I've been a fan of Disney since I was a kid (Beauty & The Beast OG is my favorite movie) so when I was approved for this on NetGalley, I was ecstatic! I learned so many things about the company that I didn't know. This was very informative but also kept my attention and I never got bored. Neil O'Brien did a fantastic job and I would highly recommend this! Special Thank You to Neil O'Brien,Post Hill Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fascinating book that looks into a time that is often overlooked in Disney’s history. Not only was it intriguing from a business point of view but also a nostalgic and creative perspective.

A page turner that I think will speak to anyone, even if they’re not a Disney fan.

Many Disney fans are familiar with the story of how the studio created by Walt and Roy grew from a little shop in the Silver Lake section of Los Angeles into a company known the world over for bringing many great stories and lovable characters to life. A lot of folks know the story of Disney’s renaissance in the 1980s and 1990s, when a new age of classic animated and live action films, spectacular theme park experiences, and bold business decisions made “Walt’s little studio” into one of the world’s biggest media conglomerates. But not that many folks are as familiar with the years between these two eras, where Disney tried its best to carry on without its founders, sometimes with popular acclaim and other times with the dismissal of the public. The story of the years between Walt Disney’s death and the rise of The Walt Disney Company under Michael Eisner and Frank Wells is a fascinating tale, as well, and Neil O’Brien does a wonderful job of sharing this less well known story in his book “After Disney”.

Neil’s book is the story of a new generation of artists brought in and trained in-house and at the new California Institute of the Arts, eager to learn about animation and to show what they could accomplish. It’s the story of a movie and animation studio that learned to play it safe to satisfy their audiences, only to discover that Hollywood and their audiences had moved on. It’s the story of a son and a son in law of the founders who started their movie careers on the Disney lot and took their places in the company’s leadership, only to find themselves in conflict over their visions for the company. It’s the story of how animation at Disney almost died after Walt’s death, and a long-in-development animated feature that tried to go in a new direction but didn’t live up to its expectations. It’s the story of the last days of Walt’s masters of animation and the first days of young animators who would become the masters in a new era of classic Disney animation. It’s the story of a new CEO who took Disney in new directions while trying to satisfy its core fans, only to be forced out when corporate raiders threatened to break up the company. It was a tumultuous yet exciting era in Disney history, and the new golden age of Disney wouldn’t have been possible without it.

Neil’s book may seem pretty short, but it packs a lot of information and anecdotes into it; we hear from many folks from that era at the studio, many whose stories haven’t been heard before. There are several things I learned from reading this book that were a big surprise to me; the book does a great job of setting the record straight on some of the more persistent myths and exaggerations about that era. Anyone with an interest in Disney and animation history needs to have a look at this book. Even if you’re a casual Disney fan, give “After Disney” a read - as a famous song from Disney’s second golden age proclaims, “you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.” Recommended!

This was an excellent and informative book for any Disney fan. This book paints the picture of what was happening within the Disney company after Walt's unexpected death. There are a lot of interesting stories in here, which I don't want to spoil for anyone about the fate of the animation department and the formation of CalArts for the next Disney animators. I really enjoyed learning about why things were done the way they were and was unaware of the rivalry between Ron Miller and Roy E. Disney (Roy O.'s son).

Thank you to Post Hills Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I usually love reading History items on Disney.
However i felt a good chunk of this book revolve around the Cauldron.
It was interesting to read how some of the movies came around and how the staff was back and forth for various reasons.

⭐️ 4/5

I have always been fascinated and inspired by Walt Disney and what he built, and have a huge appreciation and passion for the parks especially.
This book is a captivating deep dive into one of the most significant but often overlooked periods in Disney’s history; the post-Walt years. We get a look at the leadership of Ron Miller, Walt Disney’s son-in-law, and the challenges he faced in modernizing the company while staying true to its legacy.
The author did an excellent job of detailing the internal conflicts, creative struggles, and business maneuvers that shaped Disney in the late 20th century, setting the stage for its eventual renaissance.

I applaud the ability to effectively blend corporate strategy with personal stories, making an engaging narrative. The sections covering the evolution of Disney animation, particularly how veteran animators mentored a new generation, are really interesting and insightful.

Even though it is packed full of knowledge, the writing is clear and thorough. However, some readers might get bored with some of the business details of the book. A couple sections could have maybe benefited from a tighter focus, especially when covering financial dealings and executive shake-ups.

For Disney fans, animation enthusiasts, and those curious about media industry transformations, “After Disney” is an inspiring and intriguing read! Highly recommend for those interested in Disney history beyond the usual focus on Walt himself.

Many thanks to Post Hill Press for providing me this advanced reader copy of the book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A fascinating behind the scenes look at Disney post Walt’s death. I love a good Disney film and found myself smiling at memories of watching some of the older films. It was a rare insight into the power struggles behind the animation and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever watched a Disney film (that’s everyone, right?!)

As a Disney fan since childhood, I enjoyed reading the behind the scenes of the company that brought so much joy to lots of people around the world. It was fascinating to see how things changed after Walt's death and how the leaders who replaced him helped shape Disney into what it is now.

This book has a lot of detail, but if you're a Disney fan, then it is quite an interesting read!

I LOVE Disney and thought I’d find this interesting but it was just jam packed with so many minute details of the business that I found it slow and laborious to read. It was informative but not entertaining.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a behind the scenes book, if you will, of how Disney moved forward after Walt’s death. It was interesting to see how the company did with various people at its helm; some being better suited for the role than others. It was interesting to read how Disney has evolved and changed throughout the years.

Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it. The story line kept me interested! Thank you for this advance reading copy!

As a lifelong Disney fan, the title and description of this book intrigued me. Overall, I found it quite interesting. After Disney looks at an interesting time in the company after Walt’s passing. Most of the book is focused on the 1970s and 1980s during the time Walt’s son-in-law was leading the company. It also largely focuses on the Disney Animation department. The book is very well researched, and I could tell that it was a passion project for the author. I learned a lot and reading this book also made me want to read more about the company’s history. Another reviewer said their eyes glazed over when the author delved into lengthy lists of names and facts, and I agree with that statement.

I would recommend After Disney for readers very interested in the Disney company or the art and business of animation.

A great insight to what happened after Disney passed. I have wondered what happened once he passed and how the company carried on. A Brillant read for any Disney fan or even non fan.

I was curious about how they continued Disney after his passing. It was interesting to learn that he wanted it to stay in the family and who he wanted to run it. Learning more about the team of animators and how they developed their team was eye opening. It was the controversy between Ron Miller and Roy Disney that I found to be heartbreaking. I just wish there had been more info about more recent years like Disney Plus and Disney World. Still, this book was packed with information and was well researched.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This was a fantastic look into what happened after Walt Disney died, it was a fascinating look into what happened after. I never really thought of what happened after as I really only knew after that. The writing was perfectly done and was glad the overall feel worked with the concept. Neil O'Brien wrote this perfectly and was glad I read this.

As a lifelong Disney fan, I was interested in this title because I'm fascinated by how Disney continued operating after Walt died. That this book discussed the Black Cauldron was an added bonus because I really enjoyed that movie and the way it is based on Welsh mythology, but also the way its seen as the film that nearly brought Disney down is interesting as a concept. Reading about some of the films that were released in a post Walt world was of course the thing I was most excited for, but getting a closer look behind the curtain at CalArts and the animation department was fascinating and I now want to learn even more about that aspect.

This did definitely read like a case study at points with several sentences just listing elements. But as someone who is getting back into reading non-fiction it was well put together and definitely gave me more insight into a company that is near and dear to my heart.

I wish this book existed twenty years ago when I was doing a project on Disney for my degree, but then it would not have had some of the most interesting parts, that had happened within that time frame.
As one of the most interesting creators of films, media and products, the stories of Disney fascinate me. The book offers great information about what happened to the Disney company after the death of its founder. It was refreshing to read about topics other than the somewhat controversial Walt Disney, and see what happened to the company with its upside downs, and the insights about some of the work. I found some of the comments about teen films and streaming very inquisitive.
Overall, a good read.

After Disney was a very fascinating, informative read. As a big Disney fan, a lot of this was new information even for me. Some of the business chatter I skipped over because I don't care about that stuff. Overall it was an easy read, just be aware there is a bit of timeline jumping.

This was a fascinating read into the fraught time period just after Walt Disney's death but before the Eisner/Wells. The research is well done and the author gives enough detail to be interesting but not too plodding. Throughout it all is the existential crisis of the animation film departments as Walt's stepson Ron Miller takes the helm of the company.

The book is fairly chronological and begins with the death of Walt. New animated features were in the works (the Jungle Book - the last animated film Walt had a hand in) but Walt's brother Roy Disney had felt it would be impossible to continue without Walt. Ron Miller, however, championed the animation department and was able to convince the board for it to continue. His hopes were pinned on a new, more modern, and more bold animation direction in the form of an adaptation of a children's book series based on Welsh Legends, the Prydain series. The movie would be named after the second book: The Black Cauldron.

A lot of the book is about the studio learning to pivot, to become more modern but also retain Disney timelessness. Ron Miller wanted the studio to put out more movies and animation that would appeal to all ages and not be seen as 'unhip' or 'childish.' This led to the dark Black Cauldron movie but also to the creation of Touchstone pictures and more PG rated fare.

A sub thread is also about the issues between Ron Miller and Roy E Disney (some of Walt's Brother Roy O Disney). The present has not been kind to Ron Miller since history always favors the victor. Roy E Disney would eventually get Ron Miller forced out but this book makes some great observations about how good a job Ron Miller was actually doing with the company (despite Roy E's protestations otherwise). I enjoyed reading a much more balanced and fair view at the situation. The book follows the Disney company up until Ron Miller leaves and Michael Eisner/Frank Wells are installed as the new leadership.

In all, there is a lot to enjoy and learn here. It was especially interesting that everyone thought the Black Cauldron would be Disney's magnum opus animation and even advanced screenings were highly positive. Yet now it is considered one of Disney's worst. There are a lot of similar stories which the author helps explain in solid detail as to why they failed or succeeded.

In all, a great read with a lot of fascinating observations about the Disney company during that key transition period after Walt's death. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I really disliked this book. I felt like it was confusing as it constantly jumped back and forth through various timeframes which made it really hard to follow. I'm no stranger to Disney's background having just finished Neal Gabler's 912 page Walt Disney biography. But this one really missed the mark for me.