Book Review: Updated Imagineering Guides to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot

2005

2009

2005

2010

Back in 2005, Disney released an excellent book called The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World. Alex Wright and the Imagineers put together a handy book that is sized to fit in a pocket or backpack that fills in the gaps between what you can see and experience and how it got that way. The success of the first book led to a sequel and The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World was released in 2006.

Things don’t stand still and that is certainly true at the theme parks. Disney has now released an update to the Magic Kingdom and the Epcot books. Let’s take a look at what has changed.

MAGIC KINGDOM

2005: It is the details. Look for the piece of gear from each land up on a shelf.

2009: Guess that detail is gone. Or not that important.

2005: Let’s talk about the huge screen in the Hall of Presidents.

2009: Let’s talk about changing the storyline to “one of us.”

2005: Some really cool Marc Davis drawings from the Haunted Mansion.

2009: Gone are Marc’s drawings and the 2007 additions (the Escher Stairs, wallpaper, floating Madame Leota, etc.) are highlighted.

2005: Get a break from the heat and watch Timekeeper, the Circlevision film with in theater effects, and an audio-animatronics Robin Williams and Rhea Pearlman.

2009: The addition of Monsters Inc. Laugh Factory is featured. Learn about the changes to Space Mountain.

EPCOT

2006: The cover has changed. Remember the giant Mickey hand holding the wand? I have tried to forget it but it comes back to haunt me every time I grab this edition. And there it is again on a two-page spreads at the beginning and end of the book plus in the Quick Takes section.

2010: The wand is gone!!! The great national nightmare is over!

2006: Sit back and enjoy the history of human communication.

2010: Sit back and enjoy the history of communications technology. Enjoy the glimpse into your future on the backside.

2006: Cool water fountain that talks, little Tom Morrow, signage, and the Wonders of Life pavilion.

2010: All of the above are gone. Replaced by a solar bench, the globe in the Project Future Spaceship Earth post-show (a balloon?), and Kim Possible

2006: Welcome to SeaBase Alpha.

2010: Say hello to Nemo and friends. Sorry, I don’t know the directions to SeaBase Alpha.

2006: A gentle boat ride through various locations in Mexico and then we can crawl all over that Viking ship.

2010: I’m exhausted looking for that damn duck! Catchy tune. And I guess the ship has sailed. Not here anymore.

Throughout both books a few photos have been flipped out, mostly those that show attractions or spaces that no longer exist.

I purchased the updated Guides from Amazon.