Walt Disney's Epcot Center by Richard R. Beard

This hefty tome is filled with hundreds of photos of Walt interacting with trains both as a hobby at home (after he gave up on polo because of a back injury) and later at Disneyland. Broggie, a machinist who became the first Disney Imagineer. Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom (1998) by Michael Broggie. But what really gets my geek brain going are the volumes about quirky, esoteric or otherwise off-the-beaten path Disney topics. These are essential pieces of my cumulative Disney knowledge and have added to my understanding and enjoyment of the parks.

I am proud of the travel guide part of my collection, which includes many years' worth of Birnbaum's Official Guide to Walt Disney World, Passporter's Walt Disney World, Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (including a pre-Len Testa 1991 Unofficial Guide), The Complete Walt Disney World, and the Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World written by fellow Moms Panelist Doug Ingersoll, as well as many other volumes. My background as a research librarian with a degree in media studies, combined with my fan-girl fantasy of taking up residence in Cinderella Castle, has spurred me to collect several hundred books about the Disney parks, the Disney company, and pivotal Disney cast members. But in addition to all this, I consider myself to be a student of Disney. AllEars® Guest Writer Feature Article This article appeared in the FebruIssue #596 of ALL EARS® (ISSN: 1533-0753)Īs a frequent Walt Disney World guest and member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, I am a Disney planner, traveler, advice-giver, and groupie.

Walt Disney's Epcot Center by Richard R. Beard