“Disneyland Handcrafted” Disney+ Release Date Announced
Disney has announced that the feature-length documentary, “Disneyland Handcrafted”, will be coming to Disney+ later this month.
This new documentary tells the story of Walt Disney’s dream and takes viewers on an unforgettable journey through the exhilarating year that gave rise to The Happiest Place on Earth. Built from rare archival footage and original audio recordings.
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.
Since opening over 70 years ago, Disneyland has laid the groundwork for a massive global theme park industry that is currently in the biggest era of growth, making this film a truly special treat for Disney fans.
This documentary comes from Leslie Iwerks, who previously worked on Disney+ Original documentary series, “The Imagineering Story”.”
“Disneyland Handcrafted” will stream on both Disney+ and the main Disney YouTube channel on January 22nd 2026.
Roger’s Take: As a huge fan of Disney theme parks, “The Imagineering Story” is still one of my favourite shows released on Disney+ and getting this new documentary about the making of Disneyland is a must-watch for me. While it does seem a little odd to be releasing this documentary on both Disney+ and YouTube at the same time, this is more of a promotional piece to advertise Disneyland and get more people to book trips there over the next year.
Are you looking forward to watching this new documentary? Let me know on social media!
