In October, Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary. Not only is “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” celebrated with updates around the resort, but to further commemorate this milestone, Walt Disney World: A Portrait of the First Half Century, a special hardcover book by Disney Editions Deluxe, will be released just before the Florida Park festivities begin.
This book, written by Kevin M. Kern, Tim O’Day and Steven Vagnin, is described as a “must-have” because it paints a robust portrait of the Walt Disney World Resort, over half a century, by diverse and lively voices and mostly unseen concept art and photos of Disney theme park. ”
Although there is no online preview of the book cover yet, there is a thorough description of what the book entails:
Walt Disney’s vision for ‘the Florida project’ begins with Disneyland and the New York World ‘1964-1965 fair. After an imaginative and elaborate design, a unique land acquisition process and an innovative construction period, the Walt Disney World Resort opened its grand opening on October 1, 1971. It has a theme park called Magic Kingdom and three resorts: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
As Walt Disney World has grown and developed over the next five decades, certain themes resonate: appreciation for nostalgia, joy for fantasy, a hunger for discovery, and an eternal hope for a better tomorrow. Inspirational and memorable theme parks, water parks, sports arenas, recreational water sports, world-class golf courses, large shopping malls and a transportation network unlike any other in the world, have led to fun, festive and famous characters, traditions, glasses, merchandise, and so much more. The resort represented the impetus of American recreation and served as a backdrop for life’s milestones, large and small, public and private.
While Disney World is poised to honor its fifth year of existence with an unprecedented celebration that began in the fall of 2021, Walt Disney World: A Portrait of the First Half Century serves as a treasure trove for vacationers, hospitality students, artists and all Disney collectors.
Walt Disney World: A Portrait of the First Half Century is now available on Amazon and may be released on September 28, 2021.
Check out our latest information on Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary: