Disneyland Handcrafted, a documentary chronicling the year leading up to the opening of Disneyland Resort, will soon be coming to the Disney+ streaming platform.
In 2025, Disneyland celebrated a massive milestone: its 70th birthday. Now, Disney is flashing back to those early beginnings with a brand new documentary. Oscar and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks (granddaughter of Walt Disney’s original animator and designer/co-creator of Mickey Mouse, Ub Iwerks) is releasing a new documentary film, Disneyland Handcrafted, later this month.
What is Disneyland Handcrafted?
Disneyland Handcrafted will give a first-hand look at the “trials and tribulations behind the rapid construction of the park leading up to its opening day in July 1955,” according to Disney. The film will feature rare archival footage and soundbites, giving a behind-the-scenes look at early Disneyland and the obstacles it took to get to its opening.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Importantly, the film was made with Disney history at its heart. Leslie Iwerks is not only the granddaughter of Walt Disney’s original animator but also the daughter of Don Iwerks, a Disney camera technician and inventor. This isn’t her first foray into telling the story of her family’s connections to Disney. In 1999, she shared her grandfather’s story with Walt and more in The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story. She has also worked on films such as The Pixar Story and The Imagineering Story, continuing her family’s legacy of filmmaking.
In creating Disneyland Handcrafted, Leslie searched through over 100 hours of raw material showcasing the early days of Disneyland, many outtakes coming directly from the vaults at the Walt Disney Film Archives. Through the footage, viewers will get a first-hand account of the artists and Imagineers on-site in Anaheim when Disneyland opened in 1955.
When Will Disneyland Handcrafted Be Available on Disney+?
Beginning January 22, Disneyland Handcrafted will be available to stream on Disney+ or Disney YouTube.
Disneyland Handcrafted Trailer
For a preview of what to expect with the forthcoming Disneyland Handcrafted, you can check out the newly released trailer below.
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