Ken's Reviews
by Ken Pellman

Three Books on the Walt Disney World Resort

The sheer immensity of the Walt Disney World Resort and the intensity of the fan following have given rise to a seemingly endless assortment of books and other publications, which is one of the reasons I have the privilege of writing to you.

In this edition of Ken's Reviews, I'm reviewing:

• The Walt Disney World Trivia Book - Secrets, History, & Fun Facts Behind the Magic
• Hidden Mickeys - A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets (2nd Edition)
• The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom – An Imagineer's-Eye Tour

The Walt Disney World Trivia Book (purchase at the LP Store) is an offering from The Intrepid Traveler, written by a confirmed lifelong Disney fan.

The Table of Contents has a common-sense list:

There are black & white photos throughout the book, with most not being distinctly Disney – they serve mainly as decoration. For example, there is a picture of a couple of pyrotechnic bursts, but no indication of where the picture was taken.

There are also "Did You Know?" statements of facts interspersed throughout. The chapters start with numbered questions with multiple-choice answers, with the answers and explanations following at the end of the chapter, so you don't risk seeing the correct answer before you try to answer the question.

The average WDW guest or someone planning to visit could use this book to make their trip more enjoyable and to call attention to the details that they may otherwise miss. There are literally hundreds of questions, and even the biggest WDW fans will likely have some difficulty in picking the right answer to each question. For instance, while I find it each to answer "How many ghosts 'live' in the Haunted Mansion?", I would be strictly guessing the answer to "About how many pounds of pasta are served every day at Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano?"

If you want to know as much about WDW as possible, this book can help you. Since things are always changing at WDW, subsequent editions and revisions will be warranted. The fact-checking for this book must have been quite an endeavor. The cover is blue and red with a picture of Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the answer to the trivia question posed under the picture. The book is small enough to carry with you around the Resort and browse while you are waiting, but it isn't pocket-sized.