Capturing the Magic: A Photographic Journey Through the Walt Disney World Parks

Wiencek, who has made more than 300 visits to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., makes a convincing (if one-sided) case for a stroll down memory lane in this coffee-table album with lush color photos by Sferrazza and Weber. The book is divided into four sections, replete with double-page spreads that depict each of the four theme parks at the resort in the order they were built. Opening with photographs of Magic Kingdom Park, the first of four theme parks that became Disney World, in Orlando, Fla., Wiencek serves as the guide for this photographic tour, providing slices of pop culture history and other commentary alongside the photographs. When discussing the Haunted Mansion attraction, she explains that the bust inside the crystal ball is modeled after the late Leota Toombs, a longtime employee of the park who worked in model building and costuming. Likewise, the sections on Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom include details that guests might otherwise miss. The magnitude of Disney’s achievement comes through loud and clear in the pages of this book, as do the spirit and excitement of the theme parks. Color photos. [em](BookLife) [/em]