Christopher Merritt

On the 70th anniversary of Disneyland, a look back at the theme park that started it all--an illustrated history of Walt's first theme park The ultimate coffee table book for Disney collectors and armchair travelers alike, brimming with more than 750 images, previously unpublished documents, and concept drawings. Disneyland is the only park Walt walked through and tinkered with during the last 11 years of his life. For Disneyland's 70th anniversary, Disney fans will get an in-depth visual look at the planning and creation of those first 11 years of Walt Disney's original theme park. This treasure trove of Disney history will take fans through the pre-production and realization process Walt used during the earliest days of his nascent theme park. Inside: - Organized by the 5 original lands: MAIN STREET, U. S. A., ADVENTURELAND, FRONTIERLAND, FANTASYLAND, TOMORROWLAND- Includes many sidebars about "lost lands," offering a glimpse of the park that parkgoers would've experienced in the 1950s and 1960s. can you name 1 or 2 here?]- A rare look into the renowned vault of the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Library and other unique sources, including private collectors and the Library of Congress, showcasing concepts for both realized and unrealized attractions designed solely for Disneyland.- Recently discovered artwork and many previously unpublished documents and images. A true must-have for Disney fans everywhere, readers can get the full picture of just what it took to create the Happiest Place on Earth.

On February 16, 1962, senior animator Marc Davis officially transitioned from Walt Disney Feature Animation to a new division of the company: WED Enterprises, the group assembled to design Walt's new theme park. The move would be a significant one. After thirty-plus years animating classic Disney features, Marc would become one of the most renowned of Walt Disney's new breed of employee-Imagineers. During Marc's time with WED (later Walt Disney Imagineering), he would become a driving force behind the designs of many of the most iconic attractions at the Disney theme parks. Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, it's a small world, Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree, and many others feature environments and storylines that were heavily influenced by his conceptual artwork. Featuring work from the sixties through the eighties, this two-volume set includes more than 1,500 pieces from the Imagineering archives, the vast majority of which have never been published. In addition, for the first time Marc's design theories as well as many of his stories of working with Walt are featured in his own words as recorded during hours upon hours of interviews by author Chris Merritt. Marc Davis-In His Own Words is a treasure trove for artists, students, and Disney collectors around the world.