Disneyland Handcrafted is now available on Disney+ & Disney YouTube. The magic of Walt Disney’s dream unfolds when Disneyland Handcrafted, a feature documentary from Leslie Iwerks, takes viewers on an unforgettable journey through the exhilarating year that gave rise to The Happiest Place on Earth. To watch Disneyland Handcrafted at home or while on-the-go, be sure to log into your existing Disney+ account or subscribe to @Disney on YouTube.
Whether you’re snuggling up with some blankets on a Disney vacation or enjoying the documentary from the friendly confines of your home, get ready to experience the labor and love that built one man’s impossible dream with this insightful new film.
The documentary, which lands on Disney+ and Disney YouTube today, was crafted with the support of multiple Disney teams and is more than a historical retrospective. The film was created using rarely seen footage that documented the park’s construction, including material originally shot for the Disneyland TV series on ABC, which televised ongoing updates beginning in 1954 about what Walt called his “latest and greatest dream.”
Iwerks and her team unearthed never-before-seen 16mm reels—some found in binders originally intended for Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, and produced high-resolution scans to bring the 1950s to life in stunning detail. Viewers can expect Stories from the real artists and Imagineers who were on-site during the “top secret” project. Immersive sounds and visuals of the handcrafted construction process. A deep dive into the impossible deadline and the “great big panic” required to open the gates by July 17, 1955.
Disneyland Handcrafted feels like a love letter to Walt. The man who put up everything as collateral to finance a dream and vision that would end up spanning 12 of the most visited theme parks in the world. Viewers will walk away with a new appreciation for the people whose hands physically built our childhood, giving life to something that had never been created before. They gave of themselves, they gave their experiences, their natural gift to create and make something out of nothing!
We recommend watching this on the largest screen you have, along with using a soundbar or good speakers. It is worth it.
