I received a copy of Adam Berger's book, Every Guest A Hero - Disney's Theme Parks and the Magic of Mythic Storytelling, and from the onset I knew it would be a cool and very interesting read. I love "behind the scenes" information and learning more about my favorite places, and when you combine that with Disney? It's just awesome.
Adam is President and Senior Show Writer at Berger Creative Associates, Inc, based in Orlando. He's an attraction designer and show writer whose credits include projects for Dollywood, Disney Event Productions, Kennedy Space Center, Paramount Parks, and many more.
If you've been to a Disney theme park, you know the importance of storytelling and how it impacts every decision that was made in the construction of the attractions and the creation of the parks. Nothing has been done by accident, or "just happened that way." There is a story behind every single aspect of the experience. If you're a person who would love to learn more about that rich history of storytelling at the Disney parks, this book is definitely for you.
In Every Guest A Hero, Adam invites you to use the book to "embark on your adventure through the world of Disney's mythic storytelling". He outlines the concept of the Hero's Journey, and how that concept permeates nearly every story out there. Adam outlines the common elements of the Hero's Journey, and then shows you how those elements combine at Disney attractions to create rich stories and truly immersive experiences.
I was super impressed with Adam's level of detail, and just how deep he goes into the narrative and explanations of the the Hero's Journey concepts, as well as the Attraction Case Studies (which you can read in Part II). As the Haunted Mansion is in my Top 3 favorite theme park attractions, my personal favorite chapter was "Tomb It May Concern - Haunted Mansion." Having been on the ride at least 30 times, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on the story telling behind the attraction, but after having read Adam's take on it, I can't wait to ride again with the lens of his ideas and thoughts. Super interesting, AND very thought provoking.
I'm very glad I was introduced to Adam's book, and I hope you buy a copy for yourself. If you're at all a fan of the Disney theme parks and attractions, this book will blow your mind and give you some great food for thought the next time you're at the parks. I'm taking it with me on my Disney Cruise in a few weeks, so I can read it AGAIN because I want to make sure I didn't miss anything! I know you'll love it, so please do Adam a solid and pick it up on Amazon.com or wherever you buy books. (Click here to buy on Amazon!)
Thank you, Adam for the opportunity to read your great work, and to share it with my readers!
Have a magical day, everyone!
I was provided with a complimentary copy of Every Guest A Hero for this review; all opinions are my own.
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