to Disneyland {still haven’t, must remedy this!} so seeing pictures of the pirate ship or Storybook Land or the Matterhorn were like seeing snapshots of a foreign country I wanted to explore. Seeing the attractions and places I’d been to in Walt Disney World was like seeing pictures of “home”.

Now, looking at the book for the first time in quite a while and 31 years after it was published, it’s like a magical time capsule full of history. I would love to get all of the pages scanned in, but I’d have to find some industrial sized-scanner to get them all in. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite pages with you and we could stroll down memory lane together. For those that did not visit the parks during this time, it’ll be fun to see how things started out.

The Magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World — The original Main Street Electrical Parade

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I looked for the book online and it does appear to be on ebay. It really is one of my treasured collectibles both for the pictures it contains and the memories it brought me as a child. Do you have a favorite book in your Disney collection?