26 Books Every True Disney Fan Should Have in Their Collection

Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, right when the company was facing some of its biggest challenges yet. With rapidly changing technology and competition more fierce than ever, Iger's leadership, dedication, and optimism got Disney to where it is today. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company tells the story of how Iger reinvented one of the most celebrated companies in the world, all while doing so with courage and curiosity.

With a gorgeous visual history of the park, Walt Disney's Disneyland is filled with pictures from private archives and historical collections that document every step that it took to get the park built. From the concept to the launch, Walt Disney's Disneyland tells the tale of the happiest place on Earth.

With a decade-by-decade look into Walt and the parks, The Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse, and the Parks tells all. From some of the company's most memorable moments to lesser-known facts, this book is filled with everything true fans have wanted to know.

If you're looking for a comprehensive planning guide for your next Disney trip, look no further than The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2020. With insider information on the hotels, restaurants, and attractions, this book ensures you don't waste a minute (or dollar!) while you're at the park.

The revised and updated edition of Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service informs readers on how to exceed expectations in the realm of customer service — something Disney has been doing for decades. With concepts and ideas not found in the traditional workplace, the company has soared to new heights in the industry. See how they did it here.

Lee Cockerell, former executive vice president of operations for Walt Disney World, shares the lessons he learned about leadership and decision-making in Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. From training employees to recognizing that great ideas come from all levels of a company, Cockerell's time at Disney taught him the leadership skills of a lifetime.

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation offers a comprehensive history into the world of Disney animation. If you are into animation (or have an aspiring animator in your life), this is a must read.

Have you always identified a little more with the Evil Queen than Snow White? Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil celebrates all things wicked in the world of Disney, including their (evil) origins and how they were brought to life.

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real gives readers a chance to see how Disney Imagineers bring the world of fantasy to life. You'll find drawings, conceptual models, and insider stories that reveal how Disney attractions are taken from concept to reality.

They say it all started with a mouse, right? Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse — The Ultimate History takes you through Mickey's 90-year evolution, from the earliest sketches to the fun-loving mouse we know today.

Attractions that never saw the light of day. Rumors that have been spread so far and wide that most Disney fans never question whether or not they are actually true (no, Cinderella Castle cannot be disassembled in the event of a hurricane). Jim Korkis addresses these and other secrets you've never been told about Walt Disney World in Extra Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Extra Things You Never Knew You Never Knew. If you like his work, check out his earlier books like Secret Stories of Walt Disney World and Other Secret Stories of Walt Disney World.

Yes, you can dine on burgers and ice cream cones when you visit Disney, but true foodies know the culinary delights of the Disney parks go far beyond such basic fare. Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food brings to life the wonderful world of dining at Disney.

Women have long worked behind the scenes in many industries, but Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation celebrates the extensive role women played in Disney's animated films from the very beginning. With never-before-seen photographs and artwork, this well-researched and aesthetically appealing book is an instant coffee table classic.

Somehow among all of his hard work, Walt Disney found time to travel the world (which most certainly had a direct impact on said work). Travels with Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World is a mostly visual account of his wanderings, accompanied by anecdotes and recollections from Walt and those who were lucky enough to interact with him on his travels.

Being an Imagineer seems like a dream job and, let's face it, it probably is. Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career takes you behind the scenes with 40-year Disney Imagineering veteran Kevin Rafferty. Kevin was involved in many of Disney's most memorable attractions, as well as Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

Disney Cast Members truly make magic for those whose lives they touch. From performers to veterinarians, One Day At Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe shows you what an ordinary (or not-so-ordinary) day in the life of a Disney Cast Member is really like.

Disneyland isn't just The Happiest Place on Earth, it's also the cleanest. Cleaning the Kingdom: Insider Tales of Keeping Walt's Dream Spotless, the memoir of two longtime members of the Disneyland custodial team, will show you exactly how they got it done.

If you love collecting maps at the Disney parks (they make great souvenirs), you'll want to pick up a copy of Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai. Some reviewers were disappointed that there weren't more images of those collectible maps, but the concept art and maps that are included will take you on a cartographer's journey through Disney history.

If you are your family's certified Disney expert, the 2020 version of Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets will bump your knowledge to the next level. They'll be beyond impressed when you point out the hundreds of Hidden Mickeys found throughout the Disney parks.

If, like so many others, you have always been fascinated by Walt Disney, How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life will give you a glimpse into the imagination, talent, and business savvy that helped Walt bring to life the world of Disney we know today. The lessons in this book can help to add a little extra magic to even your everyday life.

I Am Walt Disney is a kid-friendly biography that tells the story of the man behind their favorite mouse. Young readers will love learning about Walt's life — from his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, to the development of Disneyland and beyond.

Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks tells the story of Disney legend Marc Davis. Marc began as an animator and went on to play an integral role in some of Disney's most popular attractions. Featuring never-before-seen works from the Imagineering archives and based on hours of interviews with Marc himself, this book is a must for any Disney history buff.

With the opening of Disneyland in 1955 and numerous theatrical releases, the 1940s and 1950s were an important time in Disney history.Yesterday's Tomorrow: Disney's Magical Mid-Century demonstrates just how far-reaching Disney's style was in America's postwar era and still is today.

Costumes help to tell a character's story, but some costumes have their own stories to tell. The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between shares the tales behind some of Disney's most iconic ensembles. There's even a full case study on the many iterations of Cinderella's ballgown, if you're into that sort of thing (we're pretty sure you are).

Before his passing in 2017, Marty Sklar spent more than 50 years with The Walt Disney Company, making many notable achievements along the way. Travels With Figment On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams is Marty's first-person account of his acclaimed Disney career.

No trip to Disneyland is complete without a tour around the park aboard the Disneyland Railroad. The Disneyland Railroad: A Complete History in Words and Pictures provides an in-depth education on the happiest locomotive on Earth.