• Unofficially awesome, a book review of "The Disneyland Encyclopedia" by author Chris Strodder

    by
    dlfreak
    Published on 07-28-2012 12:08 PM
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    Any Disneyland fan who's worth their salt has purchased at least one book on either the history, lore, backstories or otherwise NERDY views of Disneyland. That is, the stuff about the Happiest Place on Earth that you will not be seeing on an ABC special, the Disney Parks Blog, or at your local Disney Store.

    A familiar contender has re-entered the space now that Chris Strodder has created the updated second edition of THE DISNEYLAND ENCYCLOPEDIA.


    Our review copy of the new book arrived last week from the Santa Monica Press and after being formerly unaware of the first edition of the book, I was pleasantly surprised to find a tome that is not only informative but also very entertaining. Even better, it's about Disneyland.

    You better believe I'm in.

    The meticulously researched unofficial encyclopedia boasts a "precedented history of every land, attraction, restaurant, shop and major event in the original Magic Kingdom." And it lives up to its own tagline with a vast collection of Disneyland history.

    Do you remember the Dairy Bar at the American Dairy Association exhibit? Perhaps the Maxwell House Coffee Shop? Or maybe you remember the Rainbow Desert? This book has got informed. Just about every topic you could consider for trivia is present in this book even general topics of Disneyland lore such as the icon Disneyland attraction posters, secret apartments, and park marquees.

    What's also really great about this book is that it gives a nod to the various people involved with the park's history including the names of the people on the shop windows on Main Street, USA. What makes the book an even more invaluable resource is the appendix and index at the end allowing you a quick and easy guide to find just the tid-bit or fun-fact you're looking for, all laid out in alphabetical order.

    Although the book is printed in black and white it boasts dozens and dozens of great photographs about several of the topics it covers. The book boasts a whopping 506 pages which makes it a little bigger than you'd want to carry around with you in the parks but at approximately 6" x 9" x 1", the paperback book is not all together a bulky resource either. It's a great book to read on a plane or on a long road trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.

    With over 500 separate articles, there's bound to be SOMETHING you learn about Disneyland within these pages and for that reason this compact encyclopedia is definitely must-own for a Disney fan and a perfect gift for the Disney nerd in your life!



    What's better than buying a Disneyland Encyclopedia full of information from the happiest place on earth? You could WIN a Disneyland Encyclopedia full of information from the happiest place on earth!