Imagineering an American Dreamscape: Genesis, Evolution, and Redemption of the Regional Theme Park

Finally, the story of America’s regional theme parks. Everybody knows pretty much everything about Disneyland—how it got started, how the Imagineers do their thing, and so on. But nobody ever talks about the parks that most of us across the country enjoy far more often. Regional theme parks, different from amusement parks, owe their existence to the magical land Walt built in Anaheim. There were a few false starts, but in 1961 Angus Wynne opened Six Flags Over Texas, triggering a tidal wave of Disneyland-lites over the next twenty years.

Imagineering an American Dreamscape tells the story of the regionals and the strong-willed individuals behind them—where they came from, how they got started, and how they’ve changed over the decades. Some of the stories you may have heard. Most you probably haven’t, and it’s a fascinating tale to tell. Sit back and enjoy the long journey from the grand world expositions of yesteryear to the parks you grew up to love and cherish.

Contents:

1. Before Disneyland
2. Walt sets a new standard
3. Duplicating Disneyland is harder than you think
4. Angus Wynne gets it done
5. Entrepreneurs, visionaries, & mavericks
6. Davy Crockett tangles with...Yogi Bear?
7. Masters of the franchise
8. Adolphus plants a garden
9. Munchkins, berries & Hersheybars
10. Who says we can't build a theme park now?
11. Evolution
12. Redemption

Plus special contributions by theme park designers:

• Foreword by Rob Decker
• Duell Design 101, Mel McGowan
• Learning from legends: A personal retrospective, Rick Bastrup

Barry R. Hill is a professor of audio engineering, instructional designer, and writer. A member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammys), Audio Engineering Society, and the Themed Entertainment Association, he has authored several books including Podcast Audio: Make Your Show Sound As Good As Your Content and Elizabeth City: Rediscover Home. He can be contacted at www.barryrhill.com.