Walt Disney is remembered both for creating enduring characters and films and building a cultural empire rooted in imagination, optimism, and storytelling. Based on this outlook, he and his Imagineers conceived something special: an architecture of reassurance in Disney theme parks. Walt aimed to welcome guests into places that respected the individual, allowing the entertainment entrepreneur to share timeless, universal stories that resonate with all of us.
Former urban planner Sam Gennawey, author of Walt Disney and the Promise of Progress City, decodes Disney’s design DNA and reveals the techniques his team employed at Disneyland—which are more than just showbiz magic. From the moment you walk through the turnstiles, Walt and his Imagineers have relied on eight design principles to take you on a journey through timeless spaces that continue to delight. Take a peek behind the curtain.
He also discusses the revolutionary projects Disney was working on at the time of his passing in 1966: Cal-Arts, a multidisciplinary arts college; the Mineral King ski resort in the Sierra Nevada mountains; and EPCOT, his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow in Florida. You’ll never experience the Disney theme parks the same way again.
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