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Disneyland Handcrafted’ Debuts on Disney+ and YouTube, Revealing Disneyland’s Improvised, Hand‑Built Origins

Using restored 16mm footage with recreated period audio, the documentary foregrounds craftsmen alongside on-the-spot decision‑making from the 1954–55 build.

Overview

  • The 78‑minute film by Leslie Iwerks assembles never‑broadcast 16mm reels originally shot for mid‑1950s television, with selective colorization by Industrial Light & Magic.
  • Skywalker Sound provides period‑appropriate foley to accompany the silent footage, creating an immersive presentation without a modern narrator.
  • Archival voices describe a start with almost no formal plans, with construction boss Joe Fowler saying only about 10% existed as designs were developed during the build.
  • Dick Irvine recalls Walt Disney learning to read blueprints during construction and quickly becoming highly adept.
  • Footage depicts lax mid‑century safety practices and intensive handcrafting by workers, offering a candid view of how the park took shape.