Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way

by –  Lou Prosperi (Author)

Using Disney Imagineering to Make Your Message Heard

Available on Amazon

Paperback

Book Description:

A New Master Class in Imagineering

We all have stories to tell in our lives and our work. Whether it’s presenting a vision to stakeholders, or introducing new concepts and tools to co-workers, or explaining products and services to potential customers, we all have situations where we have to tell our audience—whoever that might be—something they need to know.

But where can we learn to tell these stories more effectively? Walt Disney World of course!

The Imagineers who design and build Disney theme parks are among the world’s best storytellers, and at the heart of their storytelling is effective communication. Disney’s Imagineers employ a variety of tools, techniques, and disciplines to convey specific ideas and experiences to their audience.

In Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way, a group of friends take an Imagineering Storytelling tour of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World to learn how the Disney Imagineers communicate with their audience to tell their stories. Along the way, these friends also learn how they can adopt these Disney Imagineering principles to their own lives and jobs to help them tell their own stories.

Everyone has a story to tell.

The question is, how will you tell yours?

Reviews for the Book

"Once again, Lou Prosperi has mined the secrets of the Imagineering crew -- the people who make the magic at the Disney properties - to bring you tools and tips you can use to enliven your own projects. In Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way, Prosperi follows a group of friends as they tour Walt Disney World from entrance to exit, exploring secrets along the way that will enable them to tell their stories -- the projects, ideas, and dreams that they want to bring to fruition. Use this book, and the magic it reveals, to tell your own story."
--Daniel H. Pink, author of WHEN and DRIVE
"As I was reading Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way, I wondered how Lou had recorded me on the dozens of "WD Eye-level" perspective tours that I have led for the new artists, architects, artisans and clients of Storyland Studios. His book takes you vicariously alongside one of these Imagineer-led tours and offers a completely new perspective on some of the top human mousetraps on the planet. I have been consistently amazed at how Lou has been able to succinctly articulate and translate Imagineering's insider jargon and lingo to "normal people" in other industries. There is more relevance to your "real world" outside of Walt Disney World than you would imagine!"
--Mel McGowan, Former Imagineer, Chief Creative Officer of Storyland Studios, and Co-Host of the Themed Attraction podcast
"Lou's unique approach will take you on an experiential journey. As a Disney enthusiast and fellow Disney author, I learned a lot of new information about how Imagineers create and embed the stories that shape the experiences in the Disney parks that we love so much. If you want to feel like you're a part of the storytelling process at Walt Disney Imagineering, Prosperi's book won't disappoint. Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way will bring storytelling and Disney magic to life as you experience the Magic Kingdom through the senses and experiences of guests, a Disney travel planner, and a former Imagineer."--Rob Mathews, author of Entrepreneurship the Disney Way
"Walt Disney was a master of storytelling and attention to detail. He was an animator that constantly pushed the envelope, and eventually created a whole new form of entertainment - the theme park. Many guests do not know the background of the stories that the parks were built upon or how the parks were designed by the Imagineering team - they simply know that "it feels right." For those who would like a deeper dive into the design philosophies and of the Magic Kingdom, this book is perfect. Lou has done a masterful job of giving readers a chance to tag along with a group of friends as they tour the Magic Kingdom, and learn the secrets to how the park is designed to be 'The Most Magical Place on Earth'! I had the opportunity to run the Magic Kingdom for 3 years, and thought that I knew all the stories. Lou has taught me a few new things about the place where I spent many hours walking and entertaining Guests. A great read!"
--Dan Cockerell, Former Vice President, Magic Kingdom Park
"As a former Imagineer myself and one who often takes guests on strolls through the parks similar to what Lou has fictionalized in his book, I can definitely say he's hit the nail on the head. By using real-world examples from within the parks themselves, Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way gives readers a unique sense of how Disney Imagineers build stories, connect the dots, and, quite simply...make the Magic!"
--Brian Collins, Former Imagineer & WDI Show Writer
"As a Brit, I've never actually been to the Magic Kingdom, but boy do I want to visit now, just so I can regale my family with all the interesting facts and stories in this book! Customer experience has become a priority for business in recent years, yet so few companies are doing it well. Maybe this book will help them. Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way shares the inside story of how the world's best experience company approaches the issue. Listen up big brands - this is the magic your business needs!"
--Dave Birss, Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Visiting Professor at Kingston School of Art
"Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way is a wonderful blend of Magic Kingdom facts, built on the back of the curious minded guest experience. Lou Prosperi has managed to weave a fun and engaging narrative, filled with anecdotes of the storytelling techniques utilized by Walt Disney Imagineers for nearly seven decades. I have been personally asked many times over the years to be a companion "tour guide" on theme park visits by friends and family, in hopes that I would impart layers of geeky knowledge. I feel that Lou's latest writings more than fulfills that itch that fans are seeking. It feels personal and so entertaining. An enjoyable read for myself as a creative designer, a former cast member, and a theme park fan."
--Josh Shipley, Walt Disney Imagineering 1996-2017
"With this book, Lou Prosperi opened my eyes to the stories all around me in the Magic Kingdom and made my time at Walt Disney World more fun and personal. Tell Your Story the Walt Disney World Way can help all of us communicate more effectively. Sure, you will learn interesting facts any Disney fan will love, but the lessons are the real gold in this book. Whether it is how details help you tell a story, or why you should only tell one story at a time, you will communicate in a new way after reading this book. If you are a Disney fan looking for fun stories, or a businessperson looking for ways to improve, you will love this book."
--Jody Maberry, Host of Creating Disney Magic with Lee Cockerell, Come Rain or Shine with Dan Cockerell, and If Disney Ran Your Life with Jeff Noel
"Even though Lou's book is a fictional story of a group of friends lead by a host on an adventure, exploring the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the history and backstory that Lou shares is accurate in every detail. Through his fictional characters, he then very cleverly gives examples of how this relates to our own work in the corporate world. You will be amazed and delighted at what you will learn while on this adventure, in this fun read written by a master writer who is able to explain things in an exciting and easy to understand manner."
--Louis L. Lemoine, Retired Walt Disney Imagineer and Disney Legacy Award recipient