Disneyland Handcrafted

Play trailer

2:26

Disneyland Handcrafted

2026

1h 19m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

98%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Disneyland Handcrafted reveals the extraordinary artistry and grit it took hundreds of craftspeople to bring Walt Disney's impossible dream project of Disneyland to fruition -- from groundbreaking to Opening Day on July 17, 1955. The documentary captures both the legacy and nostalgia of the year leading up to the creation of the Disneyland Resort. Through newly unearthed materials from the Walt Disney Archives, Iwerks and her team uncovered long-forgotten 16mm film reels and audio recordings. The result is an unpolished, fly-on-the-wall perspective that captures what was truly happening behind the scenes, told through the firsthand accounts of the artists, craftsmen, and Imagineers who were there.

Watch on Disney+

Stream Now

Sheri Linden

New York Times

Jan 27

Disneyland Handcrafted is instead an immersive bit of time travel, spun out of 16-millimeter footage from the months leading up to the park's opening day.

Go to Full Review

Michael Walsh

Nerdist

2d

4/5

It’s not the worst thing when a fun, engaging documentary makes you want to learn more about its subject.

Go to Full Review

Jamie Broadnax

Black Girl Nerds

5d

4/5

Disneyland Handcrafted is ultimately a story about belief. Belief in imagination as a serious pursuit, belief in collaboration, and belief that something unprecedented could be brought to life through perseverance.

Go to Full Review

Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

Jan 30

A-

For Disneyana types, the movie is an engrossing opportunity to enjoy a nearly 3D-like viewing experience of pure labor. For the rest, Iwerks makes sure to celebrate the creative and physical drive of a massive undertaking, making for a riveting sit.

Go to Full Review

Eric Goldman

Eric Goldman's Cultured Pop (Substack)

Jan 30

I go to Disneyland frequently, but Disneyland Handcrafted instantly had me thinking about the park in a brand new way, with a newfound respect for the countless people it took to make Walt Disney's dream a reality.

Go to Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Jan 29

4.5/5

An intimate and lovingly assembled documentary that brings Walt Disney's original dream to life.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Corey H

@4TCCMo 4h

I consider Disneyland to be very dear to me. Seeing this footage in a raw format was refreshing. It doesn't claim that Disneyland was perfect, but that the ideals in place were ones that could amount to something great, which I believe it is today. Well done!

See more

Kim H

@KimH77 1d

Such a compelling story about the creation of Disneyland with a special treat of never before seen footage and commentary from the people who were there. A truly inspiring story about believing in something so much you are willing to risk everything.

See more

Erin W

@ErinW123 2d

A beautiful peek behind the curtain at what it took to build one of the most iconic places in the world. I loved hearing from the Imagineers and seeing footage of the hundreds of craftsman who worked alongside Walt Disney to bring his dream to life.

See more

Rodney B

@Rjayded 2d

Wow. This Documentary was truly a work of ART! The magic the whimsy it has everything. This will forever be a favorite for Disney fans and All people alike.

See more

Rena L

@RCLang 6d

Disneyland is such a perfect place, and to see the footage of it being built is inspirational. The movie is a quite a ride and reveals visionary master planning combined with ongoing creativity, determination and a collective "get er done" spirit. I watched it with my kids, and it sparked so much interesting conversation. Watch it!

See more

matthias s

@Thescreenasvor 6d

I’m always a sucker for Disney documentaries, and as a huge Disney fan, Disneyland Handcrafted honestly feels made just for me. The way they restored all that old footage is beautiful—it barely feels like a documentary at times and more like a non-fiction movie. I was watching with my mouth open seeing how much these workers risked their lives; it’s kind of a miracle no one died during that whole process. And the fact they built Disneyland in less than a year is absolutely insane. It really shows the passion, madness, and magic behind it all. I had a great time watching this one.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Leslie Iwerks

Director

Disneyland Handcrafted: Trailer

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Disneyland Handcrafted reveals the extraordinary artistry and grit it took hundreds of craftspeople to bring Walt Disney's impossible dream project of Disneyland to fruition -- from groundbreaking to Opening Day on July 17, 1955. The documentary captures both the legacy and nostalgia of the year leading up to the creation of the Disneyland Resort. Through newly unearthed materials from the Walt Disney Archives, Iwerks and her team uncovered long-forgotten 16mm film reels and audio recordings. The result is an unpolished, fly-on-the-wall perspective that captures what was truly happening behind the scenes, told through the firsthand accounts of the artists, craftsmen, and Imagineers who were there.

Director: Leslie Iwerks
Distributor: Disney+
Production Co: Leslie Iwerks Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 22, 2026
Runtime: 1h 19m

Most Popular at Home Now