There�s an Introduction by Koenig, but no Foreword by a �Disney celebrity� like in previous books. Here is the table of contents:

Ken Pellman: When was your first visit to the Walt Disney World Resort?

David Koenig: I first visited Orlando in the summer of 1994, at the invitation of the local CBS television affiliate, to promote my then-new book Mouse Tales. I stayed at one of the Hotel Plaza hotels and every moment not spent working was spent walking Disney property, with a dropped jaw.

KP: What was your impression of the place?

DK: As a Southern Californian whose only context was Disneyland, WDW was unbelievable. Everything was so big---except the Pirates of the Caribbean, of course. Everything was spread out, and uncluttered.

Remember, until the early 1990s, there were no empty submarines lagoons, deserted motor boat canals, or abandoned PeopleMover tracks at Disneyland. Space was at a premium, and every square inch was utilized, even if that meant building attractions on top of each other or shoving them underground. In Florida, there were just miles of trees and swamps and color-coordinated signage. The Swiss Family Treehouse was on its own island. It took me a full day to walk Epcot---without riding anything or waiting in any lines. And the Magic Kingdom�s castle made Disneyland�s look like a doll house. Every aspect was absolutely impressive, but at the price of charm.

KP: What is your overall impression now that you�ve written this book?

DK: I�ve finally become comfortable with WDW. It took a while, because Disneyland has always been my "home," and Disney World has been the place I "visit," like my rich uncle�s mansion. But after getting to know its employees, it creators, its executives, its nooks and crannies, its secrets, its story, we�re now old friends.

KP: I got the impression that the departure of various executives from Disney over the last several years freed you up to quote from certain sources, or to at least attribute certain statements to them without exposing them to retaliation. Is that true? Did the departure of those executives assist your efforts?

DK: Well, 99% of the people I interviewed don�t work for the company any longer, so there were no non-disclosure agreements to deal with. Plus, the company has changed a lot. It�s not the tiny boutique business it felt like 20, 25 years ago, when cast members might feel that they were betraying the family if they agreed to be interviewed. Also, a number of the people I interviewed were familiar with me and my work, so there was a trust factor that didn�t exist when I was researching my first book.

Here�s the way I look at it: I want to write a fair, accurate account. Both the author who speaks only to malcontents and the author who speaks only to boosters end up with skewed stories. You can usually reach the truth by getting both versions.

KP: You note that prices continue to rise and certain qualities continue to slip, yet attendance and profit seems to remain healthy. Is a large part of WDW�s ongoing success a result of tourism habits, nostalgia, and marketing, and not today�s reality?

DK: No, it�s all of the above. WDW remains a wonderful place to visit, my favorite vacation spot in the world. That doesn�t mean it doesn�t have its drawbacks, such as diminished value for your money and declining standards. I would argue that the runaway price increases are a real problem, in that you�re effectively pricing a large percentage of families out of the market. WDW is too large to survive as a niche business. It has to appeal to, including financially, the general public.

KP: Do you foresee a point where prices will have to level off, and/or qualities will have to be restored, or WDW�s business will suffer significantly?

DK: Disney theme parks will continue charging as much as the market will bear. In times of depressed attendances, they might delay a price increase or introduce new discounts or promotions, but stockholders will permanently place upward pressure on prices. And, similarly, cutbacks in entertainment, attractions, maintenance, etc., will be lessened only if they can be seen to lead to increased profits. Let�s say they reduce security patrols at Pleasure Island, or cut portions in half at some restaurant, or stop maintaining some attraction. When enough people notice that some aspect of WDW is unsafe or a bad value and (the critical part) stop visiting said facility, that�s when it will change.

KP: Ideally, what would you like to see in the future at WDW, operationally and as far as capital investment?

DK: I�d love to see them continue to keep the place fresh, while building on its traditions, particularly of cleanliness, safety, and unique, family-oriented entertainment. And don�t waste $100 million on things like Mission: Space that only a small percentage of your guests will enjoy.

KP: Do you have a favorite park/hotel/attraction/show/restaurant/shop at WDW, either past or current?

DK: I love all of Epcot, especially now that the wand is no longer disfiguring Spaceship Earth. Short of Disneyland, it does the best job of immersing me in exotic environments. And isn�t that fundamentally why we love to visit, write about, and obsess over Disney parks, and not Six Flags?