Designing Disney | 
 enlarge | Authors: John Hench, Peggy Van Pelt
Publisher: Disney Editions
Category: Book
List Price: $35.00
Buy New: $34.77
You Save: $0.23 (1%)
New (4) Used (9) from $24.71
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 468607
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.9 x 0.6
Dewey Decimal Number: 745
ASIN: B000UJZRXQ
Publication Date: October 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Designing Disney sets into history and puts into context the extraordinary contributions of John Hench, who, at the age of 94, still comes into his office at Imagineering each day. His principles of theme park design, character design, and use of color have made him a legendary figure, not only for Disney fans but also for students and aficionados of architecture, engineering, and design. Designing Disney reveals the magic behind John's great discoveries and documents his groundbreaking work in several key areas, including the values, attitudes, aesthetics, and logic that went into the original design concepts for Disney theme parks. Hench details the essence and various meanings of colors and how they work in the parks, and lets the reader in on how and why of the Disney character's inherent popularity-their timeless human traits, archetypal shapes and gestures that suggest their qualities graphically, and their emotional resonance in our lives.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Of the Disney books out there, this is the best. August 8, 2008
A bit lacking in the real nuts and bolts, but this is clearly a well done overview into the minds of some of the best Disney has to offer. Easy to read, and also a pleasure to read, left me wishing that disney appoints some one to really pick John's mind in case he leaves us some day, now that would be a tragedy, if we loose 1/2 of what this man has learned over a delightful lifetime of serving his customers and guests. Reading this brought me back to the B/W days of TV waiting for Walt, but Walt couldn't have ackomplished anything if it wasn't for the love of the work these people do, and have for the work they love to do.
 Disney by design... February 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Let's face it. There are hundreds of books about Disney. The movies... the stage shows... the company... the management style... recipes... fiction... even an incredible collection of Walt Disney World Trivia (currently in its second edition!). Occasionally, a book comes through that fills a unique void.
John Hench was a designer with Disney for over 65 years. His designs are as identifiably Disney as anything else coming from the mouse house. In around 150 pages, Hench shares some of his design work in artist's concepts and blueprints. These are beautiful and rare, but it is his insight into the thought behind the design choices that turn this book from yet another Disney book to a text book worth much study.
Many books discussing Disney magic often push the art of looking around, taking note of details. This book helps you to know "How" to look around and "What" you are looking for... Hopefully, you'll never look at it the same way ever again. Entire sections are devoted to in depth discussion on color, costumes, character, line, layout and most of all, story. With over half a century working for Disney, Hench's resume is able to back it all up with beautiful artwork.
If there is one thing that is surprisingly absent from a Disney legend that spent years working directly with Walt, it is a lack of stories that bring you into Walt's presence. It lacks that emotional touch, but makes up for it in intellectual stimulation that will affect your thinking about Disney for many years to come.
Pretty Good! August 23, 2007
I do like this book, but it doesn't have the great pictures that the other Imagineering book does. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Imagineers. It has a lot of text, which will help you understand many aspects of what it means to be an Imagineer. I would recommend getting the other one first, and this one second if you are still interested. They are both great.
Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show April 30, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
not exactly what I expected. I was hoping for a more historical perspective, but overall a good book.
superb explanation of how the Imagineers operate March 10, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a fascinating look into the mind of the premier Disney designers. Hench explains how every single detail of the Disney parks is designed to fit into a great whole: color, form, space, and even time must reinforce a narrative theme in every single ride or experience, as if the viewer had entered a film sequence. All detail is foreseen - with storyboards! - discussed, and built with this kind of total consistency of experience in mind. I was astounded that the parts were so much more deeply planned than I had imagined.
I read this as part of my research for a writing project on Disney. For this, it was extremely useful and informative. It strikes me that the imagineering method is of great relevance to all managers.
While easy to read quickly, this book will give anyone who likes Disney a fascinating new perspective on one of the great American success stories. Warmly recommended. The writing is clear and to the point, while elegant.
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