A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place on Earth

A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place on Earth is a book written by Kevin M. Kern, Steven Vagnini, and Tim O'Day which presents the history of the Walt Disney World Resort for its 50th anniversary in 2021.
==Description==
Walt Disney's vision for the “Florida Project” begins with Disneyland and the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. After an imaginative and expansive design, a unique land acquisition process, and an innovative construction period, Walt Disney World celebrated its opening in 1971. It featured a theme park dubbed the Magic Kingdom and three exquisitely themed resorts: Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Village, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
As Walt Disney World consistently grew and evolved through the five decades that have followed, certain themes keep reverberating: there's an appreciation for nostalgia, a joy in fantasy, a hunger for discovery, and an unending hope for a better tomorrow. Inspirational and memorable theme parks, water parks, sports arenas, recreational water sports options, world-class golf courses, vast shopping villages, and a transportation network unlike any other in the world resulted in fun and familiar characters, traditions, spectacles, merchandise, and so much more. The resort has come to represent the pulse of American leisure and has served as a backdrop for life's milestones both big and small, public and private.
A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place on Earth serves as a treasure trove for pop culture enthusiasts, students of hospitality, artists, art collectors, and Disney fans.
==Contents==
; Foreword
: By Bob Chapek, chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company
; Preface
; Chapter One
: Destination: Florida — Disney Roots in the Sunshine State
; Chapter Two
: Building the Dream — The Making of the "Florida Project"
; Why Not Florida
: The Inspiration and Optimism of Walt Disney — Looking Back with Disney Legend Dick Nunis
; From Forest City to the Vacation Kingdom
: Looking Back with Debby Dane Browne
; A Grandson's Appreciation and Memories
: Looking Back with Roy Patrick Disney (Roy O. Disney's grandson)
; Chapter Three
: Framing Our Portrait — Our Thematic Compass
; Chapter Four
: Nostalgia — An Idealized Yesteryear
; Chapter Five
: Fantasy — The Art of Make Believe
; Chapter Six
: Discovery — Adventure and Exploration
; Chapter Seven
: Tomorrow — A Step into the Future
; Chapter Eight
: Reflections — Looking Back at the World
; Chapter Nine
: The World's Most Magical Celebration: The Fiftieth Anniversary of Walt Disney World
; Index
; Bibliography and Endnotes
; Image Credits
; Acknowledgements
==See also==
*The Story of Disney: 100 Years of Wonder
==External links==
*Disney Books information
Category:Books
Category:Theme park books
Category:Walt Disney World Resort
Category:Non-fiction books
Category:Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary