Book review: ‘Groundbreaking Magic’ by Martha Blanding, a Disneyland cast member of 50 years
Discover a unique, enthralling perspective of Disneyland spanning five decades in the new book “Groundbreaking Magic: A Black Woman’s Journey through the Happiest Place on Earth” by Disney Legend Martha Blanding with Tim O’Day.
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The Walt Disney Company doesn’t bestow Disney Legends awards lightly. It’s the company’s highest honor; 2024’s inductees included luminaries such as Angela Bassett, Harrison Ford, and Miley Cyrus. Also among this year’s class of Disney Legends was a woman named Martha Blanding. She may not be a household name, but her influence upon the Disney legacy is deserving of being recognized among the likes of Queen Ramonda, Indiana Jones, and Hannah Montana.
Now, Blanding shares her story from Disneyland and beyond its berm in “Groundbreaking Magic: A Black Woman’s Journey through the Happiest Place on Earth,” a book she co-authored with Tim O’Day. The autobiography debuted Oct. 1, 2024 from Disney Editions. Disney sent us an advanced copy; here’s our review.
Meet Martha Blanding, Disneyland veteran and new book author
Martha Blanding made Disney history in 1971 as the first Black tour guide at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and in 2022 as the first Black cast member to work for Disney for 50 years or more. While Blanding shares many fascinating anecdotes from her five decades and many roles at Disneyland in “Groundbreaking Magic,” the book is truly an autobiography, encompassing Blanding’s entire life, rather than a memoir focusing only on her Disneyland jobs.
From this approach, it’s easy for the reader to feel like Blanding is regaling her life’s stories over coffee (well, not coffee, because she never drinks it, save for one special occasion). Martha talks to the reader like they’re a longtime friend … and she’s got jokes, too!
This is not a leadership advice book or a tell-all about wild, backstage Disneyland tales (though she does have a few incredible celebrity stories from her tour guide days). Instead, this is an honest reflection from the perspective of someone looking back upon a full, rewarding life — but one that has not been without its challenges. “Groundbreaking Magic” is a book published by Disney, but Blanding isn’t shy about addressing the hardships of her workplace, whether dealing with mischievous teenagers at Disneyland’s Grad Nite or encountering racism from fellow cast members.
Contextualizing Disneyland with societal events
Throughout “Groundbreaking Magic,” Blanding contextualizes her experiences with the societal current events happening in America during each stage of her life. This writing technique is something I’ve never seen done in a Disneyland book, but thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated.
Photo by Sarah Gilliland
This also means readers don’t need to be Disney superfans to enjoy “Groundbreaking Magic” (and any Disney-specific jargon or insider knowledge is always explained when necessary). Even for those who consider themselves Disneyphiles, it’s rare to hear such a thorough, firsthand account of a Disney career from someone who isn’t an Imagineer or filmmaker. Especially from perspectives like Martha’s, there’s a lot more Disney history that hasn’t been told yet.
Tim O’Day, Blanding’s co-author of the book, is a longtime Disneyland and Disney studio historian, most recently appearing as an interviewee in the Disney+ docuseries “Behind the Attraction” and co-writing the (outstanding) coffee table book “A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of the Most Magical Place on Earth” with Kevin M. Kern and Steven Vagnini.
‘Groundbreaking Magic’ by Martha Blanding now available
“Groundbreaking Magic: A Black Woman’s Journey through the Happiest Place on Earth” is 364 pages and is now available from Disney Editions.
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