By JOHN DEHAAS
Published: December 16, 2010
THEM PARK DESIGN
Behind the Scenes With An Engineer
Written by Steve Alcorn
224 pages. CreateSpace. $19.
You'd expect at least one photo in a book about amusement park ride design and construction, but not in this one. The only one you'll find is on the cover. Even so, its a fascinating read for anyone into theme park rides and the whole amusement park scene.
Mr. Alcorn's work on the American Adventure attraction at Epcot (known as Epcot Center back in 1982) as an Disney Imagineer gives insight into the inner workings of an attraction from ideation through design and construction, and the chaos behind the creativity involved with bringing world class attractions to life. From concept drawings to nightly testings, Mr. Alcorn brings you right into the attraction-making process.
Every aspect of a ride's creation is covered, which left me in awe at the complexity involved in making these things. To keep the detailed sections light, the author peppers them with humorous anecdotes. This book is a must read for anyone thinking of going into an engineering field whether it be in theme park industry or not.