Today was my birthday, and so I headed over to Disneyland for an hour to grab my "Birthday Fun Card". This year Disney's park promotion is about Celebrations, and if it's your birthday, they allow you into the park for free on that day. For passholders like myself, if your birthday falls on a day that isn't blacked out on your pass, you can choose to pick one of three birthday gifts:

1. You can get a special Birthday Fastpass - entitling you to bypass lines for many rides at the park for you and up to five guests.
2. a 1 day/1 park pass good for any day before your next birthday
3. a Birthday Fun Card - which is a gift card equal to the value of a 1 day/1 park ticket ($72)



I'm pretty sure most people go with the gift card. I've actually been looking forward to getting it for a while now, and had set my sights on two books long ago.

So, I decided to get these two:

Disneyland: Now, Then and Forever



I bought the Disney World counterpart during my trip so that I would have both of them. To be honest though, I'd have to rate the Disneyland one better. Disneyland has a richer history, and the book also goes into great depth about past attractions as well as concepts that never panned out.

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real



Wow. What an amazing book. I flipped through it, but there's just too much to take in. For people who like seeing how the parks were created (sketches, models, effects, storyboards, concept art) this is THE book for you.