Lilly Belle...the train that started a Magic Kingdom

Lilly Belle...the train that started a Magic Kingdom
by George Taylor

Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom by Michael Broggie. 1998. 431 pp.

Less than a month before Disneyland's opening day in 1955, Walt journeyed to the under-construction theme park for the first live steamup of locomotive No. 2. This was the culmination of a lifelong dream for Walt as...

...he climbed into the cab, moved the Johnson bar forward, tugged twice on the steam whistle, and pulled open the throttle. With Harley Hgen in the fireman's seat and this book's author (as a wide-eyed 12 year old) sitting on the tender, Walt eased No. 2 from the roundhouse into the bright Californian sun and onto the main line. -p. 231.

Imagine that moment in Walt's life; after years of making films and building the Company, he finally finds himself as the Chief Engineer of a real engine. His engine.

Walt Disney's life had been surrounded by trains. Family members worked on passing railroads. Both Roy and Walt were news butchers during their teens. Many of the animators at Disney were rail fans: Ward Kimball traveled with Walt to the 1948 Railroad Fair and had his own backyard, full-sized railroad; Ollie Johnston also had a backyard railroad. Many of the Studio employees shared Walt's love of full-scale and miniature railroading. For the first half of the 20th century, railroads were the future of the country. They symbolized progress and growth.

Roger Broggie is considered to be Walt's first Imagineer. A very talented machinist, Roger supervised the building of the Lilly Belle, Walt's 1/8 scale engine that ran at his Holmby Hills home. He also helped create the first Audio-Animatronic character. Roger's sons, Roger Jr. and Michael (the book's author), spent many years "working" at the studios with their father and helping Walt on the Disneyland Railroad. Citing Michael's close association with the Disney family, the Disney Company and Walt's railroads, he is uniquely qualified to write a biography about Walt Disney that focuses on how railroading affected his life and drove many of his passions.

Walt Disney's Railroad Story is a fantastic journey from Walt's boyhood through the theme parks. We encounter every significant moment of his life in reference to trains and we come to understand his passion for the steel.This is also a treat to read about Walt from a company insider whose family worked and works for Disney.

The book is presented in a chronological format with pictures on every page. Michael adds side tracks as needed that go into further detail; whether it is on a railroading term or a person. There is a lot of focus on the Carolwood-Pacific line that was built at the Holmby Hills property. Walt spent a lot of time creating the layout (with Roger Broggie and Eddie Sargent) and entertaining guests. A majority of Walt's ideas about Disneyland were formulated while conducting the Lilly Belle. Michael covers every train built for a Disney theme park up to the Animal kingdom. Michael includes a glossary of rail terms, a detailed specifications of all the Disney engines and a bibliography. My only negative comment is that there was not a layout of the Carolwood-Pacific line. The author responded to my complaint--there is indeed a layout on page 113. This goes to show that Michael Broggie has indeed created and amazing and fact-filled tome about Walt Disney and his Railroads.

This book has quickly become one of my favorites. Along with The Nickel Tour and Since The World Began, it is one of the treasures in my collection. If you have any interests in Walt's personal life, railroads or the Disney engines that chug the tracks all over the globe, then you need to own this book.

"...and we began to realize that the term Imagineer was something extraordinary"

Walt Disney's First Lady of Imagineering: Harriet Burns by Pam Burns-Clair and Don Peri. 2010

Harriet Burns. Her name is synonymous with Imagineering and the creation of early Disneyland. Not only was she one of Walt's first Imagineers, but she was the first woman in Imagineering, hence her title, the First Lady of Imagineering. She worked on the development of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, the 1964-65 New York World's Fair and countless other rides, attractions and resorts. Harriet retired in 1986 after 31 years of creating magic for the Walt Disney Company.

Joanne Campbell wrote about a trip to Walt Disney World with Harriet Burns in the early 1990s:

The following morning Harriet had made reservations at a park restaurant she knew served the famous Mickey Mouse pancakes. She insisted on paying the bill because she said that her Disney card would entitle her to a discount. Of course we thanked her, but we didn't think too much of it. When she presented her card to the waiter, she said she hoped it was alright, because this card was actually from California. The waiter disappeared for some time, and suddenly the manager appeared. He was quite perplexed and said, "Mrs. Burns, was everything satisfactory? Michael [Eisner] usually alerts us when you're on the property!" With that, OUR eyes popped open in amazement, and we began to realize that the term Imagineer (and her #7 on the credit card) was something extraordinary.

Because Harriet was retired at this point, she herself had not seen MGM, which had just opened in Orlando. We hopped on a double-decker English bus with the throngs, and hadn't gone too far before Harriet said, "Look, boys, there is the old airplane that Bill and I rode to New York with Walt in for the World's Fair!" My husband and I exchanged looks, and sure enough, the tour guide then said, "and THIS is the plane that Walt took to the World's Fair."--p. 42, Walt Disney's First Lady of Imagineering

The book is replete with stories that will touch your heart. It is so much more than a tribute book to Harriet, it is also a look at how special and amazing it was to be one of Walt's Imagineers. This book is perfect for anyone interested in Imagineering, Walt or the amazing people that were fortunate enough to meet Harriet. She was an inspiring woman!

Pam Burns-Chair, Harriet's daughter, worked with author and Disney Historian Don Peri to create and compile this list of eulogies and tributes by family, friends and Disney employees. 67 essays, ranging in size from a few paragraphs to several pages help tell the story of how Harriet touched so many people's lives. The book is filled with over 200 photographs that span Harriet's life and her career at Disney.

After reading  this marvelous title, I felt like I had the opportunity to meet Harriet through the eyes of her family and friends. She was well-loved, respected and admired. Some of the best anecdotes were supplied by former Imagineers that had developed a special relationship with Harriet. She was known for having an off-color sense of humor that seemed to be in opposition to her native Texan drawl. Many of the Imagineers wrote that Harriet was personable and never forgot anyone she met.

Chelsea Clair, the daughter of Pam and the granddaughter of Harriet, designed the book. She did a wonderful job of laying out the pages and integrating the photographs into the text. Pam, Don and Chelsea should be very proud of the book they put together in honor of Harriet. Their love and the love of Harriet's friends and family.

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention Scott Wolf, Disney Historian and owner of MouseClub House Scott helped with the project and created the website for the book at Imagineer Harriet.

You can also be come a Fan of Imagineer Harriet on Facebook.

This is a sentimental and beautiful look at Harriet Burns and her life in and outside of Disney. Look at Walt Disney's First Lady of Imagineering: Harriet Burns as more than a tribute; Pam and Don have compiled stories that give you an intimate look at what it was like to work for the Walt Disney Company with Walt and the heralded Imagineers.

The book provided was a review copy from the publisher.

"I'm doing this because I want to do it better"

"I'm doing this because I want to do it better", Walt Disney on the Florida Project.
By George Taylor

Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World by Chad Denver Emerson. 2009, 185 pp.

Any serious student of Walt Disney World history bemoans the dearth of information available outside of the corporate archives. There are some fantastic resources in print and we have complied a bibliography of titles that focus on Walt Disney World history. Still, there are many gaps and many unanswered questions.

Chad Emerson is a Professor of Law at Faulkner University. He is also a lecturer, author and consultant in the area of amusement and hospitality law. His interest in piecing together the tale of Walt Disney World began when he stumbled across information about the Reedy Creek Improvement District and his wife thought that it would make a fascinating read.

Chad took her advice to heart and began researching the book.

Most of us are aware that Walt began to secretly purchase land in Central Florida for his Disneyland East idea, which blossomed into the City of Tomorrow. Before the publication of Project Future, very few of us were aware of the political machinations, maneuverings, time and money that went into the acquisition of the land that we call Walt Disney World. Project Future has been described by other reviewers as "spy-like" and full of intrigue--they are correct, but it is also full of anecdotes from former employees and government officials.

Chad's book fills a very important vacuum in the time-line from Disneyland's inception until the opening of the Vacation Kingdom. The style of the book is very straightforward and most lay people will be able to consume the work without consulting a legal dictionary. The language, tone and writing are one set of the book's strengths.

Included is a listing of key players, which is very helpful. Many times, I found myself flipping to that section to refresh what a certain player's role was. Chad has a detailed time line that focuses on the major events of the land acquisitions and lobbying efforts.

In all, this is a pleasurable read that paints a picture of how daunting a project like Walt Disney World actually was. You will never take the 43 square miles purchased in the mid-1960's for granted again! You will also come to realize that a project of this size and scope will never be duplicated.

You can learn more about the book by visiting http://www.projectfuturebook.com/