Book Review - Dream It Do It by Marty Sklar

I don't normally read autobiographies but this book called to me because it was written by Marty Sklar, a legendary Disney Imagineer whose career spanned fifty years and who participated in all the Disney parks across the world.

What makes this book a great recommendation on my travel-oriented blog is the fact that you will learn the history behind many of the popular rides or even rides that no longer exist in addition to the building of the parks. Marty's book is extremely detailed littered with quotes and recollections throughout his career.

Next time you visit Disneyland in California, look at the second floor window of City Hall to see it dedicated to Marty: "Main Street College of Arts and Sciences, Martin a. Sklar, Dean, Inspiring the Dreamers and Doers of Tomorrow". It was dedicated on July 17, 2009 on his retirement day and the 54th anniversary of Disneyland.

The 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York, Disney introduced the Carousel of Progress (which was moved to Disneyland in 1970 and then to Magic Kingdom in 1975 and is currently still running but is supposed to be getting an upgrade) in addition to audio-animatronics. The PeopleMover was also introduced at the fair and later was featured at Disneyland then Magic Kingdom. (And it was installed at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in 1981).

In 1857, Anaheim was a colony of German farmers. "Heim" in German means "Home". Ana is derived from Santa Ana River. Walt Disney hired Buzz Price to scout a perfect location for Disneyland and he ultimately decided Anaheim was ideal due to location and climate. At that time, Walt paid $4500 per acre for an initial 160 acres (he later expanded to 456 acres).

Marty describes the work to open Disneyland on July 17, 1955 and the issues they faced (like non-working water fountains). In 1959, several major additions were made to Disneyland: The Submarine Voyage (which they claimed at the time was the eighth largest submarine fleet in the world), The Matterhorn Bobsleds (the first roller coaster in the world to use tubular track and a special eletronic dispatch system to enable more than one vehicle on the track simulataneously), and the first daily operating Monorail System in the Western Hemisphere.

Disney purchased 27,400 acres of swampland in Orlando, Florida at $200 per acre. They designed Cinderella's Castle to be much taller than Disneyland's 77-foot Sleeping Beauty Castle so it can be seen a mile away at the TTC (Transporation and Ticketing Center)(and also at the nearby resorts). Cinderella's Castle stretches up to 189 feet. If the castle had been 200 feet it would have been required to have a red light on top to warn aircraft. Walt Disney World' Magic Kingdom opened on October 1, 1971. Adult admission on opening day was $3.50 (now it ranges from $179 to $229 depending on busy dates). At the end of its first year, attendance had grown to 10.7 million making it the most visited theme park in the world (it still is today at about 17.8 million visitors in 2025).

The book also discusses many of the leaders that have been through Disney and some controversies. It's a really interesting read for Disney fans and anyone planning a trip to one of the Disney parks to get a little bit of background.



Title: Dream It! Do It!: My Half-Century Creating Disney's Magic Kingdoms
Author: Marty Sklar
ISBN: 978-1423174066
Pages: 384

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Book Review - Moon Guide to Toronto and Ontario by Carolyn B. Heller

If you read my previous post you'll know I'm trying to visit the Six Flags owned amusement parks in Canada. Canada Wonderland is about forty minutes drive north of Toronto in Vaughan, Ontario. So I picked up this book to visit some other places nearby while I was in town and to check out local foods.

The first chapter, Discover Toronto and Ontario, offers several quick highlights - Top 10 Experiences, The Best of Ontario, Food and Wine Getaways, Toronto Art and Culture, Georgian Bay Road Trip, Top Recreation, Romance at the Niagra Falls, Northern Exposure, and the Underground Railroad.

The next seven chapters focus on specific areas complete with colorful maps, restaurant and accommodation suggestions, sports and recreation, shopping, entertainment and events, and sights. Chapters include Toronto, The Niagara Region, Lake Erie to Lake Huron, Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Cottage Country/Algonquin/and the Northeast, Georgian Bay, and Lake Superior.

The tenth chapter features the Background of Ontario - the landscape, the plants and animals, the history, the government and economy, the people and culture, and the arts.

The Essentials chapter offers the important information - transporation, visas, recreation, accommodations, food and drink, travel tips, health and safety, and information.

One of the last chapters in the book, the Resources chapter, contains interesting books and internet sites if you want to deeper dive into Ontario.

There are several really great sidebars throughout the book. If you plan to visit Niagara Falls, check out the suggested two-day itinerary (or if you only have one day, just focus on day one). Sprinkled throughout the book are some interesting sites related to the First Nations including the Six Nations Museum and the Petrogylphs Provincial Park. If you like chocolate as much as me, check out the Stratford Chocolate Trail where you can sample six special treats.

Title: Moon Toronto and Ontario: With Niagara Falls, Ottawa and Georgian Bay
Author: Carolyn B. Heller
ISBN: 978-1640492387
Pages: 488

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Book Review - Lonely Planet Montreal and Quebec City by Steve Fallon, Regis St Louis and Phillip Tang

This summer I am hoping to make a trip to La Ronde, the Six Flags owned amusement park in Montreal, so I picked up a few Canadian tour guides. It's been over twenty years since I'd last visited Montreal and I can't wait to go back. Just FYI, Quebec is pronounced kay-BEC and people from Quebec are called Quebecois or Quebecoise (kebekwa).

I like how the Lonely Planet guide books are broken into four main sections (with color-coded tabs) - Plan Your Trip, Explore, Understand, and Survival Guide. Lots of full-color photographs and maps. At the end of the book after the index is a tear-out section of useful maps.

The first section, Plan Your Trip, includes the following: Montreal's Top 10, Need to Know, Top Itineraries, Monthy by Month festivals, Travel with Kids, Visiting Quebec City, Eating highlights, Drinking highlights, Entertainment, and Shopping.

The next section, Explore, is broken out into the following chapters: Neighborhoods at a Glance, Old Montreal, Parc Jean-Drapeau (where the La Ronde amusement park resides along with some other family-friendly places to visit), Downtown, Rue St Denis and the Village, Plateau Mont-Royal and the Northeast, Little Italy and Outremont, Lachine Canal and Little Burgundy, Day trips from Montreal, Accomodations, and Quebec City.

Understand Montreal and Quebec City section contains chapters on the history of Montreal and a separate history for Quebec City, People and Culture, Music and the Arts, and Architecture (a brief four page chapter on some key architectural points to visit).

Survival Guide is a chapter of interest to visitors - Transportation, Directory A-Z, and Languages (a very handy pull-out guide on some basic French)

This is a wonderful guide to this area. The walking itineraries with detailed maps and points of interest are great. Just a note, I saw on Amazon there's a newer edition coming out this year. Always be sure to validate operating hours and days as well as costs before heading out.

Title: Lonely Planet Montreal and Quebec City
Authors: by Steve Fallon, Regis St Louis, Phillip Tang
ISBN: 978-1788684507
Pages: 288

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Book Review - Fodor's Travel - Bucket List USA

This book of 800 pages is stuffed full of inspiration and useful information plus colorful photographs, pull-out maps (like an Amtrak train map) and tons of helpful tidbits.

The first chapter is titled "Experience Bucket List USA" and you can find quick reference sections on Iconic Landmarks (besides the obvious ones like Golden Gate Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, there's also the Love sculpture in Philadelphia and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Montgomery), National Parks (a listing of the most popular and iconic parks like the Grand Canyon, Acadia, and Yellowstone), Adventures (not for the faint of heart like Mountain Biking in the Moab desert), Historic Sites (only a handful are listed but they are worthwhile stops like Ellis Island the Ebenezer Baptist Church), Natural Attractions (Redwood trees, Mammoth Cave, and a few more worth seeing), Museums (the top museums in the US focusing on culture and key points in our history), Festivals (well-known festivals like Comic-Con and Burning Man but even ones you might try for the first time like Telluride Bluegrass Festival or Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Seasonal Travel (leaf-peeping for sure), Family-Friendly Travel (my kids would argue against Colonial Williamsburg but luckily Busch Gardens is nearby), Roadside Attractions (you can't road trip through Texas without a stop at the iconic Cadillac Ranch), Spectator Sports (yes, these are iconic but definitely bucket list as in the tickets are super expensive or impossible to get), State Booze (Kentucky Bourbon and moonshine), Best Souvenirs, Best Places to Spot Wildlife, Top Music Experiences, What to Watch/Read/Listen To, and for a good laugh Wacky State Laws.

Next chapter "Great Itineraries" offers lots of road trip suggestions from six days to three weeks with day by day stops: Six Days in Badlands and Black Hills, One Week in Maui and the Road to Hana, One Week and the Underground Railroad, and more.

Chapter Three starts us out in "New England" with a nice map and regional highlights. My favorite sidebar in every chapter is the "What to Eat and Drink". Each chapter also has information such as know before you go, planning your time, big events, what to do, visitor information and contacts. Then the chapter gets further divided out by state in alphabetical order.

Chapter Four highlights "The Mid-Atlantic". Each chapter also has call out pages with vivid photographs for the must-see places of the region such as the Pocono Mountains.

Chapter Five gives us "The Southeast". You will also find a "Bucket List Picks" checklist for every state which makes for easy planning.

Chapter Six showcases "The Great Plains". For each state there is a listing of what to see or do and places to stay with address, contact and website information. See my comment down below about verifying the info before your journey.

Chapter Seven is "The West Coast and the Pacific". You can also find useful "when to go" information for the call out museums and parks so you can avoid either the most crowded times or the park closures. Again, double check hours and operating dates.

Chapter Eight offers "The Southwest".

Chapter Nine focuses on "The Rockies"

Chapter Ten highlights "The Great Lakes"

Since this book is so massive and heavy, I suggest tearing out the sections you need from your own copy rather than lugging the entire book with you. You could easily staple the pages together to make a mini book. That way you will have maps and important information with you when you lose cell coverage.

Definitely a keeper. You may be able to find used copies at local book stores or library sales.

Since this book was published in 2021, be sure to verify information like locations and hours before heading out as many businesses and processes changed after Covid.

Title: Fodor's Bucket List USA: From the Epic to the Eccentric, 500+ Ultimate Experiences
Author: Fodor Travel Guides
ISBN: 978-1640974562
Pages: 800

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Book Review - Official Guide to the Smithsonian

This is a nice quick-reference guide to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC and two in New York City. Each museum is listed with a general description of what it holds, location, hours, the subway stations to utilize, the website, and a few photographs highlighting the exhibits on display.

The book starts with an introduction to the Smithsonian followed by information on visiting Washington DC including transportation tips and getting around.

The Museums on or near the National Mall: National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, Freer Gallery of Art, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, National Museum of African Art, Arts and Industries Building, Hirshhorn Museum and Scultpture Garden, National Postal Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

The locations in the Washington DC metro area include the National Zoo, Anacostia Community Museum, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

And the two locations in New York City include Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and George Gustav Heye Center.

While looking through this book, keep in mind it was published in 2021 so a lot of the hours and whether you need to reserve a visit time or not should be checked via the websites ahead of time.

Interesting guide but try to find it at your local library.

Title: Official Guide to the Smithsonian
Author: Smithsonian Institute
ISBN: 978-1588346827
Pages: 240

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Book Review - The Swimming Holes of Texas by Julie Wernersbach and Carolyn Tracy

This is one of those kinds of books that you didn't know you needed until you find it. I think most Texans or visitors head to the well-known swimming spots like tubing the Brazos River or enjoying water toys on Lake Travis. But, this book offers some really good alternatives and the pictures are trip-inspiring. I really like the "Top Five Lists" pull-out guide at the very end - "Best Spots for Accessibility", "Top Five Free Spots", "Top Five Spots for Kids", "Tip Five Dog-Friendly Spots", "Top Five for Camping", "Top Five Worth the Drive", "Top Five Off the Beaten Path", and "Top Five Places We Must Protect".

This book is organized by general location - North, East, Central, Austin and the Surrounding Area, South, and West. Each section has a nice dark-mode map with places labeled. Each swimming hole listed includes full address and website, hours, fees, park rules, camping availability, a descriptive about section, swimming information, amenities (like restrooms), and pro tips.

This book is a definite keeper if you live or visit Texas often and need a place to cool off or even an idea for a day trip. The photographs will definitely inspire you to take an upcoming trip during the heat of summer or during Spring Break.

Title: The Swimming Holes of Texas
Author: Julie Wernersbach and Carolyn Tracy
ISBN: 978-1477321522
Pages: 256

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Event - #Travel #Texas - #Frisco - Texas Pinball Festival - March 20-22, 2026

Frisco, Texas - Texas Pinball Festival
March 20-22, 2026
Frisco Convention Center
If you love pinball or playing pinball, this is the festival for you! There will be over 440 games. Meet pinball creators and artists. Purchase merch. Feeling competitive, join one of the many tournaments (including one for kids). There will be entertainment and swaps. They will also have food trucks available.
For collectors, there are also special awards for machines you can enter: Best Antique, Best 60’s, Best 70’s EM, Best 77- 85 Solid State (SS), Best 86 – 91 Solid State (SS), Best 91-2010 (DMD Era), Best Modern, Best Original, Best Restoration, Best Custom Pinball, Best Custom or Innovative Arcade Video Game, Best Classic Arcade Video Game, Best Newcomer, and Grand Champion.
Some extra fun includes visits to the nearby National Videogame Museum and trivia sessions.
If you pre-register, you can get a collectible name badge.

Address: 7600 John Q. Hammons Dr., Frisco, TX 75034
Hours: Friday 4:00pm-1:00am; Saturday 9:00am-11:30pm; Sunday 9:00am-2:00pm CST
Fees: Day passes start at $30 for adults or $20 for kids; Weekend pases are available for $105-$115

For more information, click here: https://texaspinball.com/