Sacré Mouse!

For Americans, Disneyland Paris can be equal parts comforting and frightening. All the familiar Disney stuff is there: the castle, a main street, and of course Mickey, but it's still a foreign experience. Don your beret and come sample the pixie dust in Paris.

Not a guidebook, An American in Disneyland Paris is a story, a "theme park encounter" told by former newspaper reporter Chuck Schmidt, who for decades covered the "Disney beat" for the Staten Island Advance. Chuck's insight into the park and the tale of its creation is first-hand, the result of his connections and interviews with such Disneyland Paris "fathers" as Marty Sklar and Tony Baxter.

The story doesn't end at the gates of Sleeping Beauty Castle. The second act of Chuck's book is given over to his return home, aboard the Disney Magic. Once more, his press credentials give him access to areas of the ship and "backstage crew" not shared by other passengers. Chuck's interviews with costume technicians, lighting designers, show performers, and even a creative director for Walt Disney Imagineering provide unique perspective on what it's like to work on a Disney cruise ship, and how Disney keeps passengers busy and happy during the long ocean crossing.

From Disney magic to Disney Magic, this is one "vacation" you'll never forget!