Theme Park Design & The Art of Themed Entertainment

It really lives up to its title as the most in-depth book about theme park design ever written. This thing is absolutely chock-full with invaluable information and I found myself having to take notes on the intro alone. As an aspiring Imagineer, getting this in the mail was like Christmas morning. Absolutely worth getting.

Absolutely the most valuable book I own on Imagineering. I’m no one important, nor even yet involved, in the Themed Entertainment Industry, but I have read through the two major books on Disney Imagineering and this book fills in gaps the others leave behind. It is instructive and educative; a well of information that doesn’t feel like it returns to a point of “Walt Disney was the only individual to ever do anything right” every few pages. This is your book if you love the Walt Disney Company’s example of establishing what themed entertainment is and should be, and this is your book if you loathe that Disney is often given the lion’s share of limelight. It succeeds in what it aims to do and does so in an accessible way. It is everything a reference book on virtually any subject should be. Read it if you wish to be an Imagineer, a designer, or are simply a fan of theme parks; you can even read it if you never “got” why people go head over heels for what you see as a tourist trap. It has something to expand any mind on this particular subject.

I had no idea that a book covering this subject existed until I ran across it in a listing here on Amazon. I am really glad I found it. If you have any interest whatsoever on theme park design, this is the book you've been looking for. Fact-filled but not overly technical, I have spend hours reading it. I'm not planning to go into the theme park design field but having written and created shows locally for kids and an interactive pirate treasure hunt excursion for kids and families for the last five years, this book helped to inspire me with the theories and practicalities of how I can make more of my ideas come to life. I have really enjoyed the behind the scenes information on the reasons and practices behind the way certain rides and experiences are created and presented. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested on theme parks and what goes into making the rides, shows and experiences work.

Just finished reading this book cover to cover. It's phenomenal. I'm flabbergasted at how extensive, comprehensive, and well put together it is. I've read many, many books on theme park design but none have come even close in scope or insight to this. It really is a textbook or encyclopedia on everything theme park design. The author's obviously painstaking efforts and research are evident throughout and I'm so glad someone took the time to take what I have to think is nearly all the knowledge of this industry and put it in one place. As an aspiring theme park designer I couldn't really ask for more - maybe some more illustrations for the more visual parts of it - and even then that's nitpicking. Please buy this book if you have a deep love for themed entertainment. You will not be disappointed.

No doubt.There is nothing similar to this book about Theme Park Design & The Art of Themed Entertainment in the market. Whether you are an architect, developer, operator, or anything related, this book offers tons of useful information on the subject.

I’m doing an undergrad thesis on immersive experiences and this book is an incredible resource! Written like a textbook, it really goes through the process and development of theme parks and theme park attraction. Genuinely the most interesting thing I’ve ever read. My copy is now full of highlights and post it notes

Very comprehensive book and well structured. There could be more illustrations and graphics to help explain the various concepts, but otherwise very well written and put together. The biggest disappointment for me is the lack of information on "back stage" or back of house support areas, which is an integral component to any theme park -- especially the more elaborate ones. IN this book, there are back stage references here and there, and a few paragraphs summarizing the facilities, but not much else. If there are future editions of the book published, I would please ask the author to add an entire chapter about the Backstage areas, how they''re connected with the attractions, size requirements, and a summary of facilities. This would certainly help round out the book

This book packs in just about everything you would ever need to know in regards to them park design and management. If you are interested in the theme park industry or becoming a designer or park manager this is by far the book you will need.