Come along for this review of the book “100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World”, and find new Disney adventures to add to your wish list!
Last year, I bought a few travel books when Barnes & Noble was having a major sale. One of those books was National Geographic’s 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World, by Marcy Carriker Smothers, with a foreward by Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde.
I only recently opened the book and started reading through it. A quote by Walt Disney in the introduction made me realize that this was something that I must share with you, because Walt was celebrating travel and adventure, and of course that touched my heart! Here’s what Walt said about travel and adventure: “Always, as you travel, assimilate the sounds and sight of the world.” If you’re not familiar with the word “assimilate”, it means to take in and understand fully. If you know the history of Walt Disney, then you know that Walt took inspiration from all aspects of his life for Walt Disney Studios productions and of course for the Disney parks.
Walt Disney’s Adventures Around the World
Walt’s travels were a significant source of inspiration for him. Walt was a true adventurer. The book gives several examples of how Walt’s travels inspired Disney productions and the Disney parks. Here are a few:
- Walt traveled to Germany and saw the Alweg monorail, and that inspired the Disneyland-Alweg monorail system.
- Walt loved Hawaii and vacationed there many times. Those vacations inspired the Disney short Hawaiian Holiday, released in 1937.
- Maybe the most well-known inspiration is the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, it inspired Walt and imagineers when they created the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland.
Walt Disney set such a beautiful example of how travel inspires our creativity and brings us joy. Think about all the entertainment, park areas and attractions that Walt and other Imagineers have created over the years, inspired by their travels. Joe Rohde talked in this book’s forward about how he and other Imagineers traveled on expeditions to research creating Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. They camped in the Serengeti, went on scientific research expeditions in the Himalayas, went caving in Thailand, and more.
I truly believe that travel connects us all, and not just while we are traveling. We bring back home with us our experiences while traveling – the different cultures we immersed ourselves in, and our memories of people we met and their stories.
The five chapters of the book are discussed, with adventures selected from each chapter to highlight.
- Chapter 1: Let’s Go Fly a Kite: Adventures for All Ages
- Chapter 2: Adventure Is a Wonderful Thing: Activities for the Tame and Daring
- Chapter 3: A Whole New World: Vacations and Excursions around the Globe
- Chapter 4: Be Our Guest: From Counter Service to White Tablecloth Dining
- Chapter 5: When You Wish Upon a Star: Once-in-a-Lifetime Splurges
There is something for everyone in these magical experiences. Find what appeals to you, and go for it! Have your best Disney adventure yet!
Resources
Read the book discussed in this episode, “100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World” by Marcy Carriker Smothers.
Join us for our next group trip together, the Adventures by Disney Southern California and Disneyland trip, September 15-20, 2024. Read more about the details and pricing here. Also, listen to Episode 064 for a recap of this exact itinerary by Kim Buckley, and listen to Episode 104 to find out what makes an Adventures by Disney vacation so special.
Listen to Episode 065 to hear more about Walt’s – An American Restaurant at Disneyland Paris.
