It’s a great time for Disney fans when it comes to books about the parks and related topics. There are far too many excellent titles than we have the time to read. We also can’t always afford to purchase every interesting book. Thankfully, there’s another way for you to find your latest theme park read without any cost. It’s your local library!
You can always find a cool title to borrow from the library, and many don’t require you to leave the house. One of the best options is Hoopla, a digital service that gives you access to e-books, music, movies, and more. All you need is an account at the library to access these titles, many which focus on theme parks.
I should clarify that we should always try to support authors by purchasing their books, but that’s not always possible economically. At the end of this page, I have included links to buy all the titles that I mention in this article. You may also want to sample them on Hoopla and then pick up a copy afterwards.
We may not be able to visit the parks all the time, so books give us a chance to connect with them in a different way. All these books are available to borrow through Hoopla. Let’s check out some great theme park titles!
The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks
I loved The Imagineering Story television series on Disney Plus, and I was surprised by how candid the show was about Disney’s challenges. This is still an official Disney book, so the overall tone is still positive. This is especially true of Bob Iger’s tenure leading Disney. This massive book includes the stories of so many talented Imagineers and classic attractions from Disney’s past. Not everything gets much attention, but it does go into more depth than the TV series. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Imagineering or the parks in general.
Women of Walt Disney Imagineering: 12 Women Reflect on Their Trailblazing Theme Park Careers
It’s great to have this brand new title from Disney Editions available on Hoopla. This collection of stories does an excellent job summarizing what it was like for women to work at WED Enterprises during a different era. Architect Eli Erlandson initiated the idea of this book with 12 authors telling their stories. I appreciate that we hear about both highlights and challenges in each career. They dealt with sexism and harassment while creating amazing parks and attractions. Kathy Rogers, Peggie Fariss, Maggie Irvine Elliott, and Karen Connolly Armitage are just a few of the remarkable individuals that tell their stories.
Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career by Kevin Rafferty
We’ve heard stories about Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion, but what about recent attractions? Imagineer Kevin Rafferty was involved in many from the past few decades, including Radiator Springs Racers, Toy Story Mania, and more. What makes this book shine is Kevin’s enthusiasm and fun stories from his time at Disney. He started out washing dishes and moved all the way up to become a leader at WDI.
The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney’s Dream by Sam Gennawey
Sam Gennawey’s books include a wealth of information about the parks, but they never feel like a chore. His laid-back writing style makes even complex subjects easy. The title works perfectly because this is the full story of Disneyland. If you’d like to learn more about Disneyland without the marketing language, this is the book for you.
Tony Baxter: First of the Second Generation of Walt Disney Imagineers by Tim O’Brien
Tony Baxter remains one of the most well-known Disney Imagineers and regularly appears for interviews and special events. However, I’ve realized that I know very little about his background when you look beyond the attractions. This quick read from Tim O’Brien helps to rectify that situation, though it’s still fairly limited information. I appreciate how candid Tony is about his later years at Disney, and the book is written well. I just wish that we could have had a lot more details about Tony’s life and his work for Disney.
Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World: Recipes & Stories from the Most Magical Place on Earth by Pam Brandon and Marcy Carriker Smothers
I’m not much of a cook, so the many Disney recipes included within this book don’t resonate as much with me. It is really cool to learn how to make classic dishes and snacks from the parks at home. My favorite park of this book from Pam Brandon and Marcy Carriker Smothers is the background and Disney history surrounding the recipes. It’s an easy read and a fun way to connect with Walt Disney World when you’re not visiting the parks.
Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered by Dave Smith
There’s more trivia about Disney than anyone can fit into one book, but this collection of answers takes a shot. Dave Smith was the Chief Archivist of the Walt Disney Company and responded to trivia questions for 30 years in his “Ask Dave” columns. I’ve read a lot about Disney’s movies and parks, but there’s still a lot here that I didn’t know.
Dream It! Do It!, One Little Spark!, and On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams by Marty Sklar
This might be the most exciting part of the Disney offerings from Hoopla. Marty Sklar experienced every era of Disney’s parks. Dream It! Do It! tells his story and should be your first read. If you’re looking for self-help, there’s plenty from Marty and others in One Little Spark!. I didn’t find as much to enjoy in his last book (completed after his passing), but it’s still worth a read.
Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise by Tom Bricker
If you’ve checked out Tom Bricker’s work at the Disney Tourist Blog, you’re familiar with his photography. This book includes more than 200 photos from Leap Day in 2012 at Disneyland. Tom visited during the entire 24 hours and captures the park at every time of day. Tom gives some trivia, but it’s the amazing photos that make it worth your time. I can’t recommend the Disney Tourist Blog highly enough.
The Quotable Walt Disney by Various Authors
If you can’t get enough from Walt Disney, there are countless options to learn more about his life. This book is interesting because it’s not the typical biography. Instead, it provides various quotes from Walt’s life to provide inspiration or just an interesting story. I wouldn’t call this a must-read, but there’s enough there for a lazy Sunday.
Disneylanders by Kate Abbott
We’re venturing into fiction for this story of Casey, a girl who visits Disneyland in the summer before starting high school. It’s a YA story with the expected romance and turmoil, but set within the happiest place on Earth. If you’re looking for something very different than another dry history book, Disneylanders could be the right choice. Kate Abott’s casual writing style makes it clear she’s a fan without overdoing the Disneyland references. It’s a tricky balance to maintain and handled well here.
Images of America Series
You could spend an entire year (if not more) going through all the Images of America books that document amusement parks’ history through photos. I recently caught up with the book on Carowinds from Scott Rutherford and was amazed by how many early attractions there reminded me of Disneyland. John R. Stevenson also does a great job presenting the history of the extinct Libertyland park in Memphis. These are two of many examples of titles on Hoopla that give you such a detailed background.
More Cute Stories Vol. 1: Disneyland History by Rolly Crump
If you haven’t already caught up with It’s Kind of a Cute Story from Rolly Crump and Jeff Heimbuch, you should start there. It provides a colorful and deep look at Rolly’s work for Disney and beyond. Once you’ve finished that book, you can check out even more stories in this transcribed version of his audio book on Hoopla. I can’t get enough of hearing Rolly talk about his career, especially at Disneyland.
The Early Life of Walt Disney by Andrew Stanley Kiste
This well-researched book from Andrew Stanley Kiste presents Walt’s young life as a challenging time. Instead of giving expected stories from the legend, Kiste provides a simpler history. He also focuses on Elias Disney and how his approach impacted his youngest son. I’d read less about Walt’s dad in other books and appreciated the deep dive here. This story ends with the idea for Mickey Mouse, and that is the right place. By sticking with one era, Kiste can dig further into Walt’s life; it never feels like he’s rushing to the big moments.
Purchase Copies of These Disney and Theme Park Books
The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks
Women of Walt Disney Imagineering by Various Authors
Magic Journey by Kevin Rafferty
The Disneyland Story by Sam Gennawey
Tony Baxter by Tim O’Brien
Delicious Disney by Pam Brandon and Marcy Carriker Smothers
Disney Trivia from the Vault by Dave Smith
Dream It! Do It! by Marty Sklar
One Little Spark! by Marty Sklar
Travels with Figment by Marty Sklar
Disneyland: Sunrise to Sunrise by Tom Bricker
The Quotable Walt Disney by Various Authors
Disneylanders by Kate Abbott
Carowinds by Scott Rutherford
Libertyland by John R. Stevenson
More Cute Stories Vol. 1 by Rolly Crump
The Early Life of Walt Disney by Andrew Stanley Kiste
Related Book Reviews
Claude Coats: Walt Disney’s Imagineer by Dave Bossert
Polishing the Dragons: Making Epcot’s Wonders of China by Jeff Blyth
Disney Theme Parks and America’s National Narratives by Bethanee Bemis
More Cute Stories, Vol. 1-3 by Rolly Crump
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