Author Roland Betancourt Levers New Insights in "Disneyland and the Rise of Automation"

In the new book Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth, scholar Dr. Roland Betancourt deconstructs how Walt’s original family park served as a foundational space for automation during a time when humans increasingly relied on technology for many of their needs and desires. This well-researched title from Princeton University Press explores how many of Disneyland’s foundational attractions have relied on sophisticated technologies to make modern mechanical magic. Dr. Betancourt is Chancellors’ Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. On this episode we discuss the book’s development and content. Learn more about the book on the Princeton University Press website. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.