I am an urban planner and planning historian that has a thing for theme parks, amusement parks, and World’s Fairs. This intellectual curiosity lead to a book about Walt Disney’s interest in placemaking entitled Walt and the Promise of Progress City. As you will see, my focus is usually about the history and design of the North American Disney theme parks but I will stray now and again to check out other venues.

n a recent poll conducted by the well-respected urban planning site Planetizen, Walt Disney was ranked 59 by the readers who are mostly professionals in the planning and development trades.