Getting people, especially children, to fall in love with visiting Disney theme parks is easy. However, turning them into a true fanatic where they soak in all the details takes a little more work. This is what I love about the “Going to Guides” by Shannon Laskey who just released their latest title “Going To Magic Kingdom” in time for the holiday season.
To be fair, there are tons of books out there about “insider info” for Disney Parks. However, 99% of those books are completely text based and feature next to no graphic design. “Going To Magic Kingdom” is a completely full-color book that is brilliantly illustrated to keep the reader engaged. This is a book designed to keep young readers interested with amazing photography, clever graphic design and tons of insider information. The idea is to keep the reader engaged with the details of a Disney Park before, during and even after their visit to the Magic Kingdom.
I recently got a chance to chat with Shannon Laskey, the author of “Going To Magic Kingdom” about her experiences writing the third book in the “Going To ” series.
JY: What was different about this guide versus the ones based on the west coast?
SL: My first book is only about Disneyland. I mention Disney California Adventure in it but don’t cover it in depth. Instead, I devoted a whole second book to it. This time I included a chapter in the back that talks about the REST of the Resort. It’s very brief and just an overview but if you’re going to WDW for the first time, it’s going to give you the perfect base of knowledge to get you ready to explore.
JY: Was it a help or handicap being less familiar with Walt Disney World?
SL: I think it was actually a big help. I was basically my audience. When I first started researching I hadn’t been to WDW since the 1990s and then only once! So there I was planning my trip and feeling overwhelmed trying to learn about MagicBands and how the FastPass works and how do you get around this massive place, etc. I personally went through the whole process of basically being a first time visitor.
SL: Tough to pick just two! I’ll pick the sidebar about the mosaics in Cinderella Castle because they are my favorite thing in the Magic Kingdom. This breathtaking artwork took two years to make from over 300,000 pieces of colorful Italian glass, sterling silver, and 14-karat gold. They are absolutely AMAZING!!!