Disneyland Handcrafted: A New Documentary Coming This Winter

At the “Creating The Happiest Place on Earth” panel at Destination D23 this weekend, attendees were treated to a first look at a new documentary film Disneyland Handcrafted, coming this winter to Disney+ and Disney YouTube. The documentary is created and directed by Oscar and Emmy nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks who also created and directed popular Disney+ series The Imagineering Story.

Watch the Official Trailer of Disneyland Handcrafted

Disneyland from Early Conception to Opening Day

Go behind the scenes more than 70 years ago when Disneyland was under construction and watch rarely seen footage and never before seen footage that Leslie handpicked from the Walt Disney Archives as orange groves in Anaheim, California transition into a magical kingdom built by Walt Disney and his Imagineers.

Walt tasked several cameramen to capture the construction of Disneyland leading up to the park’s opening. As you can see in trailer, this this documentary will provide an up-close, first-hand look at many of the artists, craftsmen, and Walt Disney Imagineers who were actually there during the construction of Disneyland. Some of the footage was used by Walt on “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” television program but much of the footage never saw the light of day.

This documentary will transport us back in time so that we can experience Walt’s vision of Disneyland and see the dedication and passion that went into the construction of the park as the team struggled to get it complete in time for the grand opening on July 17, 1955.

Disneyland Handcrafted is set to premiere on Disney+ and Disney YouTube this winter.