If you’re not in Disneyland right now and you’re a Disneyland fanatic, odds are you’re missing it HARD. To help you with your Disney-centric FOMO, we have eight suggestions of books for you to devour between visits, from drool-worthy Disneyland art to an adorable little kid’s book (that every adult Disneyland fan should have) to a book dedicated to the history of the Disneyland Hotel.
1. Poster Art of the Disney Parks by Danny Handke and Vanessa Hunt ($29): When you walk through the tunnels at the entrance of Disneyland, you’ve no doubt noticed the great design on the attraction posters they display there, both retro and contemporary. The oh-so coffee-table-worthy Poster Art of the Disney Parks from Walt Disney Imagineering celebrates these works of art, from The Enchanted Tiki Room to Space Mountain. If you’re a fan of the images that Disneyland creates, this book is for you!
2. Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Realby The Imagineers ($40): This massive book truly is a MUST for any Disneyland or Disney World fan. Along with oodles of photos, facts and fascinating trivia, there are little treasures within the pages, such as little booklets and vellum overlays. The concept art (the first stages of attraction design) are incredibly cool; you might be tempted to rip the images out of the book and put them on your wall.
3. Little Man of Disneyland by RH Disney ($4): You might be wondering to yourself, “Why is there a Little Golden Book in this round-up?” There’s an excellent reason. Not only is it adorable, but it’s an interesting piece of Disneyana. The book, first published in 1955, tells the story of the beginning of Disneyland and of Patrick Begorra, the little man — a leprechaun — who lives there. One of the coolest things? You can visit Patrick’s house hidden near one of the attractions in Disneyland.
4. Designing Disney by John Hench ($36+): John Hench, who was with Disney for over 60 years, is known as the “guru of Disney design.” If you’re interested in the art of visual storytelling and the thought process that went into the look and feel of such rides like the Monorail, then you’ll totally get into this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how Imagineering makes allllllll that magic happen.
5. Disneyland Hotel 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove by Donald W Ballard ($29): If you’ve stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, then you’ve probably wanted to know a bit more about this iconic place. It’s a fascinating story for sure (did you know the Walt Disney Company didn’t own the hotel until 1988?). Not only is the story interesting, but the book includes super cool photos of the hotel in its earlier incarnations and images of interesting ephemera (like a menu that features a Grilled Ham Slice With Gravy for $1.85).
6. Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai by Vanessa Hunt, Kevin Neary and Susan Neary ($26): This brand new book (it debuts on October 16) will be a must for Disneyland fans. It’ll include a time capsule of Magic Kingdom maps, which have gone through a fascinating evolution throughout the past 60 years. It’s the perfect book to flip through when you’re missing Disneyland way too much.
7. Disney Facts Revealed: Answers to Fans’ Curious Questions by Dave Smith ($10): Dave Smith, a longtime employee of The Walt Disney Company, has an “Ask Dave” column through Disney’s D23 website, where he answers all sorts of questions for Disney fans. The book is divided into chapters on Disney history, from its films, television and characters, with a big section dedicated to Disneyland. There are over 1,100 bits of Disney trivia included, so you’ll be an expert in no time.
8. The “E” Ticket ($15 per issue): While this isn’t a book per se, but rather a series of magazines, issues of The E-Ticket are totes worthy of being on your bookshelf. The magazine, which had a limited run, was devoted to “collecting theme park memories.” Each issue is full of fantastic info about everyone’s fave Disneyland rides. While the mag ended its run in 2009, the Walt Disney Family Museum is keeping it in print. You can stock up by visiting the museum’s gift shop in San Francisco or ordering it online.
Which Disneyland book would you want to read first? Tell us @BritandCo!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
(Featured photo via Getty)
