Disneyland Handcrafted, a new documentary exploring how hundreds of craftspeople brought Walt Disney’s dream of Disneyland to life in 1955, is now streaming on Disney+.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, the documentary takes viewers back to the origins of the original Disneyland park and the massive undertaking required to build it from the ground up. The film currently holds a 7.7 rating on IMDb.
From Orange Grove to Theme Park
The documentary chronicles the extraordinary effort behind transforming a 160-acre tract of orange groves and walnut trees in Anaheim, California into what would become the Happiest Place on Earth. Walt Disney rallied an army of craftspeople, from set designers and landscapers to engineers, painters, sculptors and artists, each contributing their specialized skills to an entertainment concept that had never been attempted before.
Disneyland Handcrafted spotlights the individuals whose hands-on work made the impossible possible, offering rare behind-the-scenes perspectives on the park’s construction and the creative problem-solving required to bring Disney’s vision to reality in just over a year.
A Personal Connection to Disney History
Director Leslie Iwerks brings a deeply personal perspective to the project. As the granddaughter of Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney’s earliest creative partner and the co-creator of Mickey Mouse, she has spent her career documenting the stories behind Disney’s most ambitious projects.
The documentary joins other Imagineering-focused content on Disney+, including We Call It Imagineering. Disneyland Handcrafted is streaming now on Disney+.
Source: Walt Disney Imagineering (YouTube)
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