I received this book at no cost from the publisher
One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe by Bruce Steele, Bob IgerISBN: 136805224X
Published by Disney Editions on December 3, 2019
Genres: NonFiction, Performing Arts
Pages: 224
Format: eARC
Source: Disney
Goodreads

Title: ONE DAY AT DISNEY
Author: Bruce Steele, Bob Iger (Introduction)
Pub. Date: December 3, 2019
Publisher: Disney Editions Deluxe
Formats: Hardcover
Pages: 224
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, TBD, Target, Disney Store
Disney+ Subscribers can watch the original documentary on December 3rd!
Discover what it’s like to report to work every day for The Walt Disney Company. Step behind the scenes to immerse yourself in one “ordinary” day at Disney. In addition to the book, the Disney+ team was on hand to capture stories along the way. A full-length documentary and 52 short-form episodes expand the profiles and delve deeper into the essence of what it’s like to be a Disney cast member.
On a Thursday in 2019, a small army of photographers and videographers scattered across the globe to capture what goes on beyond those tantalizing “Cast Members Only” doors – whether eavesdropping on historic endeavors or typical tasks. All the photos in this book were taken on that single Thursday, beginning early in Tokyo and following the sun around the world through Shanghai, Hong Kong, Paris, Madrid, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and dozens of places throughout the United States. More than 40 hours after it began, the day ended as the sun set on the Aulani resort in Hawaii.
On that day, some 80 Cast Members agreed to open up their workshops, dressing rooms, kitchens, cubicles, TV studios, labs, locomotive engines – and some even more surprising and diverse work spaces. They also shared their stories: childhood dreams and chapters, career pivots and triumphs, workaday hurdles and joys. It was just a day in the life, as extraordinary as any other day at Disney. As any Cast Member can tell you, a Disney job is less a destination than a limitless journey. And for just One Day at Disney, we can all tag along for the ride.
Book & Documentary Trailer:
Bruce C. Steele is a journalist and Disney fan with a long career of profiling the famous and the unheralded, from the pastry chefs at the Biltmore Estate to the stars of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns. A Pennsylvania native and University of Alabama graduate, he started his career at a daily newspaper in Louisiana and most recently worked at the paper in his current home of Asheville, North Carolina. In between he was the executive editor of Out magazine and the editor in chief of The Advocate newsmagazine and also took time to get an MFA in film studies from Columbia University. He has lived in New York City and Los Angeles, where his husband was a Disney animator. He’s now a freelance writer and regular contributor to Disney’s twenty-three magazine. Apart from this book, some of his favorite past interviews have been Emma Watson, Sir Ian McKellen, Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson and crawfish farmers in the Louisiana bayou.
Robert A. Iger Chairman and Chief Executive Officer The Walt Disney Company Robert A. Iger is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. As Chairman and CEO, Mr. Iger is the steward of one of the world’s largest media companies and some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe. His strategic vision for The Walt Disney Company focuses on three fundamental pillars: generating the best creative content possible; fostering innovation and utilizing the latest technology; and expanding into new markets around the world.
Mr. Iger has built on Disney’s rich history of unforgettable storytelling with the acquisitions of Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009), Lucasfilm (2012) and 21st Century Fox (2019), as well as the landmark 2016 opening of Disney’s first theme park and resort in Mainland China, Shanghai Disney Resort. Always one to embrace new technology, Mr. Iger has made Disney an industry leader through its creative content offerings across new and multiple platforms, most recently leveraging cutting-edge direct-to-consumer technology to successfully launch the Disney+ streaming service on November 12, 2019 and ESPN+ in 2018.
Disney’s exceptional entertainment experiences, widely diverse content, and unique skill in managing businesses in an integrated manner have led to strong results. During Mr. Iger’s tenure, The Walt Disney Company has been recognized as one of the “Most Reputable Companies” in both America and the world by Forbes magazine (2006-2019); one of the “Best Employers” in both America and the world by Forbes magazine (2019 and 2018, respectively); one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” by Fortune magazine (2009-2019); one of the “World’s Most Respected Companies” by Barron’s (2009-2017); one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career” by BusinessWeek magazine (2006-2010); and as “Company of the Year” by Yahoo Finance (2013).
Prior to his current role, Mr. Iger served as President and Chief Executive Officer beginning October 2005 and President and Chief Operating Officer from 2000-2005. Mr. Iger officially joined the Disney senior management team in 1996 as Chairman of the Disney-owned ABC Group and in 1999 was given the additional responsibility of President, Walt Disney International. In that role, Mr. Iger expanded and coordinated Disney’s presence outside of the United States, establishing the blueprint for the Company’s international growth today. As Chairman of the ABC Group, Mr. Iger oversaw the broadcast television network and station group, cable television properties, and radio and publishing businesses and also guided the complex merger between Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. During Mr. Iger’s years with ABC, he obtained hands-on experience in every aspect of the television business—including news, sports, and entertainment—as well as in program acquisition, rights negotiations, and business affairs. He began his career at ABC in 1974.
Mr. Iger has been named one of the “World’s Most Powerful People” by Forbes magazine (2018); one of Fortune magazine’s “25 Most Powerful People in Business” (2006, 2007); one of the “Top Gun CEOs” by Forbes magazine (2009); one of the “Best CEOs” by Institutional Investor magazine (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011); MarketWatch CEO of the Year (2006); and “CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive (2014). Mr. Iger serves on the boards of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Bloomberg Philanthropies. In 2012, Mr. Iger became a member of the Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies, which recognizes some of the world’s most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists, and civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders.
Mr. Iger is a graduate of Ithaca College.
INTERVIEW
Wendy Lefkon, Editorial Director
Bruce C. Steele, Author
- There are so many fascinating jobs at Disney, how did you narrow it down to include just those featured?
WENDY
There are so many amazing jobs but we knew we couldn’t include them all. We settled on 75-80 people for the book itself and then reviewed the many suggestions we received. We wanted to be sure to cover all the various divisions and as many geographical areas as possible.
- Was there one special job you would love to do every day instead of what you do now?
BRUCE
Much like the cast members I interviewed, I think I have the best job in the world and wouldn’t trade it. But if I were given the opportunity to swap places with one or two cast members for a day or two, I’d love to experience Walt Disney World from the point of view of Stephanie Carroll, the ranch hand who does everything from training horses to guiding trail rides to dressing up in elaborate costumes to lead teams of horses in parades and for Fairy Tale Weddings. And who wouldn’t want to be Captain Fabian Dib and pilot theDisney Magic cruise ship, visiting Castaway Cay almost every work week and mingling with the ship’s appreciate passengers?
- Which came first: The Disney+ Series or the Book?
WENDY
The book came first—the concept was well-suited for a coffee table book with beautiful photography. The documentary and series idea was a wonderful addition to the plan and ended up being timed perfectly to the launch of Disney+
- How much planning did it take to get the series and book done in one day?
WENDY
I would add:]: We had about two and a half months to plan the day of the shoot. Our photography teams lead by David Roark and Dan Richards were truly remarkable. They managed to pull it off seamlessly. Obviously the nearly eighty interviews with cast members did not all take place on one day. I will say that the logistics involved in setting them up and getting them done in the short time span we had to produce the book took a team of people and many hundreds of emails, text messages, calendar updates, and telephone calls.
- What was the most unusual and unexpected job at Disney you found?
BRUCE
That’s a hard question to answer, because it’s impossible to compare, say, a scuba-diving mechanic to a full-time fruit and vegetable sculptor to the guy who tosses robots 65 feet in the air. One of the cast members with the most unusual and exciting job description is Lucasfilm’s Este Meza, whose title is Events Planner but whose day-to-day responsibilities may find him shepherding Chewbacca through a fan event in Asia or remotely operating a working model of R2-D2 or BB-8 at a children’s hospital in the United States. Even a job you think you understand, such as Disney animator, turns out to have aspects and duties you would never have thought of.
REVIEW
ONE DAY AT DISNEY takes you through worldwide operations around the globe in one day. It features a wide variety of occupations that are necessary to make Disney run. I am a huge fan of Disney having grown up close by the original park in Anaheim. This book expands on the cast members and spotlights the fascinating professions that you might not think about. This coffee table book is something that you can pick up and turn to any page to find something interesting. It is also amazing since you can read this out loud to a younger child to expand their horizons about careers in their future.
I think you could find something that appeals to everyone in this charming book. This book will be a fond memory for those with Disney+ and that they can refer back to the book. I found it wonderful that each member lists their hometown, occupation, and favorite Disney movie. There are so many fascinating jobs that I don’t think I could pick one that I would want for the rest of my life. I still would love to work at Disneyland on Main Street at any of the stores.
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will win a finished copy of ONE DAY AT DISNEY, US Only.
DISNEY TRIP SWEEPSTAKES (Not sponsored by Rockstar Book Tours) Ends December 2, 2019.
Enter to win magical prizes with Your One Day at Disney Sweepstakes. You could win fantastic Disney prizes, including a grand prize that will spirit you away on your own magical insider experience! https://disneyplusoriginals.disney.com/show/one-day-at-disney/your-one-day-at-disney-sweepstakes/
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
11/18/2019 | For the Love of KidLit | Review/Feature |
11/19/2019 | Pooled Ink | Review/Feature |
11/20/2019 | HBB Reviews | Review/Feature |
11/21/2019 | onemused | Review/Feature |
11/22/2019 | Fictitiouswonderland | Review/Feature |
Week Two:
11/25/2019 | Devourbookswithdana | Review/Feature |
11/26/2019 | Eli to the nth | Review/Feature |
11/27/2019 | BookHounds | Review/Interview |
11/28/2019 | What A Nerd Girl Says | Review/Feature |
11/29/2019 | Not In Jersey | Review/Feature |
Week Three:
12/2/2019 | BookishRealmReviews | Review/Feature |
12/3/2019 | Savings in Seconds | Review/Feature |
12/4/2019 | Life Within The Pages | Review/Feature |
12/5/2019 | Popthebutterfly | Review/Feature |
12/6/2019 | YA Book Nerd | Review/Feature |
Week Four:
12/9/2019 | Novel Novice | Review/Feature |
12/10/2019 | She Dreams in Fiction | Review/Feature |
12/11/2019 | She Just Loves Books | Review/Interview |
12/12/2019 | Nerdophiles | Review/Feature |
12/13/2019 | Paper Reader | Review/Feature |
Week Five:
12/16/2019 | Here’s to Happy Endings | Review/Feature |
12/17/2019 | fictitious.fox | Review/Feature |
12/18/2019 | The Reading Corner for All | Review/Feature |
12/19/2019 | Wonder Struck | Review/Feature |
12/20/2019 | Simply Daniel Radcliffe | Review/Feature |
Week Six:
12/23/2019 | Odd and Bookish | Review/Feature |
12/24/2019 | Southern Girl Bookaholic | Review/Feature |
12/25/2019 | Two Chicks on Books | Review/Feature |
12/26/2019 | Thepagesinbetween | Review/Feature |
12/27/2019 | Two points of interest | Review/Feature |
This looks like an awesome book! Thanks for the fun giveaway!
Disney books are always fun!
Disney’s such a big part of our lives. It would be great to learn more about the people who do all that work. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this book to be released.
It would be great to win a copy.
Thank you for sharing! This looks amazing!
What an interesting book! Thanks for the great giveaway.
Wonderful cover
This book looks great. The photos are fantastic. We are huge Disney fans and would love to be able to get a behind the scenes peek at all things Disney.
Love going to Disney. Many great family memories made there.
I’ve never been to Disney
We have always loved behind-the-scenes/ making-of coffee table books, and I can’t imagine a more engaging subject than Disney!
This book looks great. I wish I had the time (and the money) to watch the series, too.